Cytosorbents Corp 8-K, filed May 6, 2024
Cytosorbents Corp (CTSO)
About this 8-K
Cytosorbents Corp filed this 8-K on May 6, 2024, reporting on events of May 2, 2024.
Items reported
- Item 5.03: Charter or bylaw amendment, or fiscal year change
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging Growth Company
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.
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| Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On May 2, 2024, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of CytoSorbents Corporation (the “Company”) approved the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), which became effective immediately. The Board adopted certain clarifying amendments and other updates, which, among other items, made the following changes:
| · | Article I, Section 1.5 of the Bylaws has been amended to delete the requirement to make a stockholder list available for examination at stockholder meetings, consistent with recent amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”); |
| · | Article I, Sections 1.9(a) and 1.10(b) and Article II, Section 2.15(b) of the Bylaws have been amended to update certain disclosure requirements in the advance notice to be provided in connection with stockholder submissions of proposals regarding certain business to be conducted at annual meetings of stockholders and stockholder nominations of directors; |
| · | Article I, Section 1.12 of the Bylaws has been amended to delete the requirement for stockholder action to be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders, consistent with the DGCL; and |
| · | Article VIII of the Bylaws has been amended to add a forum selection clause which (i) requires all litigation concerning the internal affairs of the Company to proceed in the State of Delaware and (ii) requires all cases brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, or any successor thereto, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to be litigated in federal court. |
The foregoing description of the Bylaws does not purport to be complete and is qualified entirely by reference to the full text of the Bylaws, which is attached as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
| Item 9.01 | Exhibits |
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description |
| 3.1 | Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of CytoSorbents Corporation |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded with the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Dated: May 6, 2024 | CYTOSORBENTS CORPORATION | |
| By: | /s/ Dr. Phillip P. Chan | |
| Name: | Dr. Phillip P. Chan | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
Exhibit 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS OF
CYTOSORBENTS CORPORATION
(as of May 2, 2024)
ARTICLE I
STOCKHOLDERS
1.1 Place of Meetings. All meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place (if any) within or without the State of Delaware as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors or, if not determined by the Board of Directors, by the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Chief Executive Officer; provided that the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that any meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place but shall be held solely by means of remote communication in accordance with Section 1.13.
1.2 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting shall be held on a date to be fixed by the Board of Directors at a time to be fixed by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting.
1.3 Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, for any purpose or purposes prescribed in the notice of the meeting and shall be held on such date and at such time as the Board of Directors may fix. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be confined to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.
1.4 Notice of Meetings.
(a) Written notice of each meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date fixed by the Board of Directors for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or as required by law (meaning here and hereafter, as required from time to time by the Delaware General Corporation Law or the First Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation (as amended or amended and restated from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”). The notice of any meeting shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting. The notice of a special meeting shall state, in addition, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
(b) Notice to stockholders may be given by personal delivery, mail, or, with the consent of the stockholder entitled to receive notice, by facsimile or other means of electronic transmission. If mailed, such notice shall be delivered by postage prepaid envelope directed to each stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears in the records of the corporation and shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail. Notice given by electronic transmission pursuant to this subsection shall be deemed given: (1) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a facsimile telecommunication number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (2) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (3) if by posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and (4) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the corporation that the notice has been given by personal delivery, by mail, or by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
(c) Notice of any meeting of stockholders need not be given to any stockholder if waived by such stockholder either in a writing signed by such stockholder or by electronic transmission, whether such waiver is given before or after such meeting is held. If such a waiver is given by electronic transmission, the electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.
1.5 Voting List. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare, at least 10 days before each meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting; the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date, arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the mailing address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting: (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, (b) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the corporation or (c) in any other manner provided by law.
1.6 Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law or these Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (as amended or amended and restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”), the holders of a majority of the shares of the capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Where a separate class vote by a class or classes or series is required, a majority of the shares of such class or classes or series present in person or represented by proxy shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.
