UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
Form
CURRENT REPORT
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. |
On December 10 2020, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Packaging Corporation of America (the “Company”) approved an amendment and restatement of the by-laws of the Company (the “Amended Bylaws”), effective as of such date.
The Amended Bylaws provide for “proxy access,” which allows a stockholder, or a group of up to 20 stockholders, owning at least three percent of the Company’s outstanding stock continuously for at least three years, to nominate and include in the Company’s annual meeting proxy materials director nominees constituting up to the greater of two directors or 20% of the Board, provided that the stockholders and nominees satisfy the requirements specified in the Amended Bylaws.
In addition, the Amended Bylaws, among other matters, (1) revise procedures and disclosure requirements for the nomination of directors (outside of proxy access) and the submission of proposals for consideration at annual meetings of stockholders, (2) provide that the chairman of a stockholder meeting may adjourn any such meeting whether or not there is a quorum present, (3) clarify the power of the chairman of a stockholder meeting with respect to the conduct of such meeting, and (4) reflect certain administrative, modernizing, clarifying, and conforming changes.
The foregoing description of the Amended Bylaws does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amended Bylaws, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
Number |
Description of Exhibits | |
3.1 | Amended and Restated By-laws of Packaging Corporation of America, dated as of December 10, 2020. | |
104 | The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
PACKAGING CORPORATION OF AMERICA | ||||||
Date: December 14, 2020 | By: | /s/ Kent A. Pflederer | ||||
Name: | Kent A. Pflederer | |||||
Title: | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
OF
PACKAGING CORPORATION OF AMERICA
A Delaware Corporation
(Effective as of December 10, 2020)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office. The registered office of Packaging Corporation of America (the Corporation) in the State of Delaware shall be located at the Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, Delaware, County of New Castle. The name of the Corporations registered agent at such address shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The registered office and/or registered agent of the Corporation may be changed from time to time by action of the board of directors (the Board or the Board of Directors).
Section 2. Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. Time of Meetings. An annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held each year for the purpose of electing directors and conducting such other proper business as may come before the meeting. The date and time of the annual meeting shall be determined by the chief executive officer or the president of the Corporation; provided, that if the chief executive officer or the president does not act, the Board of Directors shall determine the date and time of such meeting. At the annual meeting, stockholders shall elect directors and transact such other business as properly may be brought before the annual meeting pursuant to Section 12 of this Article II or Sections 8 or 9 of Article III.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders may only be called in the manner provided in the certificate of incorporation.
Section 3. Place of Meetings. The Board of Directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting. If no designation is made, or if a special meeting be otherwise called, the place of meeting shall be the principal executive office of the Corporation. If for any reason any annual meeting shall not be held during any year, the business thereof may be transacted at any special meeting of the stockholders.
Section 4. Notice. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take action at a meeting, written or printed notice stating the place, date, time, and, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes, of such meeting, shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the stockholder at his, her or its address as the same appears on the records of the Corporation. If sent by facsimile transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when the facsimile transmission is promptly confirmed by telephone confirmation thereof. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends 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.
Section 5. Stockholders List. The officer having charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
Section 6. Quorum. The holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by statute or by the certificate of incorporation. If a quorum is not present, the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, and entitled to vote at the meeting, may adjourn the meeting to another time and/or place. When a specified item of business requires a vote by a class or series (if the Corporation shall then have outstanding shares of more than one class or series) voting as a class or series, the holders of a majority of the shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum (as to such class or series) for the transaction of such item of business.
Section 7. Adjourned Meetings. When a meeting is adjourned to another time and place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place 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 8. Vote Required. All matters and questions (other than the election of directors, which shall be governed under Article III, Section 2) shall, unless otherwise provided by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, these by-laws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, as otherwise provided by law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of stock of the Corporation which are present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon.
Section 9. Voting Rights. Except as otherwise provided by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL), by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation or any amendments thereto or these by-laws, every stockholder shall at every meeting of the stockholders be entitled to cast one (1) vote in person or by proxy for each share of common stock held by such stockholder.
Section 10. Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for him or her by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A proxy may be made irrevocable regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled is an interest in the stock itself or an interest in the Corporation generally. Any proxy is suspended when the person granting the proxy is present at a meeting of stockholders and elects to vote, except that when such proxy is coupled with an interest and the fact of the interest appears on the face of the proxy, the agent named in the proxy shall have all voting and other rights referred to in the proxy, notwithstanding the presence of the person granting the proxy. At each meeting of the stockholders, and before any voting commences, all proxies submitted at or before the meeting shall be submitted to the secretary or a person designated by the secretary, and no shares may be represented or voted under a proxy that has been found to be invalid or irregular.
Section 11. Action by Written Consent. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken and bearing the dates of
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signature of the stockholders who signed the consent or consents, 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 and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the state of Delaware, or the Corporations principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book or books in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporations registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested; provided, however, that no consent or consents delivered by certified or registered mail shall be deemed delivered until such consent or consents are actually received at the registered office. All consents properly delivered in accordance with this section shall be deemed to be recorded when so delivered. No written consent 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 as required by this section, written consents signed by the holders of a sufficient number of shares to take such corporate action are so recorded. 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 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 holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation as provided herein. Any action taken pursuant to such written consent or consents of the stockholders shall have the same force and effect as if taken by the stockholders at a meeting thereof.
