UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 14, 2015
 
 
Hardinge Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)  
New York
 
000-15760
 
16-0470200
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
 
 
 
 
 
One Hardinge Drive
Elmira, NY
 
 
 
14902
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
 
 
(Zip Code)
 
(607) 734-2281
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 

 





Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The description of the Agreement (as defined below) set forth under Item 5.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K and as qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1, is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On October 14, 2015, Hardinge Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an agreement (the “Agreement”) with Privet Fund LP and Privet Fund Management LLC (collectively, the “Privet Group”). Set forth in this Item 5.02 is a summary of the material terms and conditions of the Agreement and such description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

The Privet Group has represented and warranted in the Agreement that, as of the date of the Agreement, the Privet Group is deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate 964,040 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”).

In connection with the execution of the Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) (i) approved an amendment to Article III, Section 3 of the By-Laws of the Company, changing the relevant provision regarding the size of the Board from seven directors to eight directors, (ii) appointed Benjamin Rosenzweig, an individual affiliated with the Privet Group (the “Privet Nominee”) as a member of the Board to fill the vacancy resulting from the increase in the size of the Board to eight directors and (iii) appointed Mr. Rosenzweig as a member of the Audit Committee of the Board.

The Agreement provides that Mr. Rosenzweig shall be nominated as a Class III Director who will stand for election at the Company’s 2016 annual meeting of shareholders (the “2016 Annual Meeting”) with a term expiring at the 2018 annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the “2018 Annual Meeting”).

So long as the Privet Group beneficially owns, in the aggregate, at least the lesser of five percent (5.0%) of the Company’s then outstanding Common Stock and 641,835 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, reclassifications, combinations and similar adjustments) (the “Minimum Ownership Threshold”), commencing on the earlier of (1) March 1, 2016 and (2) the date upon which the Company publicly announces that the Board has terminated that certain strategic review process announced by the Company in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 24, 2015 (the “Strategic Review Process”), the Company and the Privet Group will promptly seek to identify a new director who qualifies as “independent” pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission and NASDAQ listing standards (the “Additional Independent Nominee”) to serve as a Class II Director with a term expiring at the Company’s 2017 annual meeting of shareholders (the “2017 Annual Meeting”). The Agreement provides that the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board (the “Nominating and Governance Committee”) and the Privet Group shall jointly recommend an Additional Independent Nominee to the Board for its consideration. In connection with any appointment of the Additional Independent Nominee by the Board, the Agreement provides that the Board shall take the necessary actions to set the size of the Board at nine members.

If the Privet Nominee (or any replacement therefor) is unable or unwilling to serve, resigns or is removed as a director prior to the 2017 Annual Meeting, and at such time the Privet Group beneficially owns in the aggregate at least the Minimum Ownership Threshold, the Privet Group has the ability to recommend a replacement director in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.

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The Company also agreed to reduce the size of the Board to eight directors not later than the 2017 Annual Meeting, provided, that in doing so, none of the Privet Nominee (or any replacement therefor, if applicable) and the Additional Independent Nominee shall be required to resign as a director.

Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Privet Group has, among other things, agreed to the following:

the Privet Group will not and it will not permit any of its controlled Affiliates and Associates (the terms “Affiliates” and “Associates” as used in this Current Report on Form 8-K shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms as set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder) to (1) nominate or recommend for nomination any person for election at the 2016 Annual Meeting, directly or indirectly, (2) submit any proposal for consideration at, or bring any other business before, the 2016 Annual Meeting, directly or indirectly, or (3) initiate, encourage or participate in any “withhold” or similar campaign with respect to the 2016 Annual Meeting, directly or indirectly; and
the Privet Group will (1) continue to have the right to vote all of its shares of Common Stock held as of the date hereof through the 2016 Annual Meeting and (2) appear in person or by proxy at the 2016 Annual Meeting and vote all shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned by the Privet Group at the meeting (x) in favor of the slate of directors recommended by the Board, (y) in favor of the ratification and appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2016 and (z) in accordance with the Board’s recommendation with respect to the advisory vote on executive compensation.