1.7 Adjournments. Any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned to any other time and to any other place at which a meeting of stockholders may be held under these Bylaws by the chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such person, by any officer entitled to preside at or to act as secretary of such meeting, or by the holders of a majority of the shares of stock present or represented at the meeting and entitled to vote, although less than a quorum. When a meeting is adjourned to another place, date or time, written notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the date, time and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the date of any adjourned meeting is more than 30 days after the date for which the meeting was originally noticed, or if the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 4.5, written notice of the place, if any, date and time of the adjourned meeting and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting, shall be given in conformity herewith. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting.
1.8 Voting and Proxies. Each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock entitled to vote held of record by such stockholder and a proportionate vote for each fractional share so held, unless otherwise provided by law or in the Certificate of Incorporation. Each stockholder of record entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may vote in person or may authorize any other person or persons to vote or act for such stockholder by a written proxy executed by the stockholder or the stockholder’s authorized agent or by an electronic transmission permitted by law and delivered to the Secretary of the corporation. Any copy, facsimile transmission or other reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission created pursuant to this section may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or electronic transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile transmission or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or electronic transmission.
1.9 Action at Meeting.
(a) At any meeting of stockholders for the election of one or more directors at which a quorum is present, the election shall be determined by the vote of the majority of the votes cast by stockholders with respect to that director’s election. For purposes of this Section 1.9(a), a majority of the votes cast shall mean that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Abstentions and broker non-votes shall not be deemed votes cast either “for” or “against” that director’s election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote (and not by majority vote) at any meeting of stockholders where the election of directors is a “Contested Election” (as defined below). For purposes of these Bylaws, an election of directors shall be considered a “Contested Election” if (i) the number of nominees standing for election at any meeting of stockholders exceeds the number of directors to be elected, and (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn on or prior to the 10th calendar day preceding the date the corporation files with the Securities and Exchange Commission its definitive proxy statement relating to such meeting of stockholders such that the number of candidates for election as director no longer exceeds the number of directors to be elected at such meeting (regardless of whether or not such proxy statement is thereafter revised or supplemented). If directors are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, stockholders shall not be permitted to vote against a nominee.
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(b) Each person who is nominated to stand for election as director, whether such nomination is proposed by the corporation or a stockholder, shall, as a condition to such nomination, tender an irrevocable and executed letter of resignation in advance of the meeting for the election of directors. If a nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is an incumbent director, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board of Directors will act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s recommendation, and make public disclosure of its decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision within 90 calendar days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, in making its recommendation, and the Board of Directors, in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that they consider appropriate and relevant. The director who tenders his or her resignation will not participate in the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the decision of the Board of Directors with respect to his or her tender of resignation, but may participate in the recommendation or the decision regarding another director’s tender of resignation.
(c) All other matters shall be determined by a majority in voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter (or if there are two or more classes of stock entitled to vote as separate classes, then in the case of each such class, a majority of the shares of each such class present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter shall decide such matter), provided that a quorum is present, except when a different vote is required by express provision of law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
(d) All voting, including on the election of directors, but excepting where otherwise required by law, may be by a voice vote; provided, that upon demand therefor by a stockholder entitled to vote or the stockholder’s proxy, a vote by ballot shall be taken. Each ballot shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting. The corporation may, and to the extent required by law, shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. The corporation may designate one or more persons as an alternate inspector to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting may, and to the extent required by law, shall, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath to faithfully execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability.
1.10 Stockholder Business (Other Than the Election of Directors).
(a) Only such business (other than nominations for election of directors, which is governed by Section 2.15 of these Bylaws) shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before an annual meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be either (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) otherwise properly 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 (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such business is proposed, only if such beneficial owner is the beneficial owner of shares of the corporation) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 1.10 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.10 as to such business. For any business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder (other than nominations for election of directors, which is governed by Section 2.15 of these Bylaws), it must be a proper matter for stockholder action under the Delaware General Corporation Law, and the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation. For purposes of this Section 1.10, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be in writing and must be received at the corporation’s principal executive offices not later than 90 days nor earlier than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting as first specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting (without regard to any postponements or adjournments of such meeting after such notice was first sent), provided, however, that if no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than thirty (30) days, or delayed (other than as a result of adjournment) by more than thirty (30) days from the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be received not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the date on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. “Public announcement” for purposes hereof shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(c) of these Bylaws. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. For business to be properly brought before a special meeting by a stockholder, the business must be limited to the purpose or purposes set forth in a request under Section 1.3.