Section 12. Business Brought Before an Annual Meeting. At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business (other than nominations of directors, which are governed by Sections 8 and 9 of Article III) must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder who (A) is a stockholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in this by-law, on the record date for the determination of stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting, and at the time of the meeting and (B) shall have complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12. For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholders notice must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, not earlier than the Close of Business on the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the prior years annual meeting nor later than the Close of Business on the 60th day prior to the first anniversary of the prior years annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is changed by more than thirty (30) days from such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be received not later than the Close of Business on the 10th day following the earlier of the date on which notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or public announcement of the meeting was made. A stockholders notice to the secretary shall set forth as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting as to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below): (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, (ii) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporations books, of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) any material interest in such business (iv) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the stockholder, (v) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares owned beneficially but not of record by such person, (vi) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options or borrowed or loaned shares) has been made presently or within the last 12 months, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such person with respect to any share of stock of the Corporation, (vii) to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the proposal of business on the date of such stockholders notice, (viii) a description of all arrangements or understandings between or among such persons in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, (ix) a representation that the stockholder giving the notice intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting, (x) notice whether such person intends to solicit proxies in connection with the proposed matter, (xi) any other information that is required to be provided by the stockholder pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), in his capacity as a proponent to a stockholder proposal, and (xii) any direct or indirect legal, economic or financial interest (including short interest) of each stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person in the outcome of any vote to be taken at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or any
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other entity with respect to any matter that is substantially related, directly or indirectly, to any business proposed by any stockholder under this Section 12. Any information required pursuant to this paragraph shall be supplemented to speak as of the record date for the meeting by the stockholder giving the notice not later than ten (10) days after such record date. Notwithstanding anything in these by-laws to the contrary, no business (other than nominations of directors, which are governed by Sections 8 and 9 of Article III) shall be conducted at an annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. The chairman of an annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting and in accordance with the provisions of this section; if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
Section 13. Conduct of Meetings. The chairman of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the chairman of the board or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer (if he or she shall be a director) or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the chief executive officer or if the chief executive officer is not a director, such other person as shall be appointed by the Board. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the chairman of the meeting. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with these by-laws or such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and to adjourn the meeting (whether or not a quorum is present or represented by proxy), to prescribe such rules, regulations, and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations, or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; and (f) restricting the use of cell phones, audio or video recording devices, or similar devices at the meeting. The chairman of the meetings rulings on procedural matters shall be final. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure. The secretary of each annual and special meeting of stockholders shall be the secretary of the Corporation or, in the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the secretary, an assistant secretary of the Corporation so appointed to act by the chairman of the meeting. In the absence (or inability or refusal to act) of the secretary of the Corporation and all assistant secretaries of the Corporation, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 1. General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In addition to such powers as are herein and in the certificate of incorporation expressly conferred upon it, the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the laws of Delaware, the certificate of incorporation and these by-laws.
Section 2. Number, Election and Term of Office. The number of directors which shall constitute the first Board of Directors shall be six. Thereafter, subject to any rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office. In a contested election, the directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the annual meeting of the stockholders and entitled to vote in the election of directors. For purposes of this Article III, Section 2, an election of directors at an annual meeting of stockholders is a contested election if, as of the date that is fourteen (14) days in advance of the date the Corporation files its definitive proxy statement (regardless of whether or not thereafter revised or supplemented)
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with the SEC relating to such meeting, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected at such meeting. In an uncontested election, the directors shall be elected by a majority of the vote of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the annual meeting of stockholders and entitled to vote in the election of directors; provided, that for purposes of this Article III, Section 2, a majority of the vote shall mean more votes cast for the director than against the director (with broker non-votes and abstentions disregarded for such purposes). Whenever the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation are entitled to elect one or more directors pursuant to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation (including, but not limited to, for purposes of these by-laws, pursuant to any duly authorized certificate of designation), such directors shall be elected by a plurality (if such election for such class is a contested election) or majority (if such election for such class is an uncontested election), as the case may be, of the votes of such class or series present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote in the election of such directors. The directors shall be elected in this manner at the annual meeting of stockholders, except as provided in Section 4 of this Article III, and each director shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter provided. Any incumbent nominee for director who fails to receive the required number of votes for reelection in accordance with these by-laws must tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. The independent directors (excluding the director(s) who tendered the resignation) will evaluate any such resignation in light of the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders in determining whether to accept or reject the resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors will act on the tendered resignation, and publicly disclose its decision, within 90 days following certification of the stockholder vote.
Section 3. Removal and Resignation. Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors. Whenever the holders of any class or series are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Corporations certificate of incorporation, the provisions of this section shall apply, in respect to the removal without cause of a director or directors so elected, to the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of that class or series and not to the vote of the outstanding shares as a whole. Any director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation.
Section 4. Vacancies. Subject to any rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to fill such newly created directorships or vacancies, any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors and any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification or removal from office for cause shall, unless otherwise provided by law or by resolution approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, be filled only by resolution approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office. Any director so chosen shall hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless he shall resign, die, become disqualified or be removed for cause.
Section 5. Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of each newly elected Board of Directors shall be held without other notice than this by-law immediately after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of stockholders, unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board.
Section 6. Other Meetings; Notice. Meetings, other than the annual meeting, of the Board may be called upon one days prior written notice to all directors stating the purpose or purposes thereof by direction of (a) the chairman of the board, (b) in the absence of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer (if he or she is a director), or (c) a majority of the Board. Such notice shall be effective upon receipt, in the case of personal delivery or facsimile transmission, and three Business Days after deposit with the U.S. Postal Service, postage prepaid, if mailed.
Section 7. Chairman of the Board, Quorum, Required Vote and Adjournment. The Board of Directors shall elect, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, a chairman of the board, who shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and Board of Directors at which he or she is present and shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe. If the chairman of the board is not present at a meeting of the stockholders or the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer (if the chief executive officer is a director and is not also the chairman of the board) shall preside at such meeting, and, if the chief executive officer is not present at such meeting, a majority of the directors present at such meeting shall elect one of their members to so preside. A majority of the total number of directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Unless by express provision of an applicable law, the certificate of
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incorporation or these by-laws a different vote is required, the vote of a majority of directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 8. Nominations.