Pursuant to the Agreement, the Privet Group has obtained from Mr. Rosenzweig an irrevocable resignation letter pursuant to which he shall resign from the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board, if, at any time, the Privet Group’s aggregate beneficial ownership of the Common Stock decreases to an amount less than the Minimum Ownership Threshold.

Under the terms of the Agreement, the Privet Group has agreed to certain standstill restrictions during the Standstill Period (as defined herein), including restrictions on the Privet Group and its Affiliates and Associates regarding the following (in each case, subject to certain exceptions): (i) the solicitation of proxies to vote shares of the Company’s Common Stock, (ii) the action, alone or in concert with others, to control or seek to control the management of the Company or the Board and (iii) the making of public statements or public disclosure regarding any intent, purpose, plan or proposal relating to the Board, the Company, its management, policies or affairs or any of its securities or assets or the Agreement that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Agreement. The Agreement generally defines the “Standstill Period” as the period commencing on the date of the Agreement and ending upon the earlier of (x) immediately following the certification of the voting results from the 2016 Annual Meeting and (y) the termination of the Agreement in accordance with its terms.

Subject to applicable law, if the Board establishes a special committee of the Board to oversee the Strategic Review Process (the “Special Committee”), the Board shall take all necessary action to ensure that during the Standstill Period, the Privet Nominee (or any replacement therefor) shall be included as a member of the Special Committee.

The Agreement terminates on the earliest of (a) the certification of the voting results from the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting, (b) the failure of the Company, the Board or the Privet Group to cure a material breach of the Agreement (assuming the breach is curable) committed by one of the foregoing parties within a ten day period following receipt of notice of the breach from a non-breaching party that has elected to terminate the Agreement and (c) such other date established by the parties to the Agreement.

According to the terms of the Agreement, the Company shall reimburse the Privet Group, up to $35,000 in the aggregate, for the reasonable, documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses incurred by the Privet Group in connection with the negotiation and execution of the Agreement.

Each of the parties to the Agreement also agreed to mutual non-disparagement obligations. The Company has also entered into a confidentiality agreement with Benjamin Rosenzweig and the Privet Group.


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Mr. Rosenzweig is expected to receive standard annual Board compensation for non-employee directors which is comprised of the following fees for 2015:

Compensation Element
Compensation Amount*
Director Fees
$60,000 per year, $45,000 of which is paid in shares of the Company's Common Stock and $15,000 of which is paid in shares or cash, at the director's election.
Lead Independent Director Fees*
$18,000 per year.
Committee Chair Fees*
$10,000 per year for the Chairman of the Audit Committee; $6,000 per year for the Chairman of other committees. Entire fee is paid at the beginning of the year.
Meeting Fees
$1,500 for each board meeting attended; $1,000 for each committee meeting attended.
* To be paid only in the case where Mr. Rosenzweig serves in these roles, as applicable, and to be pro-rated based on the date of Mr. Rosenzweig’s commencement of services as a director.

As previously disclosed by the Company in the Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 2015 in connection with the Company’s 2015 annual meeting of shareholders, commencing in 2016, all compensation paid to non-employee directors will be paid in shares of the Company's Common Stock to more closely align such compensation with the Company's performance. Accordingly, for the Company's fiscal year ending December 31, 2016, Mr. Rosenzweig will be compensated in his capacity as a director of the Company, as follows:

Compensation Element
Compensation Amount*
Director Fees
$95,000 per year payable in shares of the Company’s Common Stock in quarterly installments.
Lead Independent Director Fees*
$18,000 per year payable in shares of the Company’s Common Stock in quarterly installments.
Committee Chair Fees*
$10,000 per year for the Chairman of the Audit Committee; $6,000 per year for the Chairman of other committees. All Committee Chair fees are payable in shares of the Company's Common Stock in quarterly installments.
Meeting Fees
None.
* To be paid only in the case where Mr. Rosenzweig serves in these roles, as applicable.
A copy of the Company’s press release announcing the appointment of Benjamin Rosenzweig to the Company’s Board and entry into the Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

Amendment of By-Laws

In connection with the execution of the Agreement, the Board of Directors approved an amendment to Article III, Section 3 of the By-Laws of Hardinge Inc., changing the relevant provision regarding the size of the Board from seven directors to eight directors. The foregoing description of the amended and restated by-laws is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the amended and restated by-laws attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1, and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
(d)     Exhibits.