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(b) A stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the corporation shall set forth (i) as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the text of the proposal or business, including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws of the corporation, the language of the proposed amendment, and (ii) as to each “Proposing Person”, as defined below, (A) the name and address, as they appear on the corporation’s books, of the Proposing Person, (B) the class or series and number of shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by each Proposing Person as of the date of the notice, and a representation that the stockholder giving notice will notify the corporation in writing within five (5) business days after the record date for voting at the meeting of the class or series and number of shares of the corporation owned beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) and of record by each Proposing Person as of the record date for voting at the meeting, (C) a representation that the stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose the business specified in the notice, (D) any material interest of each Proposing Person in such business, (E) the following information regarding the ownership interests of each Proposing Person which shall be supplemented in writing by the stockholder giving notice not later than ten (10) days after the record date for voting at the meeting to disclose such interests as of such record date: (1) a description of any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the corporation, any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of shares of the corporation, or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the corporation, including due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the stockholder of record or any other Proposing Person may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right (a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder or other Proposing Person; (2) a description of any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder or other Proposing Person has a right to vote any shares of any security of the corporation; (3) a description of any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such stockholder or other Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or other Proposing Person with respect to any class or series of the shares of the corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares of the corporation (“Short Interests”); (4) a description of any rights to dividends on the shares of the corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder or other Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the corporation; (5) a description of any proportionate interest in shares of the corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder or other Proposing Person is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns a controlling interest in the general partner; (6) and (7) a description of any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder or other Proposing Person in any contract with the corporation, (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), and (F) any other information relating to such stockholder or other Proposing Person, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The term “Proposing Person” shall mean: (a) the stockholder providing the notice of the business (or with respect nominations of director candidates pursuant to Section 2.15 of these Bylaws, the nomination) proposed to be brought before or made at the meeting; (b) any person who is a member of a “group” (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) with such stockholder, (c) any beneficial owner of shares of capital stock of the Corporation on whose behalf the request, proposal (or with respect nominations of director candidates pursuant to Section 2.15 of these Bylaws, the nomination) is being made (other than a stockholder that is a depositary), and (d) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A, or any successor instructions) with such stockholder or beneficial owner. For purposes of these By-laws, “affiliate” and “associate” each have the respective meanings set forth in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act.
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(c) Unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders to present the proposed business, such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation. For purposes of this section, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder (or a reliable reproduction or electronic transmission of the writing) delivered to the corporation prior to the making of such proposal at such meeting by such stockholder stating that such person is authorized to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.10, a stockholder shall 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 1.10; provided however, that any references in this Section 1.10 to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to proposals as to any business to be considered pursuant to this Section 1.10. Nothing in this Section 1.10 shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of preferred stock if and to the extent provided for under law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
(e) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, the notice requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) above shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder if the stockholder has notified the corporation of the stockholder’s intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.
1.11 Conduct of Business.
(a) At every meeting of the stockholders, the Chairman of the Board, or, in his absence, the Chief Executive Officer, or, in his absence, such other person as may be appointed by the Board of Directors, shall act as chairman. The Secretary of the corporation or a person designated by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary of the meeting. Unless otherwise approved by the chairman of the meeting, attendance at the stockholders’ meeting is restricted to stockholders of record, persons authorized in accordance with Section 1.8 of these Bylaws to act by proxy, and officers of the corporation.
(b) The chairman of the meeting shall call the meeting to order, establish the agenda, and conduct the business of the meeting in accordance therewith or, at the chairman’s discretion, the business of the meeting may be conducted otherwise in accordance with the wishes of the stockholders in attendance. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.
(c) The chairman of the meeting shall also conduct the meeting in an orderly manner, rule on the precedence of, and procedure on, motions and other procedural matters, and exercise discretion with respect to such procedural matters with fairness and good faith toward all those entitled to take part. Without limiting the foregoing, the chairman of the meeting may (i) restrict attendance at any time to bona fide stockholders of record and their proxies and other persons in attendance at the invitation of the presiding officer or Board of Directors, (ii) restrict use of audio or video recording devices at the meeting, and (iii) impose reasonable limits on the amount of time taken up at the meeting on discussion in general or on remarks by any one stockholder. Should any person in attendance become unruly or obstruct the meeting proceedings, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power to have such person removed from the meeting. Notwithstanding anything in the Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at a meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 1.10, this Section 1.11 and Section 2.15. The chairman of the meeting, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.10, this Section 1.11 and Section 2.15, and if he should so determine that any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with such sections, he shall so declare to the meeting that such defective nomination or proposal shall be disregarded.
