EX-3.1 2 ex3_1.htm EXHIBIT 3.1
Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
of
PROFESSIONAL DIVERSITY NETWORK, INC.
(Conformed copy incorporating all amendments through October 17, 2016)
1. Name. The name of the corporation is “Professional Diversity Network, Inc.” (the “Corporation”)
2. Address; Registered Office and Agent. The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
3. Purposes. The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “General Corporation Law”).
4. Stock.
4.1 Classes of Stock. The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, common stock (“Common Stock”) and preferred stock (“Preferred Stock”). The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 46,000,000.
4.2 Common Stock. The total number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 3,125,000 shares, $0.01 par value per share. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law or any corresponding provision hereinafter enacted.
Effective as of 12:01 a.m., EDT, on September 27, 2016 (the “Effective Time”), each eight (8) shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be combined and changed into one (1) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock without any further action by the Corporation or any holder thereof, subject to the treatment of fractional share interests as described below (the “Reverse Stock Split”). No certificates representing fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. Stockholders who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional shares of Common Stock because they hold a number of shares not evenly divisible by the Reverse Stock Split ratio will automatically be entitled to receive an additional fraction of a share of Common Stock to round up to the next whole share. Each certificate that immediately prior to the Effective Time represented shares of Common Stock (“Old Certificates”), shall thereafter represent that number of shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Common Stock represented by the Old Certificate shall have been combined, plus any additional fraction of a share of Common Stock to round up to the next whole share.”
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4.3 Preferred Stock. The total number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 1,000,000 shares, $0.01 par value per share. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors is hereby authorized, within the limitations and restrictions stated in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Restated Certificate”), to provide for the issue of all or any of the shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, and to fix the number of shares and to determine or alter for each such series, such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional, or other rights and such qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issue of such shares and as may be permitted by the General Corporation Law. The Board of Directors is also authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock subsequent to the issue of shares of that series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series shall be so decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status which they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.
5. Board of Directors.
5.1 Number of Directors. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by, or under the direction of, the Board. Unless and except to the extent that the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Corporation, as such By-laws may be amended from time to time (the “By-laws”), shall so require, the election of the directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot. The total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be not less than one (1) nor more than seven (7), with the then authorized number of directors being fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall not be divided into classes. Each director shall initially serve until the next meeting of stockholders held after the effective date of this Restated Certificate. Thereafter, each director shall serve for a one (1) year term.
5.1 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Except as otherwise required by law, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote may be filled by a majority of the directors (including, in the case of the resignation of one or more directors, those directors who have so resigned), although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. A person so elected by the directors then in office to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. The total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be not less than one (1) nor more than nine (9), with the then authorized number of directors being fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors.
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5.2 Removal of Directors. Any director, or the entire Board, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of at least 66.67% of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
6. Limitation of Liability. To the fullest extent permitted under the General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper personal benefits. If the General Corporation Law is hereafter amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law, as so amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of the foregoing provision shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, repeal or modification.
7. Indemnification.
7.1 Indemnification of Directors and Officers in Third Party Proceedings. Subject to the other provisions of this Article VII, the Corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or while a director of the Corporation or officer of the Corporation is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such Proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.
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7.2 Indemnification of Directors and Officers in Actions by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to the other provisions of this Article VII, the Corporation shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law, as now or hereinafter in effect, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or while a director or officer of the Corporation is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
7.3 Successful Defense. To the extent that a present or former director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described in Section 7.1 or Section 7.2, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
7.4 Indemnification of Others. Subject to the other provisions of this Article VII, the Corporation shall have power to indemnify its employees and its agents to the extent not prohibited by the General Corporation Law or other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether employees or agents shall be indemnified to such person or persons as the Board of Directors determines.
7.5 Advanced Payment of Expenses. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director of the Corporation in defending any Proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation, and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Corporation’s employees and agents in defending any Proceeding may be paid by the Corporation, in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding upon receipt of a written request therefor (together with documentation reasonably evidencing such expenses) and an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to repay such amounts if it shall ultimately be determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VII or the General Corporation Law. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Corporation deems reasonably appropriate and shall be subject to the Corporation’s expense guidelines. The right to advancement of expenses shall not apply to any claim for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to these bylaws, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 7.6(a), 7.6(b) or 7.6(c) prior to a determination that the person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation.
7.6 Limitation on Indemnification. Subject to the requirements in Section 7.3 and the General Corporation Law, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any person pursuant to this Article VII in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of such person under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;
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(b) for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
(c) for any reimbursement of the Corporation by such person of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by such person from the sale of securities of the Corporation, as required in each case under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Corporation pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the Corporation of profits arising from the purchase and sale by such person of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if such person is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
(d) initiated by such person (and not by way of defense), unless (i) the Board of Directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Corporation provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under applicable law, (iii) otherwise required to be made under Section 7.7 or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law; or
(e) if prohibited by applicable law; provided, however, that if any provision or provisions of this Article VII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VII (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph or clause containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VII (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph or clause containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.
7.7 Determination; Claim. If a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VII is not paid in full within 90 days after receipt by the Corporation of the written request therefor, the claimant shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses. The Corporation shall indemnify such person against any and all expenses that are incurred by such person in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Corporation under this Article VII, to the extent such person is successful in such action, and to the extent not prohibited by law. In any such suit, the Corporation shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving that the claimant is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses.
7.8 Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the certificate of incorporation or any statute, bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advancement of expenses, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the General Corporation Law or other applicable law.
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7.9 Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the General Corporation Law.
7.10 Survival. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
7.11 Effect of Repeal or Modification. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article VII shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.
7.12 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article VII, references to the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article VII, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article VII.
8. Adoption, Amendment and/or Repeal of By-Laws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board is expressly authorized to make, alter and repeal the By-laws, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter or repeal any By-laws whether adopted by them or otherwise.
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9. Certificate Amendments. The Corporation reserves the right at any time, and from time to time, to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Restated Certificate. In addition, other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by applicable law. All rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Restated Certificate in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted and held subject to the rights the Corporation has reserved in this Section 9. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Restated Certificate or the By-laws (and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be permitted by applicable law, this Restated Certificate or the By-laws), the affirmative vote of a majority of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provisions inconsistent with Sections 5, 8, or 9 of this Restated Certificate.
WITNESS the signature of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation this 5th day of March, 2013.

| PROFESSIONAL DIVERSITY NETWORK, INC. |
| By: | /s/ James Kirsch |
| Name: | James R. Kirsch |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |

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