EXHIBIT NUMBER
 
DESCRIPTION
3.1
 
Amended and Restated By-Laws of Hardinge Inc.
10.1
 
Agreement by and among Hardinge Inc., Privet Fund LP and Privet Fund Management, LLC
99.1
 
Press Release dated October 15, 2015


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SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
 
 
Hardinge Inc.
 
 
 
(Registrant)
Date
October 16, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Douglas J. Malone
 
 
 
Douglas J. Malone
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


5
EXHIBIT 3.1


As Adopted 9/28/04
Last Amended 10/14/15

AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY - LAWS

-of-

HARDINGE INC.

ARTICLE I

Offices .

SECTION 1.      Principal Office .

The principal office of the corporation shall be located in the County of Chemung and State of New York.
SECTION 2.      Other Offices .

The corporation may also have such other offices, either within or without the State of New York, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.

ARTICLE II

Shareholders.

SECTION 1.      Place of Meetings of Shareholders .

Meetings of shareholders may be held at such place, within or without the State of New York, as may be fixed by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2.      Annual Meeting of Shareholders .

A meeting of shareholders shall be held annually on such date and at such place and time as may be fixed by the Board of Directors for the election of directors and the transaction of other business.
SECTION 3.      Special Meetings of Shareholders .

Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board, or by the President. Such call shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting shall be confined to the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.



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SECTION 4.      Fixing Record Date .

The Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for purpose of determining the shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to or dissent from any proposal without a meeting, or for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any rights, or for the purpose of any other action. Such date shall be not more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting nor more than sixty (60) days before any other action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given and for all other purposes shall be at the close of business on the day on which the resolution of the Board of Directors relating thereto is adopted.

SECTION 5.      Notice of Meetings of Shareholders .

Written notice of every meeting of shareholders shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and, unless it is the annual meeting, indicate that it is being issued by or at the direction of the person or persons calling the meeting. Notice of a special meeting shall also state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. If, at any meeting, action is proposed to be taken which would, if taken, entitle shareholders fulfilling the statutory requirements to receive payment for their shares, the notice of such meeting shall include a statement of that purpose and to that effect. A copy of the notice of any meeting shall be given, personally or by mail, not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting, to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, with postage thereon prepaid, directed to the shareholder at his address as it appears on the record of shareholders, or, if he shall have filed with the secretary of the corporation a written request that notices to him be mailed to some other address, then directed to him at such other address.

SECTION 6.      Adjourned meetings .

When a determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been made, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof, unless the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the adjourned meeting if the time and place to which the meeting is adjourned are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, and at the adjourned meeting the corporation may transact any business that might have been transacted on the original date of the meeting. However, if after the adjournment the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each shareholder of record on the new record date entitled to notice.

SECTION 7.      List of Shareholders at Meeting .

A list of shareholders as of the record date, certified by the secretary or by the transfer agent, shall be produced at any meeting of shareholders upon the request thereat or prior thereto of any shareholder. If the right to vote at any meeting is challenged, the inspectors of election, or person presiding thereat, shall require such list of shareholders to be produced as evidence of the right of the persons challenged to vote at such meetings, and all persons who appear from such list to be shareholders entitled to vote thereat may vote at such meeting.




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SECTION 8.      Quorum of Shareholders .

The holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote thereat shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders for the transaction of any business. When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any shareholders. Despite the absence of a quorum, the shareholders present may adjourn the meeting.

SECTION 9.      Proxies .

Every shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders or to express consent or dissent without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy. Every proxy must be signed by the shareholder or his attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be valid after the expiration of eleven (11) months from the date thereof unless otherwise provided in the proxy. Every proxy shall be revocable at the pleasure of the shareholder executing it, except in those cases where an irrevocable proxy is provided by law.

SECTION 10.      Inspectors at Shareholders’ Meetings .

