BY-LAWS
OF
NBT
BANCORP INC.
(herein
called the "Corporation")
ARTICLE
I. OFFICES
Section
1. Principal Office. The principal office of the Corporation shall be
at:
52 South
Broad Street
Norwich,
New York 13815
or such
other place as the Board of Directors may designate.
Section
2. Other
Offices. In addition to its principal office, the Corporation may have
offices at such other places, within or without the State of Delaware, as the
Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or as the business of the
Corporation may require.
ARTICLE
II. STOCKHOLDERS
Section
1. Annual
Meetings. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, for
the purpose of electing directors for the ensuing year and for the transaction
of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at
such time as may be specified by the Board of Directors.
Section
2. Special
Meetings. A special meeting of the stockholders may be called at any time
by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if
there is none, by the President, or by the holders of not less than one-half of
all the shares entitled to vote at such meeting.
Section
3. Place of
Meetings. Each annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held at the
principal office of the Corporation, or at such other place, within or without
the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may designate in calling such
meeting.
Section
4. Notice of
Meetings. Written notice of each annual and each special meeting of the
stockholders shall be given by or at the direction of the officer or other
person calling the meeting. Such notice shall state the purpose or purposes for
which the meeting is called, the time when and the place where it is to be held,
and such other information as may be required by law. Except as otherwise
required by law, a copy thereof shall be delivered personally, mailed in a
postage prepaid envelope or transmitted electronically or by telegraph, cable or
wireless, not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days before such
meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting; and if
mailed, it shall be directed to such stockholder at his address as it appears on
the stock transfer books of the Corporation, unless he shall have filed with the
Secretary of the Corporation a written request that notices intended for him be
mailed to the address designated in such request. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a waiver of any notice herein or by law required, if in writing and signed by
the person entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time of the
event for which notice was required to be given, shall be the equivalent of the
giving of such notice. A stockholder who attends shall be deemed to have had
timely and proper notice of the meeting, unless he attends for the express
purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is
not lawfully called or convened. Notice of any adjourned or recessed meeting
need not be given if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at
which the adjournment or recess is taken, unless the adjournment or recess is
for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment or recess a new record date
is fixed for the adjourned or recessed meeting.
Section
5. Quorum.
Except as otherwise provided by law, at any meeting of the stockholders of the
Corporation, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of
the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the
Corporation shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the
absence of a quorum, a majority in voting power of the stockholders present in
person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote may adjourn the meeting from
time to time and from place to place until a quorum is obtained. At any such
adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present any business may be transacted
which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally
called.
Section
6. Organization. At
every meeting of the stockholders, the Chairman of the Board, or failing him the
President, or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board and the President, a
person chosen by a majority vote of the stockholders present in person or by
proxy and entitled to vote, shall act as Chairman of the meeting. The Secretary,
or an Assistant Secretary, or, in the discretion of the Chairman, any person
designated by him, shall act as a secretary of the meeting.
Section
7. Inspections.
The directors, in advance of any meeting, shall appoint one or more inspectors
of election to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof. In case any person
who may be appointed as an inspector fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be
filled by appointment made by the directors in advance of the meeting or at the
meeting by the person presiding thereat. Each inspector, before entering upon
discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the
duties of inspector at such meeting with strict impartiality and according to
the best of his ability. The inspector or inspectors shall determine the number
of shares of stock outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares of stock
represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the validity and effect
of proxies, and shall receive and count votes, ballots or consents and hear and
determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to
vote. The inspectors shall certify their determination of the number of shares
represented at the meeting, and their count of all votes and ballots, and shall
make a report in writing of any challenge, question or matter determined by him
or them and execute a certificate of any fact found by him or them.
Section
8. Business and Order
of Business. At each meeting of the stockholders such business may be
transacted as may properly be brought before such meeting, whether or not such
business is stated in the notice of meeting or in a waiver of notice thereof,
except as expressly provided otherwise by law or by these By-Laws. The order of
business at all meetings of stockholders shall be as follows:
1. Call
to order.
2.
Selection of secretary of the meeting.
3.
Determination of quorum.
4.
Appointment of voting inspectors.
5. If the
meeting of stockholders is for the election of directors, the nomination and
election of directors.
6. Other
business.