(a) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these by-laws shall be eligible to serve as directors. Except as set forth in Section 9 of this Article III, nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made at a meeting of stockholders (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who (A) is a stockholder of record (1) at the time of giving of notice provided for in this by-law, (2) on the record date for the determination of stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting, and (3) at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote generally in the election of directors at the meeting and (C) shall have complied with the notice procedures set forth below in Section 8(b).
(b) In order for a stockholder to nominate a person for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation at a meeting of stockholders, such stockholder shall have delivered timely notice of such stockholders intent to make such nomination in writing to the secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholders notice shall be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting, not earlier than the Close of Business on 90th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting nor later than the Close of Business on the 60th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding years annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is changed by more than 30 days from such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not later than the Close of Business on the 10th day following the earlier of the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or public announcement of the meeting was made, and (ii) in the case of a special meeting at which directors are to be elected, not later than the Close of Business on the 10th day following the earlier of the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or public announcement of the meeting was made. Such stockholders notice shall set forth as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director and as to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person: (A) the name, age, business address, residence address and record address of such person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of such person, (C) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by such person, (D) a description of all arrangements or understandings between or among such persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nominations are to be made by the stockholder and any relationship between or among the stockholder giving notice and any Stockholder Associated Person, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, on the other hand, (E) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares owned beneficially but not of record by such person, (F) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options or borrowed or loaned shares) has been made presently or within the last 12 months, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such person with respect to any share of stock of the Corporation, (G) to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a director on the date of such stockholders notice, (H) a representation that the stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice, (I) any other information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (including without limitation the nominees written consent to being named in the proxy statement, if any, as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (J) any direct or indirect legal, economic or financial interest (including short interest) of each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director and each stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person in the outcome of any vote to be taken at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or any other entity with respect to any matter that is substantially related, directly or indirectly, to any nomination proposed by any stockholder under this Section 8, and (K) with respect to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director, a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement and any and all other information required by Section 8(d). Any information required pursuant to this paragraph shall be supplemented to speak as of the record date for the meeting by the stockholder giving the notice not later than ten (10) days after such record date.
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The Corporation may also, as a condition to any nomination or business (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any business brought pursuant to Section 12 of Article II) being deemed properly brought before an annual meeting, require any stockholder or any proposed nominee to deliver to the secretary, within five Business Days of any such request, such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Corporation, including, without limitation, such other information (1) as may be reasonably required by the Board, in its sole discretion, to determine (x) the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation and (y) whether such nominee qualifies as an independent director or audit committee financial expert under applicable law, securities exchange rule or regulation, or any publicly disclosed corporate governance guideline or committee charter of the Corporation and (2) that the Board determines, in its sole discretion, could be material to a reasonable stockholders understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee. At the request of the Board of Directors, any person nominated by the Board of Directors for election as a director shall furnish to the secretary of the Corporation that information required to be set forth in a stockholders notice of nomination which pertains to the nominee.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 9 of this Article III, no person shall be eligible to serve as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 8. The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this Section 8, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded. A stockholder seeking to nominate a person to serve as a director must also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 8. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of any meeting of stockholders commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholders notice as described above. For the avoidance of doubt, a stockholder shall not be entitled to make additional or substitute nominations following the expiration of the time periods set forth in these by-laws
(d) To be eligible to be a nominee for election or reelection as a director of the Corporation, a proposed nominee must deliver in writing (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under this Section 8) to the secretary (i) a 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 of any stockholder of record identified by name within five Business Days) and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record identified by name within five Business Days) that such person (A) is not and will not become a party to (1) any Voting Commitment (as defined below) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such persons ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such persons fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) 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 that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (C) in such persons 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 rules of the exchanges upon which the securities of the Corporation are listed and all applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Corporation, and (D) in such persons individual capacity and on behalf of any stockholder on whose behalf the nomination is being made, intends to serve a full term if elected as a director of the Corporation.
(e) For purposes of these by-laws:
(i) Affiliate shall have the meaning attributed to such term in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(ii) Associate shall have the meaning attributed to such term in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(iii) Business Day shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in Chicago, Illinois or New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
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(iv) Close of Business shall mean 5:00 p.m. local time at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and if an applicable deadline falls on the Close of Business on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable deadline shall be deemed to be the Close of Business on the immediately preceding Business Day.
(v) public announcement shall mean any method (or combination of methods) of disclosure that is reasonably designed to provide broad, non-exclusionary distribution of information to the public or the furnishing or filing of any document publicly filed by the Corporation with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(vi) Stockholder Associated Person of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert, directly or indirectly, with such stockholder and (ii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person.
Section 9. Proxy Access for Director Nominations.