The Board of Directors, in advance of any shareholders’ meeting, may appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof. If inspectors are not so appointed or the persons so appointed by the Board of Directors are unable to act at the shareholders’ meeting, then the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint inspectors. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector at such meeting with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. The inspectors shall determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots or consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, determine the result, and do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all shareholders. On request of the person presiding at the meeting or any shareholder entitled to vote thereat, the inspectors shall make a report in writing of any challenge, question or matter determined by them and execute a certificate of any fact found by them. A report or certificate made by them shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated and of the vote as certified by them.

SECTION 11.      Qualifications of Voters .

Every shareholder of record shall be entitled at every meeting of shareholders to one vote for every share standing in his name on the record of shareholders.

Neither treasury shares nor shares held by another domestic or foreign corporation of any type or kind, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held by the corporation, shall be voted at any meeting or counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares.

Shares held by an administrator, executor, guardian, conservator, committee, or other fiduciary, except a trustee, may be voted by him, either in person or by proxy, without transfer of such shares into his name. Shares held by a trustee may be voted by him, either in person or by proxy, only after the shares have been transferred into his name as trustee or into the name of his nominee.




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Shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by him without the transfer thereof into his name if authority so to do is contained in an order of the court by which such receiver was appointed.

A shareholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, or a nominee of the pledgee.

Shares standing in the name of another domestic or foreign corporation of any type or kind may be voted by such officer, agent or proxy as the By-Laws of such corporation may provide, or, in the absence of such provision, as the Board of Directors of such corporation may determine.

SECTION 12.      Vote of Shareholders .

At each meeting of shareholders, every shareholder entitled to vote shall have the right to vote in person or by proxy duly appointed by an appropriate instrument, such as a writing, a telegram, a cablegram or other means of electronic transmission, in each case subscribed by or on behalf of such shareholder. The vote for directors shall be by ballot. In a vote by ballot each ballot shall state the number of shares voted and the name of the shareholder or proxy voting. Directors shall, except as otherwise required by law, be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders by the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election. Any other corporate action by vote of the shareholders shall, except as otherwise required by law, these By-Laws or the certificate of incorporation, be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders by the holders of shares entitled to vote thereon.

SECTION 13.      Conduct of Shareholders’ Meetings .

The person presiding over the shareholders’ meeting may establish such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting as the presiding person may deem to be reasonably necessary or desirable for the orderly and expeditious conduct of the meeting.

SECTION 14.      Shareholder Proposals .

No shareholder shall be entitled to submit a proposal to a meeting of shareholders unless at the time of submitting the proposal, the shareholder shall be a record or beneficial owner of at least 1% or $1,000 in market value of shares entitled to be voted at the meeting, and shall have held such shares for at least one year and shall continue to own such shares through the date on which the meeting is held. A shareholder meeting the above requirements shall deliver to the secretary of the corporation not later than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date on which the corporation’s proxy statement was mailed to shareholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting, the text of any proposal which he intends to propose at an annual meeting of shareholders and a notice of the intention of the shareholder to present such proposal at the meeting. A proposal to be presented at any meeting of shareholders other than an annual meeting shall be delivered to the Secretary a reasonable time before the mailing of the corporation’s proxy material.



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ARTICLE III

Directors .

SECTION 1.      Board of Directors .

The business of the corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors.

SECTION 2.      Qualifications of Directors .

Each director shall be at least 18 years of age.

SECTION 3.      Number of Directors .

The number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be eight (8). This number may be increased or decreased from time to time by amendment of these By-Laws, provided, however, that the number may not be decreased to less than three (3). No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

SECTION 4.      Election and Term of Directors .

The directors shall be classified, with respect to the period for which they shall severally hold office, into three classes as nearly equal in the number as possible, each holding office for a period expiring at the third annual meeting of shareholders following the first annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation at which directors of such class have been elected.

SECTION 5.      Nominations for Directors .