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1.12 Meetings by Remote Communication. If authorized by the Board of Directors, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board of Directors may adopt, stockholders and proxy holders not physically present at a meeting of stockholders may, by means of remote communication, participate in the meeting and be deemed present in person and vote at the meeting, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (a) the corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a stockholder or proxy holder, (b) the corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such stockholders and proxy holders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (c) if any stockholder or proxy holder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the corporation.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2.1 General Powers. The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors, who may exercise all of the powers of the corporation except as otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation. In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Directors, the remaining directors, except as otherwise provided by law, may exercise the powers of the full Board of Directors until the vacancy is filled.
2.2 Number and Term of Office. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors shall be at least three (3) and, thereafter, shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption). Effective upon the adoption of these Bylaws (the “Effective Date”), the term of office for each director shall expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders held after the Effective Date, and thereafter annually at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders. All directors shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which elected and until their respective successors are elected, except in the case of the death, resignation or removal of any director. At each annual meeting of stockholders commencing with the first annual meeting held after the Effective Date, if authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors, directors may be elected to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors, regardless of how such vacancy shall have been created.
2.3 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or other cause (including removal from office by a vote of the stockholders) may be filled only by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director, and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to which they have been elected expires or until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of authorized directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
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2.4 Resignation. Subject to Section 1.9(b), any director may resign by delivering notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board or Secretary. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or upon the happening of some other event. A resignation that is conditioned upon such resigning director’s failing to receive a specified vote for re-election as a director may provide that such resignation is irrevocable by such director, but may be rejected by the Board of Directors.
2.5 Removal. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock then outstanding, any directors, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of the majority of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. Vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from such removal may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. Directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to which they have been elected expires.
2.6 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; provided that any director who is absent when such a determination is made shall be given notice of the determination. A regular meeting of the Board of Directors may be held without notice immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of stockholders.
2.7 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or two or more directors and may be held at any time and place, within or without the State of Delaware.
2.8 Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of any special meeting of directors shall be given to each director by whom it is not waived by the Secretary or by the officer or one of the directors calling the meeting. Notice shall be duly given to each director by (a) giving notice to such director in person or by telephone, electronic transmission or voice message system at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, (b) sending a facsimile to his last known facsimile number, or delivering written notice by hand to his last known business or home address, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, or (c) mailing written notice to his last known business or home address at least three days in advance of the meeting. A notice or waiver of notice of a meeting of the Board of Directors need not specify the purposes of the meeting. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.
2.9 Participation in Meetings by Telephone Conference Calls or Other Methods of Communication. Directors or any members of any committee designated by the directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
2.10 Quorum. A majority of the total number of authorized directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board of Directors. In the absence of a quorum at any such meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present. Interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or at a meeting of a committee which authorizes a particular contract or transaction.
2.11 Action at Meeting. At any meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, the vote of a majority of those present shall be sufficient to take any action, unless a different vote is specified by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
2.12 Action by Written Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or committee thereof, as the case may be, consent to the action in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writings or electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee thereof. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
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2.13 Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation, with such lawfully delegated powers and duties as it therefor confers, to serve at the pleasure of the Board. 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. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members of the committee present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors and subject to the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. Each such committee shall keep minutes and make such reports as the Board of Directors may from time to time request. Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, any committee may make rules for the conduct of its business, but unless otherwise provided by such rules, its business shall be conducted as nearly as possible in the same manner as is provided in these Bylaws for the Board of Directors.
2.14 Compensation of Directors. Directors may be paid such compensation for their services and such reimbursement for expenses of attendance at meetings as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the corporation or any of its parent or subsidiary corporations in any other capacity and receiving compensation for such service.