(a) Proxy Access. Whenever the Board solicits proxies with respect to the election of directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, subject to the provisions of this Section 9, the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement for such annual meeting, in addition to any persons nominated for election by the Board, including through a committee thereof, the name, together with the Required Information (as defined below), of any person nominated for election (the Stockholder Nominee) to the Board by any stockholder or group of no more than 20 stockholders (provided, that a group of funds that are (i) under common management and investment control, (ii) under common management and funded primarily by the same employer or (iii) 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, shall be treated as one stockholder) that satisfies the requirements of this Section 9 (the Eligible Stockholder), and who expressly elects at the time of providing a notice that names the Stockholder Nominee and otherwise satisfies the requirements of this Section 9 (the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination) to have the Stockholder Nominee included in the Corporations proxy materials (including the proxy card) pursuant to this Section 9. For purposes of this Section 9, the Required Information that the Corporation will include in its proxy statement is the information provided to the secretary concerning the Stockholder Nominee and the Eligible Stockholder that is required to be disclosed in the Corporations proxy statement by the Exchange Act, and, if the Eligible Stockholder so elects, a written statement, not to exceed 500 words and which may include a chart, graph or other image, in support of the candidacy of the Stockholder Nominee(s) (the Statement); provided, that any words appearing in such chart, graph or other image shall be counted in calculating the 500-word limit. An Eligible Stockholder (including any group of stockholders together constituting an Eligible Stockholder) may submit one Statement for each of its Stockholder Nominees. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9, the Corporation may (A) omit from its proxy materials any information or Statement (or portion thereof) that it, in good faith, believes would violate any applicable law, rule or regulation, and (B) solicit against any Stockholder Nominee or include in the Corporations proxy statement its own statement or other information relating to any Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee.
(b) Timeliness of Notice. To nominate a Stockholder Nominee, the Eligible Stockholder must timely submit to the secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination. To be timely, the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination must be delivered to, or mailed to and received by, the secretary no earlier than the Close of Business on the 150th day and no later than the Close of Business on the 120th day before the anniversary of the date that the Corporation issued its proxy statement for the previous years annual meeting of stockholders, or, if the date of the annual meeting of stockholders is more than 30 days earlier or more than 60 days later than the anniversary date of the most recent annual meeting of stockholders, then not later than the Close of Business on the tenth day after public announcement of the meeting date. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting of stockholders commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Notice of Proxy Access Nomination.
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(c) Maximum Number of Stockholder Nominees.
(i) The maximum number of Stockholder Nominees nominated by all Eligible Stockholders that will be included in the Corporations proxy materials with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders shall not exceed the greater of (A) two or (B) 20% of the number of directors (rounded down to the nearest whole number) in office as of the last day on which a Notice of Proxy Access Nomination may be delivered pursuant to and in accordance with this Section 9 (the Final Proxy Access Nomination Date). In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board after the Final Proxy Access Nomination Date but before the date of the annual meeting, and the Board resolves to reduce the size of the Board in connection therewith, the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees included in the Corporations proxy materials shall be calculated based on the number of directors in office as so reduced.
(ii) The following persons shall be considered Stockholder Nominees for purposes of determining whether the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees provided for in this Section 9 has been reached: (A) any Stockholder Nominee whom the Board decides to nominate as a Board nominee, (B) any Stockholder Nominee who is subsequently withdrawn, (C) any incumbent director who had been a Stockholder Nominee or a nominee of a stockholder pursuant to the advance notice requirements set forth in Section 8 of Article III, in each case, at any of the preceding two annual or special meetings and whose reelection at the upcoming annual meeting is being recommended by the Board and, without duplication, (D) the number of incumbent directors who are not Stockholder Nominees and who will be included in the Corporations proxy materials with respect to such annual meeting of stockholders as an unopposed (by the Board) nominee pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or other understanding between the Corporation and any stockholder or group of stockholders.
(iii) Any Eligible Stockholder submitting more than one Stockholder Nominee for inclusion in the Corporations proxy materials pursuant to this Section 9 shall rank such Stockholder Nominees based on the order that the Eligible Stockholder desires such Stockholder Nominees to be selected for inclusion in the Corporations proxy statement. In the event that the number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by Eligible Stockholders pursuant to this Section 9 exceeds the maximum number of nominees provided for in this Section 9, the highest ranking Stockholder Nominee who meets the requirements of this Section 9 from each Eligible Stockholder will be selected for inclusion in the Corporations proxy materials until the maximum number is reached, proceeding in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of shares of common stock of the Corporation each Eligible Stockholder disclosed as owned in its respective Notice of Proxy Access Nomination submitted to the Corporation. For the purpose of the foregoing, in the event that the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination of two or more Eligible Stockholders disclose the ownership of an identical number of shares of common stock, such Eligible Stockholders Stockholder Nominees will be selected in the order (earliest date to latest date) that the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination was received by the Corporation from each such Eligible Stockholder. If the maximum number is not reached after the highest ranking Stockholder Nominee who meets the requirements of this Section 9 from each Eligible Stockholder has been selected, this process will continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the maximum number is reached.
(iv) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9, if the secretary receives notice pursuant to Section 8 of Article III that a stockholder intends to nominate for election at a meeting such number of nominees that, together with the Stockholder Nominees otherwise eligible to be included in the Corporations proxy materials pursuant to this Section 9, is greater than or equal to 50% of the total number of directors to be elected at such meeting, the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees eligible to be included in the Corporations proxy materials with respect to such meeting shall be reduced in whole-number increments, subject to a minimum of zero, until the total number of directors to be elected at such meeting pursuant to Section 8 of Article III and this Section 9 shall be less than 50% of the total number of directors to be elected at such meeting. If the secretary receives notice pursuant to Section 8 of Article III that a stockholder intends to nominate for election at such meeting a number of nominees that is greater than or equal to 50% of the total number of directors to be elected at such meeting, no Stockholder Nominees will be included in the Corporations proxy materials with respect to such meeting pursuant to this Section 9.