For other
business to be properly brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, the
stockholder seeking to bring such other business before the meeting must have
given timely notice thereof in writing to the President of the Corporation, and
such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a
stockholder's notice shall be delivered to or mailed, postage prepaid, and
received by the President at the principal executive offices of the Corporation
at least 60 days but no more than 90 days prior to the anniversary date of the
immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in
the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or
more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be
timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 90th
day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the
later of the 60th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the
day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by
the Corporation. Such stockholder's notice shall set forth (a) a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the
reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, and any material interest
in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the proposal is made, and (b) as to the stockholder giving notice and the
beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (I) the name and
address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation's books, and of
such beneficial owner, and (II) the class and number of shares of the
Corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and
such beneficial owner.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 8, a stockholder seeking to bring such
other business before the meeting shall also comply with all applicable
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and
regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 8.
Nothing in this Section 8 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders
to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation's proxy statement pursuant
to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Section
9. Voting.
Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation,
holders of Common Stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to vote upon
matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. At each meeting of stockholders
held for any purpose, each stockholder of record of stock entitled to vote
thereat shall be entitled to vote the shares of such stock standing in his name
on the books of the Corporation on the date determined in accordance with
Section 11 of this Article II, each such share entitling him to one
vote. At all meetings of stockholders for the election of directors,
if a quorum is present, a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person
or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of
directors shall be sufficient to elect. All other elections and questions shall,
unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these
By-Laws, or unless a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is
required, be decided by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of
the shares of stock which are present in person or represented by proxy at the
meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter. The voting shall
be by voice or by ballot as the Chairman may decide, except that upon demand for
a vote by ballot on any question or election, made by any stockholder or his
proxy present and entitled to vote on such question or election, such vote by
ballot shall immediately be taken.
Section
10. Voting
List. The Secretary of the Corporation shall make, at least ten (10) days
before each meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders
entitled to vote at any such meeting or any adjournment thereof, with the
address of and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder.
Such list shall be opened 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, (i) 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, or (ii) during ordinary business hours,
at the principal place of business of the Corporation. Such list shall also be
produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time of
the meeting and shall be subject to inspection by any stockholder who is
present. The original stock transfer books shall be prima facie evidence as to
who are the stockholders entitled to examine such list or transfer books or to
vote at any meeting of stockholders.
If the
requirements of this Section 10 have not been substantially complied with, the
meeting shall, on the demand of any stockholder in person or by proxy, be
adjourned until the requirements are complied with.
Section
11. Record
Dates. (a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any
adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other
distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in
respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any
other lawful action other than stockholder action by written consent, the Board
of Directors may fix a record date, which shall not precede the date such record
date is fixed and shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the
date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any such other action.
If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders
entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the
close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given and
the record date for any purpose other than stockholder action by written consent
shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors
adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of
record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply
to any adjournment of meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors
may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(b) In
order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to
corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a
record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the
resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and
which date shall not be more than 10 days after the date upon which the
resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. Any
stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take
corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary,
request the Board of Directors to fix a record date. The Board of Directors
shall promptly, but in all events within 10 days after the date on which such a
request is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date. If no record
date has been fixed by the Board of Directors within 10 days after the date on
which such a request is received, the record date for determining stockholders
entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no
prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be
the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken
or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its
registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or
any officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which
proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the
Corporation's registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered
mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of
Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable
law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to
corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business
on the date on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such
prior action.
Section
12. Adjournment. Any
meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may adjourn from time to time to
reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any
such 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 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
13. Action by
Stockholders Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be
taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation 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, 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, its principal place of business or to an officer or agent of the
Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of
stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation's registered office
shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.
Prompt notice of the taking of any action by written consent shall be given to
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 stockholders to take the action were delivered to the
Corporation as provided herein.
Section
14. Proxies. At
any meeting of the stockholders, each stockholder entitled to vote thereat may
vote either in person or by proxy executed in writing or granted or authorized
in such other manner as is permitted under the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware. Such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary at or before the
meeting; provided, however, that no proxy shall be voted or acted upon after
eleven months from its date, unless said proxy provides for a longer period. A
proxy need not be sealed, witnessed or acknowledged.