Nominations of candidates for election as directors of the corporation at any meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors may be made by the Board of Directors or by any shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting. Nominations made by the Board of Directors shall be made in accordance with the recommendations of the nominating and governance committee of the Board of Directors at a meeting of the Board of Directors, or by written consent of directors in lieu of a meeting, not later than sixty days prior to the date of any meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors. The Secretary of the corporation shall request that each such proposed nominee provide the corporation with such information concerning himself as is required, under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to be included in the corporation’s proxy statement soliciting proxies for his election as a director. Any shareholder who intends to make a nomination at any annual meeting of shareholders shall deliver to the Secretary of the corporation not later than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date on which the corporation’s proxy statement was mailed to shareholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting, or if such nomination is to be made at a meeting of shareholders other than an annual meeting, a reasonable time before the mailing of the corporation’s proxy material, a notice setting forth (i) the name, age, business address and residence of each nominee proposed in such notice, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of each such nominee, (iii) the number of shares of capital stock of the corporation which are owned of record and beneficially by each such nominee and (iv) such other information concerning each such nominee as would be required, under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election



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of such nominees. Such notice shall include a signed consent of such nominee to serve as a director of the corporation, if elected. In the event that a person is validly designated as a nominee in accordance with the provisions of this section and shall thereafter become unable or unwilling to stand for election to the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors or the shareholder who proposed such nominee, as the case may be, may designate a substitute nominee. If the Secretary of the meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures, such nomination shall be void.

SECTION 6.      Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies .

Newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and vacancies occurring in the Board of Directors for any reason may be filled by vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum exists. A director elected to fill a newly created directorship or a vacancy shall be elected to hold office until the next meeting of shareholders at which the election of directors is in the regular order of business, and until his successor has been elected and qualified. Any newly created directorships or any decrease in the number of directors shall be apportioned among the classes of directors as to make all classes as nearly equal in number as possible. When the number of directors is increased by the Board of Directors and any newly created directorships are filled by the Board of Directors, there shall be no classification of the additional directors until the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

SECTION 7.      Removal of Directors .

Any director, an entire class of directors or the entire board of directors may be removed from office, only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

SECTION 8.      Quorum of Directors .

One-third (1/3) of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or of any specified item of business.

SECTION 9.      Action by the Board of Directors .

The vote of the majority of the directors present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at the time of the vote, if a quorum is present at such time, shall, except as otherwise provided by law, these By-Laws or the certificate of incorporation, be the act of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 10.      Written Consent of Directors Without a Meeting .

Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or the committee consent in writing to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written consents thereto by the members of the Board or committee shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or committee.



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SECTION 11.      Place and Time of Meetings of Board of Directors .

Meetings of the Board of Directors, regular or special, may be held at any place, within or without the State of New York and at any time, fixed by the Board of Directors or by the person or persons calling the meeting. Such meetings may be held by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time.

SECTION 12.      Notice of Meetings of the Board of Directors .

Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice if the time and place of such meetings are fixed by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held upon notice to the directors and may be called by the Chairman of the Board or the President, or any two directors. The notice shall be given personally including by telephone or mail, telegram, cable or other public instrumentality. If given personally or by telephone, such notice shall be given not less than 48 hours before the meeting to each director. If given by mail, cable telegram or other public instrumentality, such notice shall be given not less than five (5) days before the date of the meeting, to each director. Such notice shall be deemed given, if mailed, when deposited in the United States mail, with postage thereon prepaid, or, if telegraphed, cabled or sent by other public instrumentality, when given to the telegraph company, cable company, or other public instrumentality, directed to the director at his business address, or, if he shall have filed with the secretary of the corporation a written request that notices to him be mailed or telegraphed, cabled or sent to some other address, then directed to him at such other address. The notice need not specify the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 13.      Reimbursement and Compensation of Directors .

The directors may be paid their expenses of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of the executive committee or other committees may be allowed similar reimbursement and compensation for their services as such.

SECTION 14.      Executive Committee and Other Committees .

The Board of Directors by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire board, shall designate from among its members an executive committee, an audit committee, a compensation committee, a nominating and governance committee and other committees, each consisting of two or more directors or such greater number of directors as may be required by the charter for such committee, applicable law or the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules (or other applicable stock exchange rules or listing standards). Except as to matters listed below and except as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, the executive committee, during the interim between meetings of the board of directors, shall possess and may exercise all of the powers of the Board of Directors in the management and direction of the business and conduct of the affairs of the corporation, and shall have power to authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may be required. Each other committee shall have and may exercise such powers as shall be conferred or authorized by the resolution appointing it.