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(d) Ownership. For purposes of this Section 9, an Eligible Stockholder shall be deemed to own only those outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation as to which the stockholder possesses (i) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (ii) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit from and risk of loss on) such shares. The number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (i) and (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall not include any shares (A) sold by such stockholder (or any of its Affiliates) in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, (B) borrowed by such stockholder (or any of its Affiliates) for any purposes or purchased by such stockholder (or any of its Affiliates) pursuant to an agreement to resell or (C) subject to any option, warrant, derivative or other agreement or understanding, whether any such arrangement is to be settled with shares of common stock of the Corporation or with cash based on the notional amount of shares subject thereto, in any such case which has, or is intended to have or if exercised would have, the purpose or effect of (1) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such stockholders (or its Affiliates) rights to vote or direct the voting and full rights to dispose or direct the disposition of any of such shares and/or (2) offsetting to any degree any gain or loss arising from the full economic interest in such shares by such stockholder (or Affiliate). An Eligible Stockholders ownership of shares of common stock shall be deemed to continue during any period in which (x) the Eligible Stockholder has loaned such shares (provided, that the Eligible Stockholder has the power to recall such loaned shares on not more than five Business Days notice, and recalls such loaned shares not more than five Business Days after being notified that any of its Stockholder Nominees will be included in the Corporations proxy materials) or (y) the Eligible Stockholder has delegated any voting power with respect to such shares by means of proxy, power of attorney, or other instrument or arrangement (provided, that such proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement is revocable at any time by the Eligible Stockholder, and the Eligible Stockholder revokes such proxy, power of attorney, or other instrument or arrangement not more than five Business Days after being notified that any of its Stockholder Nominees will be included in the Corporations proxy materials). Whether outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation are owned for these purposes will be determined by the Board.
(e) Required Ownership Percentage; Minimum Holding Period. In order to make a nomination pursuant to this Section 9, an Eligible Stockholder must have owned the Required Ownership Percentage (as defined below) of the Corporations outstanding common stock (the Required Shares) continuously for the Minimum Holding Period (as defined below) as of both the date the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination is received by the secretary in accordance with this Section 9 and the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and must continue to own the Required Shares through the meeting date. For purposes of this Section 9, the (i) Required Ownership Percentage is 3% or more, based on the number of shares of the Corporations common stock outstanding as of the most recently reported date set forth in the Corporations most recent filing with the SEC containing such information, and (ii) the Minimum Holding Period is three years.
(f) Information to Be Provided.
(i) The Notice of Proxy Access Nomination must include: (A) in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation, one or more written statements from the record holder of the shares (and from each intermediary through which the shares are or have been held during the Minimum Holding Period) verifying that, as of a date within seven days prior to the date the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination is delivered or mailed to the secretary, the Eligible Stockholder owns, and has owned continuously for the Minimum Holding Period, the Required Shares, and the Eligible Stockholders agreement to provide, within five Business Days after the record date for the annual meeting, written statements from the record holder and intermediaries verifying the Eligible Stockholders continuous ownership of the Required Shares through the record date and immediate notice if the Eligible Stockholder ceases to own the Required Shares prior to the date of the applicable annual meeting of stockholders; (B) documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation demonstrating that any group of funds being counted as one stockholder in meeting the definition of Eligible Stockholder is entitled to be treated as one stockholder for purposes of this Section 9; (C) a copy of the Schedule 14N (or any successor form) that has been filed with the SEC as required by Rule 14a-18 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provisions); (D) the information,
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representations, and agreements that are the same as those that would be required to be set forth in a stockholders notice of nomination pursuant to Section 8 of Article III; (E) in the case of a nomination by a group of stockholders, that together is an Eligible Stockholder, the designation by all group members of one member that is authorized to act on behalf of all such members with respect to the nomination and matters related thereto, including withdrawal of the nomination; (F) representations and agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation that the Eligible Stockholder (1) acquired the Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, and neither the Eligible Stockholder nor the Stockholder Nominee nor their respective Affiliates and Associates is holding any securities of the Corporation with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, (2) presently intends to maintain qualifying ownership of the Required Shares through the date of the annual meeting, (3) has not nominated and will not nominate for election to the Board at the annual meeting any person other than the Stockholder Nominee(s) being nominated pursuant to this Section 9, (4) has not engaged and will not engage in, and has not and will not be a participant in another persons solicitation within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting other than its Stockholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the Board, (5) agrees to comply with all applicable laws and regulations applicable to the use, if any, of soliciting material, and (6) will provide facts, statements, and other information in all communications with the Corporation and its stockholders that are or will be true and correct in all material respects and do not and will not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and (G) an undertaking in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation that the Eligible Stockholder agrees to (1) assume all liability stemming from any legal or regulatory violation arising out of the Eligible Stockholders communications with the stockholders of the Corporation or out of the information that the Eligible Stockholder provided to the Corporation and (2) indemnify and hold harmless the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss or damages in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit, or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of any nomination submitted by the Eligible Stockholder pursuant to this Section 9.
(ii) The Notice of Proxy Access Nomination must include a written representation and agreement from the Stockholder Nominee in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation that such person (A) consents to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and, if elected, intends to serve as a director for the entire term for which such person is standing for election, (B) is not and will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) 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 or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such persons ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such persons fiduciary duties under applicable law, (C) 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 that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (D) in such persons 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 applicable law, all applicable rules of the U.S. exchanges upon which the common stock of the Corporation is listed, and all of the Corporations publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines, (E) will provide facts, statements and other information in all communications with the Corporation and its stockholders that are or will be true and correct in all material respects and do not and will not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (F) will irrevocably resign, with such resignation to become automatically effective upon determination by the Board (excluding for this purpose the
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Stockholder Nominee) that (1) such Stockholder Nominee or the applicable Eligible Stockholder has breached or has failed to comply with any of its or their obligations under this Section 9 or any of its or their representations or agreements set forth in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (or otherwise submitted pursuant to this Section 9), (2) any of the information in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (or otherwise submitted pursuant to this Section 9) was not, when provided, true and correct in all material respects or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances they were made, not misleading, or (3) the requirements of this Section 9 had not otherwise been met by the Eligible Stockholder or the Stockholder Nominee.
