BYLAWS
(AMENDED AND RESTATED AS OF JULY 19, 2017)
ARTICLE I.
STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1.01.
ANNUAL MEETING
. The Corporation shall hold an annual meeting of its stockholders to elect directors and transact any other business within its powers, at such time and on such date as the Board of Directors shall determine. At the annual meeting, the stockholders shall elect directors to the Board of Directors and may transact any other business as may be brought before the annual meeting by the Board of Directors or by any stockholder as set forth in Section 1.08 of these Bylaws.
SECTION 1.02.
SPECIAL MEETINGS
.
(a) General. The Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the stockholders. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 1.02, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the Secretary of the Corporation to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.
(b) Stockholder-Requested Special Meetings. (1) Any stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the Secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “Request Record Date”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more stockholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such stockholder
,
each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors or the election of each such individual, as applicable
,
in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Directors may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which the Record Date Request Notice is received by the Secretary.
(2) In order for any stockholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “Special Meeting Percentage”) shall be delivered to the Secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the Secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporation’s books, of each stockholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such stockholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, (d) be sent to the Secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the Secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting stockholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary.
(3) The Secretary shall inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Corporation’s proxy materials). The Secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon stockholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 1.02(b), the Secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.
(4) In the case of any special meeting called by the Secretary upon the request of stockholders (a “Stockholder-Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Directors;
provided
, however, that the date of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and
provided further
that if the Board of Directors fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the Secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90
th
day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90
th
day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and
provided further
that in the event that the Board of Directors fails to designate a place for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. In fixing a date for any special meeting, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Board of Directors may consider such factors as he, she or it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Directors fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30
th
day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Directors may revoke the notice for any Stockholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting stockholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 1.02(b).
(5) If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the Secretary and the result is that stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the Secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the Secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been delivered and if the Secretary first sends to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Corporation’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the Secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the Secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.
(6) The Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Board of Directors may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Corporation for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the Secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after actual receipt by the Secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Corporation that the valid requests received by the Secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).
(7) For purposes of these Bylaws, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of Ohio are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
SECTION 1.03.
PLACE OF MEETINGS
. All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation or at such other place as shall be set in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.
SECTION 1.04.
NOTICE OF MEETINGS; WAIVER OF NOTICE
. Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each stockholders’ meeting, the Secretary shall give written notice of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting and each other stockholder entitled by statute to notice of the meeting, in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, if the meeting is a special meeting or notice of the purpose is required by statute, the purpose of the meeting, by mail, by presenting it to such stockholder personally, by leaving it at the stockholder’s residence or usual place of business or by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the
Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted to the stockholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the stockholder at which the stockholder receives electronic transmissions. A single notice to all stockholders who share an address shall be effective as to any stockholder at such address who consents to such notice or after having been notified of the Corporation’s intent to give a single notice fails to object in writing to such single notice within 60 days. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more stockholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article I or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, each person who is entitled to notice waives notice if he before or after the meeting signs a waiver of the notice which is filed with the records of stockholders’ meetings, or is present at the meeting in person or by proxy. Any previously scheduled meeting of the stockholders may be postponed, and any special meeting of the stockholders (other than a special meeting requested by the stockholders pursuant to Section 1.02) may be cancelled, by resolution of the Board of Directors upon public notice given prior to the time previously scheduled for such meeting of stockholders.
SECTION 1.05.
QUORUM; VOTING
. Unless statute or the Charter of the Corporation (the “Charter”) provides otherwise, at any meeting of stockholders the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting constitutes a quorum. A nominee for election to the Board of Directors at a meeting of stockholders shall be elected only if the number of votes cast “for” such nominee’s election exceeds the number of votes cast “against” or affirmatively “withheld” as to such nominee’s election;
provided,
however, that if, on either the date of the Corporation’s proxy statement for the meeting or on the date of the meeting, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by a plurality of all the votes cast at the meeting. Each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted. A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by statute or by the Charter. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Charter, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders.
The stockholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough stockholders to leave fewer than would be required to establish a quorum.
SECTION 1.06.
ADJOURNMENTS
. Whether or not a quorum is present, a meeting of stockholders may be adjourned from time to time by the chairman of the meeting. Any business which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified may be deferred and transacted at any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present. No further notice of an adjourned meeting other than by announcement shall be necessary if held on a date not more than 120 days after the original record date.
SECTION 1.07.
GENERAL RIGHT TO VOTE; PROXIES
. Unless the Charter provides for a greater or lesser number of votes per share or limits or denies voting rights, each outstanding share of stock, regardless of class, is entitled to one vote on each matter to be submitted at a meeting of stockholders. A stockholder may vote the stock the stockholder owns of record either in person or by proxy executed by the stockholder or by the stockholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation before or at the meeting. Unless a proxy provides otherwise, it is not valid more than 11 months after its date.
SECTION 1.08.
ADVANCE NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR AND OTHER STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
.
(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders. (1) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting, at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as provided for in this Section 1.08 (a) and at the time of the annual meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and who has complied with this Section 1.08(a).
(2) For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 1.08, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 1.08 and shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150
th
day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120
th
day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 1.08(c)(3) of this Article I) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual
meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150
th
day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120
th
day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(3) Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:
(i) as to each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director (each, a “Proposed Nominee”), all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act;
(ii) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the stockholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or the Stockholder Associated Person therefrom;
(iii) as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Stockholder Associated Person,
(A) the class, series and number of all shares of stock or other securities of the Corporation or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Company Securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such stock or other security) in any Company Securities of any such person,
(B) the nominee holder for, and number of, any Company Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, and
(C) whether and the extent to which such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or during the last six months has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit of changes in the price of Company Securities for such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person or (II) increase or decrease the voting power of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Company Securities; and
(D) any substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Corporation), by security holdings or otherwise, of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Company Securities where such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a
pro rata
basis by all other holders of the same class or series;
(iv) as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Stockholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (3) of this Section 1.08(a) and any Proposed Nominee,
(A) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Stockholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee and
(B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person;
(v) the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the stockholder giving the notice or any Stockholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal prior to the date of such stockholder’s notice; and
(vi) to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a director or the proposal of other business on the date of such stockholder’s notice.
(4) Such stockholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee (i) certifying that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become, a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (b) will serve as a director of the Corporation if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Corporation, upon request, to the stockholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Corporation are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Corporation are traded).
(5) Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of this Section 1.08 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased, and there is no public announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 1.08(c)(3) of this Article I) for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 1.08(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.
(6) For purposes of this Section 1.08, “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder (other than a stockholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such stockholder or such Stockholder Associated Person.
(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors
,
(ii) by a stockholder that has requested that a special meeting be called for the purpose of electing directors in compliance with Section 1.02 of this Article I and that has supplied the information required by Section 1.02 of this Article I about each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election of directors or (iii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 1.02 of this Article I for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the record date set by the Board of Directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 1.08 and at the time of the special meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.08. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice, containing the information required by paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this Section 1.08, is delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 120
th
day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the later of the 90
th
day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(c) General. (1) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 1.08 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.08. Any such stockholder shall notify the Corporation of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the Secretary or the Board of Directors, any such stockholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 1.08, and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Corporation, written confirmation by such stockholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 1.08 as of an earlier date. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.08.
(2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 1.08 shall be eligible for election by stockholders as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 1.08. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 1.08.
(3) For purposes of this Section 1.08, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. “Public announcement” shall mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.
(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.08, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.08. Nothing in this Section 1.08 shall be deemed to affect any right of a stockholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, or the right of the Corporation to omit a proposal from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 1.08 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.
(5) Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, except as otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, if the stockholder giving notice as provided for in this Section 1.08 does not appear in person or by proxy at such annual or special meeting to present each nominee for election as a director or the proposed business, as applicable, such matter shall not be considered at the meeting.