2.15 Nomination of Director Candidates.
(a) Subject to the rights of holders of any class or series of preferred stock then outstanding, nominations for the election of directors at an annual meeting may be made by (i) the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof or (ii) any stockholder of the corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving the notice provided for in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 2.15, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.15.
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(b) All nominations by stockholders must be made pursuant to timely notice given in writing to the Secretary of the corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s nomination for a director to be elected at an annual meeting must be received at the corporation’s principal executive offices not later than 90 days nor earlier than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting as first specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting (without regard to any postponements or adjournments of such meeting after such notice was first sent), provided, however, that if no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than thirty (30) days or delayed (other than as a result of adjournment) by more than thirty (30) days from the first anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be received not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the date on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Each such notice shall set forth (i) as to the stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is being made, and each Proposing Person, the name and address, as they appear on the corporation’s books, of the stockholder who intends to make the nomination and of any other Proposing Person, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by the stockholder and any other Proposing Person as of the date of the notice, and a representation that the stockholder will notify the corporation in writing within five (5) business days after the record date for voting at the meeting of the class or series and number of shares of the corporation owned beneficially and of record by the stockholder and any other Proposing Person as of the record date for voting at the meeting, (iii) a representation that the stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the nominee specified in the notice, (iv) the following information regarding the ownership interests of the stockholder and any other Proposing Person, which shall be supplemented in writing by the stockholder not later than ten (10) days after the record date for notice of the meeting to disclose such interests as of such record date: (A) a description of any Derivative Instrument directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder or other Proposing Person, and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the corporation; (B) a description of any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder or other Proposing Person has a right to vote any shares of any security of the corporation; (C) a description of any Short Interests in any securities of the corporation directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder or other Proposing Person; (D) a description of any rights to dividends on the shares of the corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder or other Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the corporation; (E) a description of any proportionate interest in shares of the corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder or other Proposing Person is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns a controlling interest in a general partner; (F) and (H) a description of any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder or other Proposing Person in any contract with the corporation(including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (v) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder or other Proposing Person and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the stockholder, (vi) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder and any other Proposing Person, on the one hand, and each nominee, on the other hand, including, without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder and any Proposing Person, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, (vii) such other information regarding each nominee as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC, had the nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated, by the Board of Directors, and (viii) the signed consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the corporation if so elected. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Notwithstanding the second sentence of this Section 2.15(b), in the event that the number of directors to be elected at an annual meeting is increased and there is no public announcement by the corporation naming the nominees for the additional directorships at least 100 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting as first specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting (without regard to any postponements or adjournments of such meeting after such notice was first sent), a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.15(b) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the corporation.
(c) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof or (ii) by any stockholder who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.15 and who is a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary of the corporation. In the event the corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as are specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice as required by Section 2.15(a) is delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not earlier than ninety (90) days prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the sixtieth (60th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(d) For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed or furnished by the corporation with the SEC pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
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(e) Only those persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section shall be eligible for election as directors at any meeting of stockholders. The Chairman of the Board of Directors or Secretary may, if the facts warrant, determine that a notice received by the corporation relating to a nomination proposed to be made does not satisfy the requirements of this Section 2.15 (including if the stockholder does not provide the updated information required under Section 2.15(b) to the corporation within five (5) business days following the record date for the meeting), and if it be so determined, shall so declare and any such nomination shall not be introduced at such meeting of stockholders, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section, and, if any nomination is not in compliance with this section (including if the stockholder does not provide the updated information required under Section 2.15(b) to the corporation within five (5) business days following the record date for the meeting), to declare that such defective nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received. Unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual meeting or a special meeting of stockholders of the corporation to present a nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.15, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder (or a reliable reproduction or electronic transmission of the writing) delivered to the corporation prior to the making of such nomination at such meeting by such stockholder stating that such person is authorized to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders.
(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.15, a stockholder shall 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 2.15; provided however, that any references in this Section 2.15 to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations to be considered pursuant to this Section 2.15. Nothing in this Section 2.15 shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock if and to the extent provided for under law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
3.1 Enumeration. The officers of the corporation shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Chief Financial Officer and such other officers with such other titles as the Board of Directors shall determine, including, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a Chairman of the Board and one or more Vice Presidents and Assistant Secretaries. The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers as it may deem appropriate.