(iii) At the request of the Corporation, each Stockholder Nominee for election as a director of the Corporation must promptly, but in any event within five Business Days after such request, submit all completed and signed questionnaires required of directors and officers to the secretary. The Corporation may request such additional information, or such of the foregoing information in a form provided by the secretary upon written request, as necessary to permit the Board to determine if each Stockholder Nominee satisfies the requirements of this Section 9.
(g) Notice of Defect. In the event that any information or communications provided by the Eligible Stockholder or the Stockholder Nominee to the Corporation or its stockholders ceases to be true and correct in all material respects or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, each Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the secretary of any defect in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct any such defect, it being understood that providing any such notification shall not be deemed to cure any such defect or limit the remedies available to the Corporation relating to any such defect.
(h) Exclusions. The Corporation shall not be required to include in its proxy materials for any meeting of stockholders, pursuant to this Section 9, a Stockholder Nominee (i) for which the secretary receives a notice that a stockholder has nominated such Stockholder Nominee for election to the Board pursuant to the advance notice requirements for stockholder nominees for director set forth in Section 8 of Article III, (ii) if the Eligible Stockholder who has nominated such Stockholder Nominee has engaged in or is currently engaged in, or has been or is a participant in another persons solicitation within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting other than its Stockholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the Board, (iii) who is not independent under the listing standards of each principal U.S. exchange upon which the common stock of the Corporation is listed, any applicable rules of the SEC, and any publicly disclosed standards used by the Board in determining and disclosing independence of the Corporations directors, in each case as determined by the Board, (iv) who does not qualify as a non-employee director under Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or as an outside director for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (or any successor provision), (v) whose election as a member of the Board would cause the Corporation to be in violation of these by-laws, the certificate of incorporation, the rules and listing standards of the principal U.S. exchanges upon which the common stock of the Corporation is traded, or any applicable state or federal law, rule or regulation, (vi) who is an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended, (vii) who is a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses) or has been convicted in such a criminal proceeding within the past ten years, (viii) who is subject to any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act, (ix) if such Stockholder Nominee or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have provided information to the Corporation in respect of such nomination that was not true or correct in any material respect or that omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, as determined by the Board or any committee thereof, or (x) if such Stockholder Nominee or the applicable Eligible Stockholder has breached or has failed to comply with any of its or their obligations under this Section 9 or any of its or their representations or agreements set forth in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (or otherwise submitted pursuant to this Section 9) or any of the information in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (or otherwise submitted pursuant to this Section 9) was not, when provided, true or correct or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances they were made, not misleading, or the requirements of this Section 9 have not otherwise been met.
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(i) Invalidity. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Board or the chairman of the meeting of stockholders shall declare a nomination by an Eligible Stockholder to be invalid, and such nomination shall be disregarded and no vote on such Stockholder Nominee will occur, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation, if (i) the Stockholder Nominee(s) becomes ineligible or unavailable for election at the annual meeting, as determined by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, (ii) the Stockholder Nominee(s) and/or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have breached or failed to comply with any of its or their obligations under this Section 9 or any of its or their representations or agreements set forth in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (or otherwise submitted pursuant to this Section 9) or any of the information in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (or otherwise submitted pursuant to this Section 9) was not, when provided, true or correct or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances they were made, not misleading, or the requirements of this Section 9 have not otherwise been met, as determined by the Board or the chairman of the meeting, or (iii) the Eligible Stockholder (or a qualified representative thereof) does not appear at the meeting of stockholders to present any nomination pursuant to this Section 9. In addition, the Corporation will not be required to include in its proxy materials any successor or replacement Stockholder Nominee proposed by the applicable Eligible Stockholder or any other Eligible Stockholder.
(j) Group Membership. No person may be a member of more than one group of persons constituting an Eligible Stockholder under this Section 9.
(k) Restrictions on Successive Nominations. Any Stockholder Nominee who is included in the Corporations proxy materials for a particular annual meeting of stockholders but either (i) withdraws from or becomes ineligible or unavailable for election at the annual meeting, or (ii) does not receive at least 25% of the votes cast in favor of such Stockholder Nominees election, will be ineligible to be a Stockholder Nominee pursuant to this Section 9 for the next two annual meetings. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 9(k) shall not prevent any stockholder from nominating any person to the Board pursuant to and in accordance with Section 8 of Article III.
Section 10. Telephonic Meetings; Written Consents. Except as may otherwise be provided by applicable law, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting pursuant to a written consent in compliance with the DGCL and if such written consent is filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or such committee. Any meeting of the Board or any committee thereof may be held by conference telephone or similar communication equipment, so long as all Board or committee members participating in the meeting can hear one another, and participation in a meeting by use of conference telephone or similar communication equipment shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 11. Committees. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the total number of directors then in office, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation, which to the extent provided in such resolution or these by-laws shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors in the management and affairs of the Corporation, except as otherwise limited by law. 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. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.
Section 12. Committee Rules. Each committee of the Board of Directors may fix its own rules of procedure and shall hold its meetings as provided by such rules, except as may otherwise be provided by a resolution of the Board of Directors designating such committee. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, the presence of at least a majority of the members of the committee shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, in the event that a member and that members alternate, if alternates are designated by the Board of Directors, of such committee is or are absent or disqualified, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member.
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Section 13. Waiver of Notice and Presumption of Assent. Any member of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof who is present at a meeting shall be conclusively presumed to have waived notice of such meeting except when such member attends 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. Such member shall be conclusively presumed to have assented to any action taken unless his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless his or her written dissent to such action shall be filed with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall be forwarded by registered mail to the secretary of the Corporation immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to any member who voted in favor of such action.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. Number. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall consist of a chief executive officer, a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and such other officers and assistant officers as may be deemed necessary or desirable by the Board of Directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. In its discretion, the Board of Directors may choose not to fill any office for any period as it may deem advisable, except that the offices of chief executive officer and secretary shall be filled as expeditiously as possible.