SECTION 1.09.
ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT
. Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Directors to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the Chairman of the Board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chairman of the Board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order: the Vice Chairman of the Board, if there is one, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Vice Presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the Secretary, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy. The Secretary, or, in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as Secretary. In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of stockholders, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of all Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the stockholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
No vote need be taken by ballot unless otherwise ordered by the chairman of the meeting.
SECTION 1.10.
INSPECTORS
. The Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to the inspector. Except as otherwise provided by the chairman of the meeting, the inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than
one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be
prima facie
evidence thereof.
ARTICLE II.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 2.01.
FUNCTION OF DIRECTORS
. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors. All powers of the Corporation may be exercised by or under authority of the Board of Directors, except as conferred on or reserved to the stockholders by statute or by the Charter or these Bylaws.
SECTION 2.02.
NUMBER OF DIRECTORS; QUALIFICATIONS
. The Corporation shall have the number of directors provided by the Charter until changed as provided in this Section 2.02. A majority of the entire Board of Directors may alter the number of directors set by the Charter to not more than 25 nor less than three directors; provided that any such action may not affect the tenure of office of any director. No person shall be nominated or elected a director of the Corporation after having attained the age of 72 years, unless prior to such nomination or election as a director, the Board of Directors, or the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee thereof, first makes a determination that such age restriction shall not be applicable to such person. Any such determination that the age restriction shall not be applicable to any person shall be made only after consideration of the applicable criteria set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines.
SECTION 2.03.
ELECTION AND TENURE OF DIRECTORS
. At each annual meeting of stockholders each director shall be elected for a one-year term, and subject to removal, death, resignation, retirement or disqualification, shall hold office until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualify. A director may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the Secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. A director may otherwise be removed from office only for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast for the election of directors.
SECTION 2.04.
VACANCY ON BOARD
. If for any reason any or all of the directors cease to be directors, such event shall not terminate the Corporation or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining directors hereunder. The stockholders may elect a successor to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from the retirement or removal of a director. A majority of the remaining directors, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, may fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from any cause except an increase in the number of directors and a majority of the entire Board of Directors may fill a vacancy which results from an increase in the number of directors. Any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.
SECTION 2.05.
REGULAR MEETINGS
. After each annual meeting of stockholders at which directors shall have been elected, the Board of Directors shall meet as soon as practicable for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business. Such first regular meeting shall be held at any place as may be designated by the Chairman, the President or the Board of Directors for such first regular meeting, or in default of such designation at the place of the holding of the immediately preceding meeting of stockholders. Any other regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place as may be designated from time to time by the Chairman of the Board. No notice of such regular meetings shall be necessary if held as hereinabove provided.
SECTION 2.06.
SPECIAL MEETINGS
. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the Lead Director, if there be one, the President or by a majority of the then-acting directors by vote at a meeting or in writing, or by a majority of the members of the executive committee, if one be constituted, by vote at a meeting or in writing. A special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. In the absence of such designation, such meeting shall be held at such place as may be designated in the call.
SECTION 2.07.
NOTICE OF MEETING
. Except as provided in Section 2.05, the Secretary shall give notice or cause to be given to each director of each regular and special meeting of the Board of Directors. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting. Notice shall be delivered personally or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, courier or United States mail to each director at his or her business or residence address. Notice by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting; provided, however, that notice of a special meeting which is called by the Chairman, the President, or the Lead Director, if there be one, is given to a director when it is delivered personally to him or sent by telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission at least one hour before the time of the meeting. Notice by United States mail shall be given at least three days prior to the meeting. Notice by courier shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the director or his or her agent is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which the director or his or her agent is a party. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Corporation by the
director. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Corporation by the director and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Notice by United States mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Unless a statute, these Bylaws or a resolution of the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the notice need not state the business to be transacted at or the purposes of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors. No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need be given to any director who attends, or to any director who, in writing executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the holding thereof, waives such notice. Any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting other than by announcement.