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, and all corporate powers shall
be exercised by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as
otherwise expressly required by these By-Laws, by the Certificate of
Incorporation or by law.
Section
2. Qualification,
Number, Classification and Term of Office. Every director must be a
citizen of the United States and have resided in the State of New York, or
within two hundred miles of the location of the principal office of the
Corporation, for at least one year immediately preceding his election, and must
own $1,000.00 aggregate book value of Corporate Stock. The number of directors
shall be not less than five nor more than twenty-five. A Board of Directors
shall be elected in the manner provided in these By-Laws. Each director shall
have one vote at any directors' meeting.
The Board
of Directors shall be divided into three classes: Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3,
which shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. Each director shall serve
for a term ending on the date of the third Annual Meeting of Shareowners
following the Annual Meeting at which such director was elected; provided,
however, that each initial director in Class 1 shall hold office until the
Annual Meeting of Shareowners in 1987; each initial director in Class 2 shall
hold office until the Annual Meeting of Shareowners in 1988; and each initial
director in Class 3 shall hold office until the Annual Meeting of Shareowners in
1989.
In the
event of any increase or decrease in the authorized number of directors, (1)
each director then serving as such shall nevertheless continue as a director of
the class of which he is a member until the expiration of his current term, or
his earlier resignation, removal from office or death, and (2) the newly created
or eliminated directorships resulting from such increase or decrease shall be
apportioned by the Board of Directors among the three classes of directors so as
to maintain such classes as nearly equal as possible.
Notwithstanding
any of the foregoing provisions of this Section 2, each director shall serve
until his successor is elected and qualified or until his earlier resignation,
removal from office or death.
This
Article III, Section 2, shall not be altered, amended or repealed except by an
affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the
total number of shareowners.
Section
3. Election of
Directors. At each meeting of the stockholders for the election of
directors, a quorum being present, as defined in Section 5 of Article II, the
election shall proceed as provided in these By-Laws and under applicable
Delaware law. No election need be by written ballot.
If the
election of directors shall not be held on the day designated for any annual
meeting or at any adjournment of such meeting, the Board of Directors shall
cause the election to be held at a special meeting of the stockholders as soon
thereafter as may be convenient.
Nominations
of candidates for election as directors of the Corporation must be made in
writing and delivered to or received by the President of the Corporation within
ten days following the day on which public disclosure of the date of any
shareholders' meeting called for the election of directors is first given. Such
notification shall contain the name and address of the proposed nominee, the
principal occupation of the proposed nominee, the number of shares of Common
Stock that will be voted for the proposed nominee by the notifying shareowner,
including shares to be voted by proxy, the name and residence of the notifying
shareowner and the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the
notifying shareowner.
No person
shall be eligible for election or re-election as a director if he or she shall
have attained the age of 70 years.
Nominations
not made in accordance herewith may be disregarded by the Chairman of the
meeting.
Section
4. Removal of
Directors. Any director may be removed at any time, but only for cause,
by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the stockholders of
record entitled to elect a successor, and present in person or by proxy at a
special meeting of such stockholders for which express notice of the intention
to transact such business was given and at which a quorum shall be
present.
Section
5. Organization. The
Board of Directors, by majority vote, may from time to time appoint a Chairman
of the Board who shall preside over its meetings. The period and terms of the
appointment shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The Secretary of the
Corporation, or an Assistant Secretary, or, in the discretion of the Chairman,
any person appointed by him, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
Section
6. Place of Meeting,
etc. The Board of Directors may hold its meetings at such place or places
within or without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time
to time, by resolution determine, or (unless contrary to resolution of the Board
of Directors), at such place as shall be specified in the respective notices or
waivers of notice thereof. Unless otherwise restricted by law or by the
Certificate of Incorporation, members of the Board of Directors or any committee
thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors such committee by
means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of
which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and
participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 6 shall constitute presence
at such meeting. The Chairman or any person appointed by him shall act as
secretary of the meeting.
Section
7. Annual
Meeting. The Board of Directors may meet, without notice of such meeting,
for the purpose of organization, the election of officers and the transaction of
other business, on the same day as, at the place at which, and as soon as
practicable after each annual meeting of stockholders is held. Such annual
meeting of directors may be held at any other time or place specified in a
notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of
Directors, or in a waiver of notice thereof.