Section 2. Election and Term of Office. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at its first meeting held after each annual meeting of stockholders or as soon thereafter as conveniently may be. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and filled at any meeting of the Board of Directors. Each officer shall hold office until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal as hereinafter provided.
Section 3. Removal. Any officer or agent elected by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board of Directors with or without cause, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.
Section 4. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise, may be filled by the Board of Directors for the unexpired portion of the term by the Board of Directors then in office.
Section 5. Compensation. Compensation of all executive officers shall be fixed by the Board of Directors, and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by virtue of his or her also being a director of the Corporation.
Section 6. The Chief Executive Officer. The chief executive officer, if there shall be one, shall, in the absence of the chairman of the board, preside at all meetings of the stockholders at which he is present; subject to the powers of the Board of Directors, shall have general charge of the business, affairs and property of the Corporation, and control over its officers, agents and employees; and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The chief executive officer shall execute bonds, mortgages and other contracts requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The chief executive officer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or as may be provided in these by-laws.
Section 7. President. The president, if there shall be one, shall, in the absence or disability of the chief executive officer, act with all of the powers and be subject to all the restrictions of the chief executive officer. The president shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer or these by-laws may, from time to time, prescribe.
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Section 8. Vice-Presidents. The vice-president, or if there shall be more than one, the vice-presidents in the order determined by the Board of Directors or by the chief executive officer, shall, in the absence or disability of the president, act with all of the powers and be subject to all the restrictions of the president. The vice-presidents shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer or these by-laws may, from time to time, prescribe. The vice-presidents may also be designated as executive vice-presidents or senior vice-presidents, as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 9. The Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors, all meetings of the committees thereof and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings of the meetings in a book or books to be kept for that purpose or shall ensure that his or her designee attends each such meeting to act in such capacity. Under the chief executive officers supervision, the secretary shall give, or cause to be given, all notices required to be given by these by-laws or by law; shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer or these by-laws may, from time to time, prescribe; and shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation. The secretary, or an assistant secretary, shall have authority to affix the corporate seal to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her signature or by the signature of such assistant secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his or her signature. The assistant secretary, or if there be more than one, the assistant secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer or secretary may, from time to time, prescribe.
Section 10. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. The treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities; shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation; shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors; shall cause the funds of the Corporation to be disbursed when such disbursements have been duly authorized, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements; shall render to the chief executive officer and the Board of Directors, at its regular meeting or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of the Corporation; and shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president or these by-laws may, from time to time, prescribe. If required by the Board of Directors, the treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond (which shall be rendered every six years) in such sums and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of death, resignation, retirement, or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money, and other property of whatever kind in the possession or under the control of the treasurer belonging to the Corporation. The assistant treasurer, or if there shall be more than one, the assistant treasurers in the order determined by the Board of Directors, shall in the absence or disability of the treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the treasurer. The assistant treasurers shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president or treasurer may, from time to time, prescribe.
Section 11. Other Officers, Assistant Officers and Agents. Officers, assistant officers and agents, if any, other than those whose duties are provided for in these by-laws, shall have such authority and perform such duties as may from time to time be prescribed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 12. Absence or Disability of Officers. In the case of the absence or disability of any officer of the Corporation and of any person hereby authorized to act in such officers place during such officers absence or disability, the Board of Directors may by resolution delegate the powers and duties of such officer to any other officer or to any director, or to any other person whom it may select.
ARTICLE V
INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND OTHERS
Section 1. Nature of Indemnity. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a proceeding), by reason of the fact that he, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a
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director or officer, of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary, or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent which it is empowered to do so unless prohibited from doing so by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys fees actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding) and such indemnification shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 2 of this Article V, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding initiated by such person only if such proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The right to indemnification conferred in this Article V shall be a contract right. The Corporation may, by action of its Board of Directors, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.
Section 2. Procedure for Indemnification of Directors and Officers. Any indemnification of a director or officer of the Corporation under Section 1 of this Article V or advance of expenses under Section 5 of this Article V shall be made promptly, and in any event within 30 days, upon the written request of the director or officer. If a determination by the Corporation that the director or officer is entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Article V is required, and the Corporation fails to respond within thirty days to a written request for indemnity, the Corporation shall be deemed to have approved the request. If the Corporation denies a written request for indemnification or advancing of expenses, in whole or in part, or if payment in full pursuant to such request is not made within 30 days, the right to indemnification or advances as granted by this Article V shall be enforceable by the director or officer in any court of competent jurisdiction. Such persons costs and expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing his or her right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such action shall also be indemnified by the Corporation. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
Section 3. Article Not Exclusive. The rights to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Article V shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the certificate of incorporation, by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
Section 4. Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on its own behalf and on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, fiduciary, 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 any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under this Article V.
Section 5. Expenses. Expenses incurred by any person described in Section 1 of this Article V in defending a proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of such proceedings final disposition upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. Such expenses incurred by other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Board of Directors deems appropriate.
Section 6. Employees and Agents. Persons who are not covered by the foregoing provisions of this Article V and who are or were employees or agents of the Corporation, or who are or were serving at the request of the Corporation as employees or agents of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, may be indemnified to the extent authorized at any time or from time to time by the Board of Directors.
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Section 7. Contract Rights. The provisions of this Article V shall be deemed to be a contract right between the Corporation and each director or officer who serves in any such capacity at any time while this Article V and the relevant provisions of the DGCL or other applicable law are in effect, and any repeal or modification of this Article V or any such law shall not affect any rights or obligations then existing with respect to any state of facts or proceeding then existing.