3.2 Election. Officers shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at its first meeting following the annual meeting of stockholders. Officers may be appointed by the Board of Directors at any other meeting.
3.3 Qualification. No officer need be a stockholder. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.
3.4 Tenure. Except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, each officer shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified, unless a different term is specified in the vote appointing the officer, or until his earlier death, resignation or removal.
3.5 Resignation and Removal. Any officer may resign by delivering his written resignation to the corporation at its principal office or to the President or Secretary. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or upon the happening of some other event. Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors.
3.6 Chairman of the Board. The Board of Directors may appoint a Chairman of the Board. If the Board of Directors appoints a Chairman of the Board, he shall perform such duties and possess such powers as are assigned to the Chairman by the Board of Directors and these Bylaws. Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, he shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors.
3.7 Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer of the corporation shall, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and the officers of the corporation. He shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and, in the absence or nonexistence of a Chairman of the Board, at all meetings of the Board of Directors. He shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the chief executive officer of a corporation, including general supervision, direction and control of the business and supervision of other officers of the corporation, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws.
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3.8 President. Subject to the direction of the Board of Directors and such supervisory powers as may be given by these Bylaws or the Board of Directors to the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, if such titles be held by other officers, the President shall have general supervision, direction and control of the business and supervision of other officers of the corporation. Unless otherwise designated by the Board of Directors, the President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation. The President shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws. He shall have power to sign stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the corporation which are authorized and shall have general supervision and direction of all of the other officers, employees and agents of the corporation, other than the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer.
3.9 Vice Presidents. Any Vice President shall perform such duties and possess such powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may from time to time prescribe. In the event of the absence, inability or refusal to act of the President, the Vice President (or if there shall be more than one, the Vice Presidents in the order determined by the Board of Directors) shall perform the duties of the President and when so performing shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. The Board of Directors may assign to any Vice President the title of Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or any other title selected by the Board of Directors.
3.10 Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The Secretary shall perform such duties and shall have such powers as the Board of Directors or the President may from time to time prescribe. In addition, the Secretary shall perform such duties and have such powers as are set forth in these Bylaws and as are incident to the office of the Secretary, including, without limitation, the duty and power to give notices of all meetings of stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, to keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings of stockholders and the Board of Directors, to maintain a stock ledger and prepare lists of stockholders and their addresses as required, to be custodian of corporate records and the corporate seal and to affix and attest to the same on documents.
Any Assistant Secretary shall perform such duties and possess such powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary may from time to time prescribe. In the event of the absence, inability or refusal to act of the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary (or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors) shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary.
In the absence of the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary at any meeting of stockholders or directors, the person presiding at the meeting shall designate a temporary secretary to keep a record of the meeting.
3.11 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall perform such duties and have such powers as are incident to the office of treasurer, including without limitation, the duty and power to keep and be responsible for all funds and securities of the corporation, to maintain the financial records of the corporation, to deposit funds of the corporation in depositories as authorized, to disburse such funds as authorized, to make proper accounts of such funds, and to render as required by the Board of Directors accounts of all such transactions and of the financial condition of the corporation.
3.12 Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform such duties and shall have such powers as may from time to time be assigned to the Chief Financial Officer by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President. Unless otherwise designated by the Board of Directors, the Chief Financial Officer shall be the Treasurer of the corporation.
3.13 Salaries. Officers of the corporation shall be entitled to such salaries, compensation or reimbursement as shall be fixed or allowed from time to time by the Board of Directors.
3.14 Delegation of Authority. The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officers or agents, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
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ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL STOCK
4.1 Issuance of Stock. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the whole or any part of any unissued balance of the authorized capital stock of the corporation or the whole or any part of any unissued balance of the authorized capital stock of the corporation held in its treasury may be issued, sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by vote of the Board of Directors in such manner, for such consideration and on such terms as the Board of Directors may determine.