Section
8. Regular
Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such
times and places as may be fixed from time to time by action of the Board of
Directors. Unless required by resolution of the Board of Directors, notice of
any such meeting need not be given.
Section
9. Special
Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held
whenever called by the Chief Executive Officer, or by any three or more
directors, or, at the direction of any of the foregoing, by the Secretary.
Notice of each such meeting shall be mailed to each director, addressed to him
at his residence or usual place of business, not less than three (3) days before
the date on which the meeting is to be held; or such notice shall be sent to
each director at such place by telegraph, cable, telefax, telephone or wireless,
or by electronic mail to an address previously provided by the director to the
Corporation for delivery of such notices, in each such case not less than
twenty-four (24) hours before the time at which the meeting is to be held. Every
such notice shall state the time and place of the meeting. Notice of any
adjourned or recessed meeting of the directors need not be given.
Section
10. Waivers of Notice
of Meetings. Anything in these By-Laws or in any resolution adopted by
the Board of Directors to the contrary notwithstanding, proper notice of any
meeting of the Board of Directors shall be deemed to have been given to any
director if such notice shall be waived by him in writing (including telegraph,
cable, telefax, wireless, or electronic mail) before or after the meeting. A
director who attends a meeting shall be deemed to have had timely and proper
notice thereof, unless he attends for the express purpose of objecting to the
transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully
called.
Section
11. Quorum and Manner
of Acting. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by these
By-Laws, the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which
a quorum is present, shall be the act of the Board of Directors. In the absence
of a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from
time to time until a quorum be had. The directors shall act only as a Board and
the individual directors shall have no power as such.
Section
12. Resignations. Any
director of the Corporation may resign at any time, in writing, by notifying the
Chief Executive Officer, or the President or the Secretary of the Corporation.
Such resignation shall take effect at the time therein specified; and, unless
otherwise specified, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary
to make it effective.
Section
13. Manner of Fixing
the Number of Directors; Vacancies. The number of directors authorized to
serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation shall be
the number designated, at the annual meeting and prior to the election of
directors, by the stockholders entitled to vote for the election of directors at
that meeting. Between annual meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation,
the Board of Directors shall have the power to increase, by not more than three
(3), the number of directors of the Corporation.
Any
vacancy in the Board of Directors, caused by death, resignation, removal,
disqualification, increase in the number of directors, or any other cause (other
than an increase by more than three (3) in the number of directors), may be
filled by the majority vote of the remaining directors then in office, though
less than a quorum, at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors. If, at the
time of the next election of directors by the stockholders, the term of office
of any vacancy filled by the remaining directors has not expired, then the
stockholders shall fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Any vacancy, including one caused by an increase in the number of directors, may
be filled at a meeting called for such purpose, by vote of the
stockholders.
Section
14. 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, which to the extent
provided in said resolution or resolutions, shall have and may exercise the
powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs
of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law and shall have power
to authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may
require it. 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.
In the
absence or disqualification of any member of any Committee appointed by the
Board, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified
from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously
appoint another member of the Board to act at a meeting in the place of any such
absent or disqualified member, subject, however, to the right of the Board of
Directors to designate one or more alternate members of such Committee, which
alternate members all have power to serve, subject to such conditions as the
Board may prescribe, as a member or members of said Committee during the absence
or inability to act of any one or more members of said Committee. The Board of
Directors shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any
Committee, to fill vacancies in it, or to dissolve it. A Committee may make
rules for the conduct of its business and shall act in accordance therewith,
except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. A majority of the
members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. A Committee shall keep
regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board when
required.
The Chief
Executive Officer, if he is a director, shall be a voting member of all
Committees of the Board of Directors, except the Risk Management Committee and
the Compensation and Benefits Committee.
Section
15. Directors' Action
Without a Meeting. Unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of
Incorporation, any action required to be taken at a meeting of the directors, or
any action which may be taken at a meeting of the directors or of a committee,
may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action
so taken, shall be signed before such action by all the directors, or all the
members of the committee, as the case may be. Such consent shall have the same
force and effect as a unanimous vote.
Section
16. Compensation.
Directors, as such, may receive compensation as fixed by resolution of the Board
of Directors, including annual fees for services as directors, and a fixed fee
and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each meeting of the Board.