Section 8. Merger or Consolidation. For purposes of this Article V, 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, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Article V with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
ARTICLE VI
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK; RECORD DATES
Section 1. Form. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates unless the Board of Directors shall by resolution or resolutions provide that some or all of any or all classes or series of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shares of stock. Notwithstanding the adoption of such a resolution by the Board of Directors, every holder of stock represented by a certificate and, upon request, every holder of uncertificated shares shall be entitled to have a certificate, signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by the chief executive officer, any vice-president and the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the Corporation. If such a certificate is countersigned (i) by a transfer agent or an assistant transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee or (ii) by a registrar, other than the Corporation or its employee, the signature of any such chief executive officer, president, vice president, secretary or assistant secretary may be facsimiles. In case any officer or officers who have signed, or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used on, any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation whether because of death, resignation or otherwise before such certificate or certificates have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be issued and delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates or whose facsimile signature or signatures have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer or officers of the Corporation. All certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of shares and date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation. Shares of stock of the Corporation represented by a certificate shall only be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder of record thereof or by such holders attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates for such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons, with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement, transfer, authorization, and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. In that event, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate or certificates, and record the transaction on its books. Uncertificated shares of the Corporation shall only be transferred on the books of the Corporation upon delivery of proper instructions to transfer such shares by the holder of record thereof or by such holders attorney duly authorized in writing, upon presentment of proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer in accordance with the customary procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form. The Board of Directors may appoint a bank or trust company organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof to act as its transfer agent or registrar, or both in connection with the transfer of any class or series of securities of the Corporation.
Section 2. Lost Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates previously 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
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destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.
Section 3. Fixing a Record Date for Stockholder Meetings. 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 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 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 the close of business on the next day 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.
Section 4. Fixing a Record Date for Action by Written Consent. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, if permitted by the certificate of incorporation, 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 days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, 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 statute, 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 Corporations 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 statute, 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.
Section 5. Fixing a Record Date for Other Purposes. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, 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, 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 6. Registered Stockholders. Prior to the surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates for a share or shares of stock with a request to record the transfer of such share or shares, the Corporation may treat the registered owner as the person entitled to receive dividends, to vote, to receive notifications, and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of an owner. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof.
Section 7. Subscriptions for Stock. Unless otherwise provided for in the subscription agreement, subscriptions for shares shall be paid in full at such time, or in such installments and at such times, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Any call made by the Board of Directors for payment on subscriptions shall be uniform as to all shares of the same class or as to all shares of the same series. In case of default in the payment of any installment or call when such payment is due, the Corporation may proceed to collect the amount due in the same manner as any debt due the Corporation.
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ARTICLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation and these by-laws, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to applicable law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or any other purpose and the directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
Section 2. Issuance of Stock. The shares of all classes of stock of the Corporation may be issued by the Corporation from time to time for such consideration as from time to time may be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, provided that shares of stock having a par value shall not be issued for a consideration less than such par value, as determined by the Board. At any time, or from time to time, the Corporation may grant rights or options to purchase from the Corporation any shares of its stock of any class or classes to run for such period of time, for such consideration, upon such terms and conditions, and in such form as the Board of Directors may determine. The Board of Directors shall have authority, as provided by law, to determine that only a part of the consideration which shall be received by the Corporation for the shares of its stock which it shall issue from time to time, shall be capital; provided, however, that, if all the shares issued shall be shares having a par value, the amount of the part of such consideration so determined to be capital shall be equal to the aggregate par value of such shares. The excess, if any, at any time, of the total net assets of the Corporation over the amount so determined to be capital, as aforesaid, shall be surplus. All classes of stock of the Corporation shall be and remain at all times nonassessable.
Section 3. Checks, Drafts or Orders. All checks, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money by or to the Corporation and all notes and other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation, and in such manner, as shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof.
Section 4. Contracts. In addition to the powers otherwise granted to the officers pursuant to Article IV hereof, the Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, or any agent or agents, of the Corporation to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
Section 5. Loans. The Corporation may lend money to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other employee of the Corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or employee who is a director of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in the judgment of the directors, such loan, guaranty or assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the Corporation. The loan, guaranty or other assistance may be with or without interest, and may be unsecured, or secured in such manner as the Board of Directors shall approve, including, without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the Corporation. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the Corporation at common law or under any statute.
Section 6. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 7. Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors may provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words Corporate Seal, Delaware. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
Section 8. Voting Securities Owned By Corporation. Voting securities in any other corporation held by the Corporation shall be voted by the chief executive officer, unless the Board of Directors specifically confers authority to vote with respect thereto, which authority may be general or confined to specific instances, upon some other person or officer. Any person authorized to vote securities shall have the power to appoint proxies, with general power of substitution.
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Section 9. Inspection of Books and Records. The Board of Directors shall have power from time to time to determine to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions and regulations the accounts and books of the Corporation, or any of them, shall be open to the inspection of the stockholders; and no stockholder shall have any right to inspect any account or book or document of the Corporation, except as conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, unless and until authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors or of the stockholders of the Corporation.
Section 10. Section Headings. Section headings in these by-laws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.
Section 11. Inconsistent Provisions. In the event that any provision of these by-laws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the certificate of incorporation, the DGCL or any other applicable law, the provision of these by-laws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be amended, altered, or repealed and new by-laws adopted at any meeting of the Board of Directors by a majority vote. The fact that the power to adopt, amend, alter, or repeal the by-laws has been conferred upon the Board of Directors shall not divest the stockholders of the same powers.
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