SECTION 2.08.
QUORUM
. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, provided that, if less than a majority of such directors is present at such meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of directors is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority or such other percentage of such group.
The directors present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough directors to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum.
SECTION 2.09.
VOTING
. The action of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws. If enough directors have withdrawn from a meeting to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum, but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws.
SECTION 2.10.
ORGANIZATION
. At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or, in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the President or, in the absence of the President, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The Secretary or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, or, in the absence of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
SECTION 2.11.
CONSENT BY DIRECTORS WITHOUT A MEETING
. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each director and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2.12.
MEETING BY CONFERENCE TELEPHONE
. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at a meeting.
SECTION 2.13.
COMPENSATION
. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of the Directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each regular and special meeting of the Board of Directors or committees thereof. In addition, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a stated annual retainer and/or a fixed sum for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or committees thereof, and other compensation for their services as such, may be paid to directors. A director who serves the Corporation in any other capacity also may receive compensation for such other services.
SECTION 2.14.
LEAD DIRECTOR
. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to elect a Lead Director with the responsibilities as established from time to time by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2.15.
RATIFICATION
. The Board of Directors or the stockholders may ratify and make binding on the Corporation any action or inaction by the Corporation or its officers to the extent that the Board of Directors or the stockholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a director, officer or stockholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Directors or by the stockholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.
SECTION 2.16.
EMERGENCY PROVISIONS
. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Charter or these Bylaws, this Section 2.16 shall apply during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar emergency condition, as a result of which a quorum of the Board of Directors under Article II of these Bylaws cannot readily be obtained (an “Emergency”). During any Emergency, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, (i) a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof may be called by any director or officer by any means feasible under the circumstances; (ii) notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors during such an Emergency may be given less than 24 hours prior to the meeting to as many directors and by such means as may be feasible at the time, including publication, television or radio; and (iii) the number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum shall be one-third of the entire Board of Directors.
SECTION 2.17
RELIANCE
. Each director and officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Corporation, be entitled to rely on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the Corporation whom the director or officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, by a lawyer, certified public accountant or other person, as to a matter which the director or officer reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence, or, with respect to a director, by a committee of the Board of Directors on which the director does not serve, as to a matter within its designated authority, if the director reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.
ARTICLE III.
COMMITTEES
SECTION 3.01.
COMMITTEES
. The Board of Directors may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee and other committees composed of one or more directors and delegate to these committees any of the powers of the Board of Directors, except as prohibited by law.
SECTION 3.02.
COMMITTEE PROCEDURE
. The Board of Directors shall have the power to prescribe the manner in which proceedings of each committee shall be held. Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or, in the absence of a chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, the actions of each committee shall be governed by the following rules of procedure. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee. The members of a committee present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a director to act in the place of an absent member. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee. The members of a committee may conduct any meeting thereof by conference telephone or similar communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at a meeting. In the absence of any prescription by the Board of Directors or any applicable provision of these Bylaws, each committee may prescribe the manner in which its proceedings shall be conducted. Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, any committee may delegate some or all of its power and authority to one or more subcommittees, composed of one or more directors, as the committee deems appropriate in its sole discretion.
SECTION 3.03.
DELEGATION
. The Board of Directors may delegate to officers, employees or agents, the performance of duties not specifically required by law or these Bylaws to be performed by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV.
OFFICERS
SECTION 4.01.
EXECUTIVE AND OTHER OFFICERS
. The officers of the Corporation shall include a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and may include a Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, one or more Vice Presidents (which may be designated Senior Executive Vice President, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President), a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers. Each officer shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, or his or her resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except President and Vice President may be held by the same person. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Corporation and such officer or agent.
SECTION 4.02.