The compensation may be in the form of cash, stock of the Corporation, options
to purchase stock of the Corporation, or a combination of the foregoing, as the
Board in its discretion shall determine. Nothing in this section shall be
construed to preclude a Director from serving the Corporation in any other
capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
ARTICLE
IV. OFFICERS
Section
1. Officers.
The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chairman of the Board of Directors,
one or more Vice Chairmen of the Board of Directors, a President, a Chief
Financial Officer and a Secretary, and where elected, one or more
Vice-Presidents, and the holders of such other offices as may be established in
accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of this Article. Any two or more
offices may be held by the same person; provided only, that the same person
shall not hold the offices of Chairman and Secretary.
Section
2. Election, Term of
Office and Qualifications. The officers shall be elected annually by the
Board of Directors, as soon as practicable after the annual election of
directors in each year. Each officer shall hold office until his successor shall
have been duly chosen and shall qualify, or until his death, resignation or
removal in the manner hereinafter provided.
Section
3. Subordinate Officers. The Board of Directors may from time to time establish
offices in addition to those designated in Section 1 of this Article IV with
such duties as are provided in these By-Laws, or as they may from time to time
determine.
Section
4. Removal. Any officer
may be removed, either with or without cause, by resolution declaring such
removal to be in the best interests of the Corporation and adopted at any
regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors by a majority of the
directors then in office. Any such removal shall be without prejudice to the
recovery of damages for breach of contract rights, if any, of the person
removed. Election of appointment of an officer or agent shall not of itself,
however, create contract rights.
Section
5. Resignations. Any
officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of
Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or the
Secretary of the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the date
of receipt of such notice or at any later time therein specified; and, unless
otherwise specified, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary
to make it effective. However, no resignation hereunder, or the acceptance
thereof by the Board of Directors, shall prejudice the contract or other rights,
if any, of the Corporation with respect to the person
resigning.
Section
6. Vacancies. A
vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification
or any other cause shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the
Board of Directors.
Section
7. Compensation.
Salaries or other compensation of the officers may be fixed from time to time by
the Board of Directors or in such manner as it shall determine. No officer shall
be prevented from receiving his salary by reason of the fact that he is also a
director of the Corporation.
Section
8. Chairman of the
Board of Directors. Where there is a Chairman of the Board of Directors
he shall be an officer and a director; and he may be the Chief Executive Officer
of the Corporation and as such may have general supervision of the business of
the Corporation, subject, however, to the control of the Board of Directors and
of any duly authorized committee of directors. The Chief Executive Officer shall
have full power and authority to cast any votes which the Corporation is
entitled to cast as a shareholder of another corporation. Where there is no
Chairman of the Board, or he is unable to discharge his duties, the powers of
the Chairman shall be vested in the President. The Chairman of the Board shall
preside at all meetings of stockholders and of the Board of Directors at which
he is present.
Section
9. Vice Chairman of
the Board of Directors. The Vice Chairman shall be a director of the
Corporation. In general, he shall perform all duties incident to the office of
Vice Chairman and such other duties as may from time to time be designated to
him by the Board of Directors or by any duly authorized committee of directors,
and shall have such other powers and authorities as are conferred upon him
elsewhere in these By-Laws.
Section
10. President.
The President shall be a director and may be the Chief Executive Officer or the
Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation. In general, he shall perform all
duties incident to the office of the President and such other duties as may from
time to time be designated to him by the Board of Directors or by any duly
authorized committee of directors, and shall have such other powers and
authorities as are conferred upon him elsewhere in these By-Laws.
Section
11. The Vice
Presidents. The Vice Presidents shall perform such duties as from time to
time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, or by any duly
authorized committee of directors or by the President, and shall have such other
powers and authorities as are conferred upon them elsewhere in these
By-Laws.