4.2 Stock Certificates. The shares of stock of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any class or series of stock of the corporation shall be uncertificated shares; provided, however, that no such resolution shall apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the corporation. Every holder of stock of the corporation represented by certificates, and, upon written request to the corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, any holder of uncertificated shares, shall be entitled to have a certificate, in such form as may be prescribed by law and by the Board of Directors, certifying the number and class of shares of stock owned by such stockholder in the corporation. Each such certificate shall be signed by, or in the name of the corporation by, the Chairman or Vice Chairman, if any, of the Board of Directors, or the President or a Vice President, and the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile.
Each certificate for shares of stock which are subject to any restriction on transfer pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, applicable securities laws or any agreement among any number of stockholders or among such holders and the corporation shall have conspicuously noted on the face or back of the certificate either the full text of the restriction or a statement of the existence of such restriction.
4.3 Transfers. Except as otherwise established by rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors, and subject to applicable law, shares of stock may be transferred on the books of the corporation: (i) in the case of shares represented by a certificate, by the surrender to the corporation or its transfer agent of the certificate representing such shares properly endorsed or accompanied by a written assignment or power of attorney properly executed, and with such proof of authority or authenticity of signature as the corporation or its transfer agent may reasonably require; and (ii) in the case of uncertificated shares, upon the receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner thereof. Except as may be otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, the corporation shall be entitled to treat the record holder of stock as shown on its books as the owner of such stock for all purposes, including the payment of dividends and the right to vote with respect to such stock, regardless of any transfer, pledge or other disposition of such stock until the shares have been transferred on the books of the corporation in accordance with the requirements of these Bylaws.
4.4 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The corporation may issue a new certificate in place of any previously issued certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, or it may issue uncertificated shares if the shares represented by such certificate have been designated as uncertificated shares in accordance with Section 4.2, upon such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors may prescribe, including the presentation of reasonable evidence of such loss, theft or destruction and the giving of such indemnity as the Board of Directors may require for the protection of the corporation or any transfer agent or registrar.
4.5 Record Dates. The Board of Directors may fix in advance a record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders. Such record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting.
If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the day before the date on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, the close of business on the day before the date 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 determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance with the foregoing provisions.
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The Board of Directors may fix in advance a record date (a) for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights in respect of any change, concession or exchange of stock, or (b) for the purpose of any other lawful action. Any such record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and shall not be more than 60 days prior to the action to which such record date relates. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary shall be the date on which the first written consent is expressed. The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating to such purpose.
ARTICLE V
GENERAL PROVISIONS
5.1 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be as fixed by the Board of Directors.
5.2 Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice whatsoever is required to be given by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, a waiver of such notice either in writing signed by the person entitled to such notice or such person’s duly authorized attorney, or by electronic transmission or any other method permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law, whether before, at or after the time stated in such waiver, or the appearance of such person or persons at such meeting in person or by proxy, shall be deemed equivalent to such notice. Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver. Attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of notice except attendance for the sole purpose of objecting to the timeliness or manner of notice.
5.3 Actions with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations. Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise designate, the Chief Executive Officer or President or any officer of the corporation authorized by the Chief Executive Officer or President shall have the power to vote and otherwise act on behalf of the corporation, in person or by proxy, and may waive notice of, and act as, or appoint any person or persons to act as, proxy or attorney-in-fact to this corporation (with or without power of substitution) at any meeting of stockholders or shareholders (or with respect to any action of stockholders) of any other corporation or organization, the securities of which may be held by this corporation and otherwise to exercise any and all rights and powers that this corporation may possess by reason of this corporation’s ownership of securities in such other corporation or other organization.
5.4 Evidence of Authority. A certificate by the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, or a temporary Secretary, as to any action taken by the stockholders, directors, a committee or any officer or representative of the corporation shall as to all persons who rely on the certificate in good faith be conclusive evidence of such action.
5.5 Certificate of Incorporation. All references in these Bylaws to the Certificate of Incorporation shall be deemed to refer to the Certificate of Incorporation of the corporation, as amended and in effect from time to time.
5.6 Severability. Any determination that any provision of these Bylaws is for any reason inapplicable, illegal or ineffective shall not affect or invalidate any other provision of these Bylaws.
5.7 Pronouns. All pronouns used in these Bylaws shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine or neuter, singular or plural, as the identity of the person or persons may require.