        



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No such committee shall have authority as to the following matters:

(1) The submission to shareholders of any action that needs shareholders’ approval;
(2) The filling of vacancies in the Board of Directors or in any committee;
(3) The fixing of compensation of the directors for serving on the Board of Directors or on any committee;
(4) The amendment or repeal of the by-laws or the adoption of new by-laws;
(5) The amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board of Directors.
        
Each such committee shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The Board of Directors shall have the power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the size or membership of, and to discharge any such committee.

A majority of any such committee may determine its action and may fix the time and place of its meetings, unless provided otherwise by the Board of Directors. Each such committee shall keep a written record of its acts and proceedings and shall submit such record to the Board of Directors at each regular meeting thereof and at such other times as requested by the Board of Directors. Failure to submit such record, or failure of the Board to approve any action indicated therein will not, however, invalidate such action to the extent it has been carried out by the Corporation prior to the time the record of such action was, or should have been, submitted to the Board of Directors as herein provided.

SECTION 15:      Chairman of the Board .

The Board of Directors, by resolution, may designate from among its members a Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board position shall not be an officer position. Any member of the Board of Directors, whether or not such member is an officer of the Corporation, shall be eligible to serve as Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and will perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors or these By-laws.

ARTICLE IV

Officers .

SECTION 1.      Officers .

The Board of Directors shall elect a President, one or more Executive Vice Presidents, one or more Senior Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Controller. The Board of Directors may also at any time elect one or more Assistant Secretaries and/or Assistant Treasurers. Any two or more offices may be combined and conferred upon one person except the offices of President and Secretary.

The Board of Directors shall appoint either the Chairman of the Board, if any, or the President, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation (“the CEO”), who, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, shall direct and control all the business and affairs of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Vice President or a Senior Vice President as the Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation (“the COO”) who shall be subject to the control of, and perform such duties as may be assigned by, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Vice President or a Senior Vice President as the Chief Financial



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Officer of the Corporation (“the CFO”) who shall be responsible for all the fiscal affairs of the Corporation and who shall be subject to the control of, and perform such duties as may be assigned by, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Board of Directors.

SECTION 2.      Election and Term of Office .

The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by a majority vote of the entire Board of Directors at its first meeting held after the annual meeting of the shareholders. In the event of the failure of the Board to elect such officers at such meeting or in the event of a vacancy then such election may be made at any subsequent regular or special meeting of the Board. All officers shall serve under the direction of and at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office may be filled by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3.      Powers and Duties of Officers .

(a) President. The President shall perform the duties of the Chairman of the Board of Directors in his absence or during his inability to act. Any action taken by the President in the performance of the duties of the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be conclusive evidence of the absence or inability to act of the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the time such action was taken. He shall also have such other and further powers and shall perform such other and further duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.

(b) Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents. Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents shall perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or by the President or by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may designate any one or more of said Executive Vice Presidents or Senior Vice Presidents as the Chief Operating Officer or the Chief Financial Officer.

(c) Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of the corporate funds and securities. He shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. He shall disburse the funds of the Corporation in the manner ordered by the Board. He shall upon request render an account of all his transactions as Treasurer to the Board of Directors. He shall, at all reasonable hours, exhibit his books and accounts to any director upon application. He or an Assistant Treasurer or such other officers, directors or agents as may be designated by the Board of Directors shall endorse checks, notes or drafts payable to the order of the corporation and sign and countersign checks, drafts, and orders for the payment or withdrawal of moneys or securities on deposit in the corporate accounts in such manner as the Board may direct. He shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or by the President.

(d) Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors, and the shareholders, unless another person be appointed for that purpose by the shareholders, and also, unless another person be appointed for that purpose by the Executive Committee, the minutes of the Executive Committee, in books provided for that purpose. He shall give or cause to be given all notices required by these by-laws or by resolution of the Board of Directors. He shall have charge of the stock certificate books, stock transfer books and stock ledgers, all of which shall at all reasonable hours be open to the examination of any director; he shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation; and he shall in general perform all the duties usually incident to the office of Secretary, subject to the control of the



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Board of Directors. The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall also certify all resolutions and proceedings of the shareholders, directors and Executive Committee.