Section
12. Chief Financial
Officer. Except as may otherwise be specifically provided by the Board of
Directors or any duly authorized committee thereof, the Chief Financial Officer
shall have the custody of, and be responsible for, all funds and securities of
the Corporation; receive and receipt for money paid to the Corporation from any
source whatsoever; deposit all such monies in the name of the Corporation in
such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as shall be selected in
accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws; against proper vouchers, cause
such funds to be disbursed by check or draft on the authorized depositories of
the Corporation signed in such manner as shall be determined in accordance with
the provisions of these By-Laws; regularly enter or cause to be entered in books
to be kept by him or under his direction, full and adequate accounts of all
money received and paid by him for account of the Corporation; in general,
perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer and such
additional duties as are assigned by the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware to the treasurer of a corporation organized under the laws of the State
of Delaware and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by
the Board of Directors, or by any duly authorized committee of directors, or by
the Chief Executive Officer, and have such other powers and authorities as are
conferred upon him elsewhere in these By-Laws.
Section
13. Secretary.
The Secretary shall act as Secretary of all meetings of the stockholders and of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation; shall keep the minutes thereof in the
proper books to be provided for that purpose; shall see that all notices
required to be given by the Corporation are duly given and served; shall be the
custodian of the seal of the Corporation and may affix the seal or cause it to
be affixed to all documents the execution of which on behalf of the Corporation
under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these
By-Laws; shall have charge of the books, records and papers of the Corporation
relating to its organization and management as a corporation, and shall see that
any reports or statements relating thereto, required by law or otherwise, are
properly kept and filed; shall, in general, perform all the duties incident to
the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be
assigned to him by the Board of Directors, or by any duly authorized committee
of directors or by the Chief Executive Officer, and shall have such other powers
and authorities as are conferred upon him elsewhere in these
By-Laws.
Section
14. Assistant
Financial Officers and Assistant Secretaries. The Assistant Financial
Officers and Assistant Secretaries shall perform such duties as shall be
assigned to them by the Chief Financial Officer and by the Secretary,
respectively, or by the Board of Directors, or by any duly authorized committee
of directors, or by the Chief Executive Officer, and shall have such other
powers and authorities as are conferred upon them elsewhere in these
By-Laws.
ARTICLE
V. SHARES OF STOCK
Section
1. Regulation.
Subject to the terms of any contract of the Corporation, the Board of Directors
may make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning the
issue, transfer, and registration of certificates for shares of the stock of the
Corporation, including the issue of new certificates for lost, stolen or
destroyed certificates and including the appointment of transfer agents and
registrars.
Section
2. Stock
Certificates. Certificates for shares of the stock of the Corporation
shall be respectively numbered serially for each class of shares, or series
thereof and, as they are issued, shall be impressed with the corporate seal or a
facsimile thereof, and shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Vice
Chairman, the President or any Vice President and by the Secretary or any
Assistant Secretary, or any two officers of the Corporation designated by the
Board of Directors, provided that such signatures may be facsimiles on any
certificate countersigned by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its
employee or by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee. Each
certificate shall exhibit the name of the Corporation, the class (or series of
any class) and number of shares represented thereby and the name of the holder.
Each certificate shall be otherwise in such form as may be prescribed by the
Board of Directors.
ARTICLE
VI. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section
1. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to
or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a "proceeding"), by
reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the
Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director
of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, or as a plan fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan
(hereinafter an "indemnitee"), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged
action in an official capacity as a Director, officer, or plan fiduciary or in
any other capacity while serving as a Director, officer or plan fiduciary, 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 by amended, against all expense, liability and loss (including
attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts
paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in
connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 3
of this Article VI with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to
indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in
connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only
if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of
the Corporation.
Section
2. The right to indemnification conferred in Section 1 of this Article VI shall
include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including
attorney's fees) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its
final disposition (hereinafter an "advancement of expenses"); provided, however,
that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, an advancement of
expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or
officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by
such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit
plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking
(hereinafter an "undertaking"), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all
amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial
decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a "final
adjudication") that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such
expenses under this Section 2 or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and to
the advancement of expenses conferred in Section 1 and 2 of this Article VI
shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who
has ceased to be a Director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the
indemnitee's heirs, executors and administrators.
Section
3. If a claim under Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VI is not paid in full by
the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim has been received
by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of
expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be twenty (20) days, the
indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to
recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any
such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of
expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be
entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In
(i) any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification
hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an
advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) 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 adjudication that, the indemnitee has not met any
applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the Delaware General
Corporation Law. 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 suit that indemnification of the
indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee 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 indemnitee
has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that
the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of
such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. 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, under this Article VI or otherwise shall be on the
Corporation.