ELECTION, TENURE, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS
. The Board of Directors or any committee of the Board of Directors shall elect the officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable or may from time to time authorize any non-Board committee or officer to appoint any officer subordinate to the level of Senior Vice President, including any Vice President and any assistant and subordinate officers. The officers shall be
appointed to hold their respective offices at the pleasure of the Board of Directors or the non-Board committee or officer appointing the same. The Board of Directors or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board of Directors, may remove an officer at any time. The removal of an officer shall not prejudice any of his or her contractual rights. The Board of Directors or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board of Directors, may fill a vacancy which occurs in any office.
SECTION 4.03.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
. The Board of Directors may designate from among its members a Chairman of the Board, who shall not, solely by reason of these Bylaws, be an officer of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate the Chairman of the Board as an executive or non-executive chairman. The Chairman of the Board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by these Bylaws or the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4.04.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
. The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Executive Officer. In the absence of such designation, the Chairman of the Board shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Corporation, as determined by the Board of Directors, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.
SECTION 4.05.
PRESIDENT
. The President, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he shall be present; he may sign and execute, in the name of the Corporation, all authorized deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments of every description. In general, he shall perform all duties usually performed by a president of a corporation and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.
SECTION 4.06.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
. The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.
SECTION 4.07.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
. The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.
SECTION 4.08.
VICE PRESIDENTS
. The Vice President or Vice Presidents, at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or in the President’s absence or during his or her inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the President, and when so acting shall have the powers of the President. If there be more than one Vice President, the Board of Directors may determine which one or more of the Vice Presidents shall perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions, or if such determination is not made by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may make such determination; otherwise any of the Vice Presidents may perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions. The Vice President or Vice Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties, and have such additional descriptive designations in their titles, if any, as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.
SECTION 4.09.
SECRETARY
. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors in books provided for such purpose; he shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provision of these Bylaws or as required by law; he shall be custodian of the records of the Corporation; he may witness any document on behalf of the Corporation, the execution of which is duly authorized, see that the corporate seal is affixed where such document is required or desired to be under its seal, and, when so affixed, may attest the same; and, in general, he shall perform all duties incident to the office of a secretary of a corporation, and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.
SECTION 4.10.
TREASURER
. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds, securities, receipts and disbursements of the Corporation, and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in the name of the Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall, from time to time, be selected by the executive officers. He shall render to the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Board of Directors, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the Corporation; and, in general, he shall perform all the duties incident to the office of a treasurer of a corporation, and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.
SECTION 4.11.
ASSISTANT AND SUBORDINATE OFFICERS
. The assistant and subordinate officers of the Corporation are all officers below the office of Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer. The assistant or subordinate officers shall have such duties as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President or any committee or officer authorized by the Board of Directors to appoint any such assistant and subordinate officers.
SECTION 4.12
COMPENSATION
. The compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by or under the authority of the Board of Directors and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director.
ARTICLE V.
STOCK
SECTION 5.01.
CERTIFICATES FOR STOCK
. Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, stockholders of the Corporation are not entitled to certificates representing the shares of stock held by them. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized officer, shall contain the statements and information required by the Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”) and shall be signed by the officers of the Corporation in the manner permitted by the MGCL. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock without certificates, the Corporation shall, to the extent then required by the MGCL, provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of stockholders based on whether or not their shares are represented by certificates.
SECTION 5.02.
TRANSFER
. All transfers of shares of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney or agent, in such manner as the Board of Directors or any officer of the Corporation may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Directors that such shares shall no longer be represented by certificates. Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, the Corporation shall, to the extent then required by the MGCL, provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates.
The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, interest in or right exercisable with respect to such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of stock will be subject in all respects to the Charter and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.
SECTION 5.03.
FIXING OF RECORD DATE
. The Board of Directors may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of stockholders of record is to be held or taken.
When a record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been set as provided in this Section 5.03, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except if the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date originally fixed for the meeting, in which case a new record date for such meeting may be determined as set forth herein.
SECTION 5.04.
STOCK LEDGER
. The Corporation shall maintain a stock ledger which contains the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of stock of each class which the stockholder holds. The stock ledger may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. The original or a duplicate of the stock ledger shall be kept at the offices of a transfer agent for the particular class of stock, or, if none, at the executive offices of the Corporation.