5.8 Notices. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or required by law, all notices required to be given to any stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation shall be in writing and may in every instance be effectively given by hand delivery to the recipient thereof, by depositing such notice in the mails, postage paid, or by sending such notice by commercial courier service, or by facsimile or other electronic transmission, provided that notice to stockholders by electronic transmission shall be given in the manner provided in Section 232 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Any such notice shall be addressed to such stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent at his last known address as the same appears on the books of the corporation. The time when such notice shall be deemed to be given shall be the time such notice is received by such stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent, or by any person accepting such notice on behalf of such person, if delivered by hand, facsimile, other electronic transmission or commercial courier service, or the time such notice is dispatched, if delivered through the mails. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively, notice to any stockholder shall be deemed given: (a) if by facsimile, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (b) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (c) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (i) such posting and (ii) the giving of such separate notice; (d) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder; and (e) if by mail, when deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the corporation.
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5.9 Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records. Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, and each officer of the corporation shall, in the performance of his duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the corporation as provided by law, including reports made to the corporation by any of its officers, by an independent certified public accountant, or by an appraiser selected with reasonable care.
5.10 Time Periods. In applying any provision of these Bylaws which require that an act be done or not done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.
5.11 Facsimile Signatures. In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENTS
6.1 By the Board of Directors. Except as otherwise set forth in these Bylaws, these Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed or new Bylaws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present.
6.2 By the Stockholders. Except as otherwise set forth in these Bylaws, these Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed or new Bylaws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote generally in any election of directors, voting together as a single class. Such vote may be held at any annual meeting of stockholders, or at any special meeting of stockholders provided that notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new Bylaws shall have been stated in the notice of such special meeting.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
7.1 Right to Indemnification. 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 (“proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or a person of whom he is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, or as a controlling person of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer, or in any other capacity while serving as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the corporation to provide prior to such amendment) against all expenses, liability and loss reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of his heirs, executors and administrators; provided, that except as provided in Section 7.2 of this Article VII, the corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnity in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if (a) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (b) the proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors, (c) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (d) the proceeding (or part thereof) is brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement under an indemnity agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. The rights hereunder shall be contract rights and shall include the right to be paid expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, that the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer of the corporation in his capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is tendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it should be determined ultimately by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this section or otherwise.
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7.2 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 7.1 is not paid in full by the corporation within 60 days after a written claim has been received by the corporation, or 20 days in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if such suit is not frivolous or brought in bad faith, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. 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 this corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the Delaware General Corporation Law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by the corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, shall be on the corporation.
7.3 Indemnification of Employees and Agents. The corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification, and to the advancement of related expenses, to any employee or agent of the corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VII with respect to the indemnification of and advancement of expenses to directors and officers of the corporation.
7.4 Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any person in this Article VII shall not be exclusive of any other right which such persons may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
7.5 Indemnification Contracts. The Board of Directors is authorized to enter into a contract with any director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or any person serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including employee benefit plans, providing for indemnification rights equivalent to or, if the Board of Directors so determines, greater than, those provided for in this Article VII.
7.6 Insurance. The corporation shall maintain insurance to the extent reasonably available, at its expense, to protect itself and any such director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any such expense, liability or loss, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
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7.7 Effect of Amendment. Any amendment, repeal or modification of any provision of this Article VII shall not adversely affect any right or protection of an indemnitee or his successor in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or modification.
ARTICLE VIII
FORUM FOR CERTAIN DISPUTES
Section 8.1. Delaware Courts. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (i) (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, other employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or its current or directors, officers, employees, or stockholders arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws (as either may be amended or restated) or as to which the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or its current or former directors, officers, employees, or stockholders governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the law of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be brought by any stockholder (including a beneficial owner) exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, solely if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, in the other courts of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware or the United States District Court for the District of Delaware; and (ii) the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Section 8.2. Foreign Action. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope of Section 8.1, is filed in a court other than a court permitted by Section 8.1 (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, whether individually, representatively or derivatively on behalf of the corporation, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce this Section 8.2 (an “Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.
Section 8.3. Application. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article VIII. If any provision of this Article VIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person, entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article VIII, and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
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