Section
4. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in
this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may
have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Corporation's Certificate of
Incorporation, By-Laws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested
Directors or otherwise.
Section
5. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and
any Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any
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.
Section
6. 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 expenses
to any employee or agent of the Corporation, or any person serving at the
request of the Corporation as an officer, employee or agent of another entity,
to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Section with respect to the
indemnification and advancement of expenses of Directors and officers of the
Corporation.
ARTICLE
VII. MISCELLANEOUS
Section
1. Seal. The
corporate seal of the Corporation shall contain the name of the Corporation, the
year of its creation, and the words "Corporate Seal, Delaware," and shall be in
such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors.
Section
2. Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be as set by the Board of
Directors.
Section
3. Loans. Any
officer or officers or agent or agents of the Corporation thereunto authorized
by the Board of Directors or by any duly authorized committee of directors may
effect loans or advances at any time for the Corporation, in the ordinary course
of the Corporation's business, from any bank, trust company or other institution
or from any firm, corporation or individual, and for such loans and advances may
make, execute and deliver promissory notes, bonds or other certificates or
evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, and when authorized to do so may
pledge and hypothecate or transfer any securities or other property of the
Corporation as security for any such loans or advances. Such authority conferred
by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of directors may be
general or confined to specific instances.
Section 4. Checks,
Drafts, Withdrawal of Securities, Safe Deposit Boxes, etc. All checks, drafts and other orders
for payment of money out of the funds of the Corporation shall be signed on
behalf of the Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be
determined by resolution of the Board of Directors or of any duly authorized
committee of directors. The Corporation shall furnish to each depository, bank,
custodian and entity providing safe deposit boxes, a certified copy of its
resolution regarding the authorization of disbursements and the entry to safe
deposit boxes or withdrawal of securities from safekeeping.
Section
5. Deposits.
The funds of the Corporation, not otherwise employed, shall be deposited from
time to time to the order of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or
other depositories as the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of
directors may from time to time select, or as may be selected by an officer or
officers, or agent or agents, of the Corporation to whom such power may from
time to time be delegated by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized
committee of directors.
Section
6. Contracts, etc.,
How Executed. The Chief Executive Officer, and those officers who are
designated by resolution of the Board, shall be authorized to enter into any
contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name and on behalf of the
Corporation, and such authority may be delegated, in specific instances to such
other officers, employees or agents as such authorized officers may
designate.
Section
7. Voting of Stock or
Other Securities Held. Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the
Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time appoint an
attorney or attorneys or agent or agents of this Corporation, in the name and on
behalf of this Corporation to cast the votes which this Corporation may be
entitled to cast as a stockholder or otherwise in any other corporation, any of
whose stock or securities may be held by this Corporation, at meetings of the
holders of the stock or other securities of such other corporations, or to
consent in writing to any action by any such other corporation, and may instruct
the person or persons so appointed as to the manner of casting such votes or
giving such consent, and may execute or cause to be executed on behalf of this
Corporation and under its corporate seal, or otherwise, such written proxies,
consents, waivers or other instruments that he or they may deem necessary or
proper in the premises; or the Chief Executive Officer may attend any meeting of
the holders of stock or other securities of any such other corporation and
thereat vote or exercise any or all other powers of this Corporation as the
holder of such stock or other securities of such other
corporation.
Section
8. Waivers of
Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions
of the statutes or of the Certificate of Incorporation, or of these By-Laws, a
waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to said
notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed
equivalent thereto.
ARTICLE
VIII. AMENDMENTS
Section
1. By the
Directors. The Board of Directors by a majority vote thereof shall have
the power to make, alter, amend or repeal the By-Laws of the Corporation at any
regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors. This power shall not be
exercised by any committee of the Board of Directors.
Section
2. By the
Stockholders. Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws, all By-Laws
shall be subject to amendment, alteration or repeal by the vote of a majority of
the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the
Corporation entitled to vote at any annual or special meeting. The stockholders,
at any annual or special meeting, may provide that certain By-Laws by them
adopted, approved or designated may not be amended, altered or repealed except
by a certain specified percentage in interest of the stockholders or by a
certain specified percentage in interest of a particular class of
stockholders.