SECTION 5.06.
LOST STOCK CERTIFICATES
. Any officer of the Corporation may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such stockholder and the Board of Directors has determined that such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Corporation, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Corporation a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation.
SECTION 5.07.
FRACTIONAL STOCK; ISSUANCE OF UNITS
. The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to issue fractional stock or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may issue units consisting of different securities of the Corporation. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Corporation, except that the Board of Directors may provide that for a specified period securities of the Corporation issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Corporation only in such unit.
ARTICLE VI.
FINANCE
SECTION 6.01.
CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC
. All checks, drafts and orders for the payment of money, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of the Corporation, shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 6.02.
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF AFFAIRS
. The Chairman, President, a Vice President or the Treasurer shall prepare or cause to be prepared annually a full and correct statement of the affairs of the Corporation, including a balance sheet and a financial statement of operations for the preceding fiscal year.
SECTION 6.03.
FISCAL YEAR
. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the twelve calendar months period ending December 31 in each year, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 6.04.
DIVIDENDS
. If declared by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof, the Corporation may pay dividends on its shares in cash, property, or in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation, unless such dividend is contrary to law or to a restriction contained in the Charter.
ARTICLE VII.
SUNDRY PROVISIONS
SECTION 7.01.
BOOKS AND RECORDS
. The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of its accounts and transactions and minutes of the proceedings of its stockholders and Board of Directors and of any executive or other committee when exercising any of the powers of the Board of Directors. The books and records of the Corporation may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. Minutes shall be recorded in written form but may be maintained in the form of a reproduction. The original or a certified copy of these Bylaws shall be kept at the principal office of the Corporation.
SECTION 7.02.
CORPORATE SEAL
. The Board of Directors shall provide a suitable seal, bearing the name of the Corporation, which shall be in the charge of the Secretary. The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof. If the Corporation is required to place its corporate seal to a document, it is sufficient to meet the requirement of any law, rule, or regulation relating to a corporate seal to place the word “Seal” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to sign the document on behalf of the Corporation.
SECTION 7.03.
BONDS
. The Board of Directors may require any officer, agent or employee of the Corporation to give a bond to the Corporation, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his or her duties, with one or more sureties and in such amount as may be satisfactory to the Board of Directors.
SECTION 7.04.
VOTING UPON SHARES IN OTHER CORPORATIONS
. Stock of other corporations or associations which is registered in the name of, or beneficially owned by, the Corporation, or which the Corporation is entitled to vote or direct the voting of in its fiduciary capacity or otherwise, may be voted by the Chairman, the President, any Vice President, or a proxy appointed by any of them. The Board of Directors, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.
SECTION 7.05.
EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS
. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Corporation when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Directors and executed by an authorized person. A person who holds more than one office in the Corporation may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.
SECTION 7.06.
AMENDMENTS
. The Board of Directors shall have the power, at any regular or special meeting thereof, to amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, or to make and adopt new bylaws. These Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation to the extent and as provided in the Charter.
SECTION 7.07.
PRINCIPAL AND ADDITIONAL OFFICES
. The principal office of the Corporation in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Directors may designate. The Corporation may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE VIII.
INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCE OF EXPENSES
To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Corporation shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former director of the Corporation and who is made or threatened to be made a party or a witness to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity, (b) any individual who is a present or former officer of the Corporation and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (c) any individual who, while a director or officer of the Corporation and at the request of the Corporation, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member or manager of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Charter and these Bylaws shall vest immediately upon election of a director or officer. The Corporation may, with the approval of its Board of Directors, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to (i) an individual who served a predecessor of the Corporation in any of the capacities described in (a), (b) or (c) above, (ii) any individual who is a present or former officer of the Corporation and who is made or threatened to be made a witness to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity and (iii) any employee or agent of the Corporation or a predecessor of the Corporation. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.
Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.