(e) Controller. The Controller shall be responsible for and have active control of all matters pertaining to the accounts of the corporation. He shall audit all payrolls and vouchers and shall direct the manner of certifying the same; shall supervise the manner of keeping all vouchers for payments and all other documents relating to such payments; shall receive and audit all operating and financial statements of the corporation and its subsidiaries; shall have the care, custody and supervision of the books of account of the corporation, their arrangement and classification and shall supervise the accounting and auditing practices of the corporation. He shall, at all reasonable hours, exhibit his books and accounts to any director upon application. He shall, upon request, render an account of the financial condition of the corporation to the Board of Directors. He shall perform such other duties as shall be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President.

(f) Assistant Officers. The Assistant Secretary or Secretaries and the Assistant Treasurer or Treasurers shall perform the duties of the Secretary and of the Treasurer, respectively, in the absence of those officers and shall have such further powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to them respectively by the Board of Directors.

(g) Removal. Regardless of whether such officer is also a director, any officer may be removed as an officer, either with or without cause, by a vote of a majority of the whole Board of Directors at a special meeting of the Board called for that purpose, or by any committee of the Board upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board of Directors.

(h) Bond. Any officer of the Corporation shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his duties, in such sum, when and as shall be required by the Board of Directors.

(i) Compensation. The compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he is also a director of the corporation.

SECTION 4.

The Chairman of the Board, President, Secretary, or any other officer designated by the Board of Directors, is hereby empowered to endorse or execute and deliver any instrument of transfer of any certificate for shares of stock, or bond, or other security owned by or standing in the name of the Corporation.

SECTION 5.      Non-Officer Appointments.

The Chief Executive Officer may, from time to time for the convenience of the Corporation and in furtherance of its business interests, confer the title of Vice President or any variation thereof on an employee of the Corporation without the Board of Directors electing such employee an officer of the Corporation(a ‘Non-Officer Vice President”). A Non-Officer Vice President shall not be an officer of the Corporation for any purpose including, but not limited to, for the purposes of these By-Laws, the New York Business Corporation Law and any employee benefit plan sponsored or offered by the Corporation. Each appointment of a Non-Officer Vice President is revocable at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer.




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ARTICLE V

Contracts, Checks And Deposits .

SECTION 1.      Contracts .

The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

SECTION 2.      Checks, Drafts, etc.

All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the corporation, shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3.      Deposits .

All funds of the corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.

ARTICLE VI

Certificates Representing Shares, Record
Of Shareholders, Transfers Of Shares .

SECTION 1.      Issuance of Shares .

No shares of any class of the corporation or any obligations or other securities convertible into or carrying options to purchase any such shares of the corporation, or any options or rights to purchase any such shares or securities of the corporation, shall be issued or sold unless such issuance or sale is approved by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the entire Board of Directors.

SECTION 2.      Certificates Representing Shares .

The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates which shall be in such form as shall be determined by the Board of Directors. All such certificates shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. Such certificates shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President or a Vice-President and the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, and may, but need not, be sealed with the seal of the corporation or a facsimile thereof. The signature of such persons upon the certificate may be facsimiles if the certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent or an assistant transfer agent, or registered by a registrar other than the corporation itself or its employee. In case any person who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate in his capacity as Chairman of the Board or an officer shall have ceased to serve in such capacity before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if he were serving in such capacity at the date of issue. Each certificate shall state upon the face thereof;



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(1) that the corporation is formed under the laws of New York; (2) the name of the person or persons to whom issued; (3) the number and class of shares and the par value of each share represented by such certificate.

SECTION 3.      Lost, Destroyed or Wrongfully Taken Certificates .

The Board of Directors 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, apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors, may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken certificate or certificates, or his legal representative to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or give the corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, apparently destroyed or wrongfully taken.

SECTION 4.      Record of Shareholders .

The corporation shall keep at its principal office, or at the office of its transfer agent in the State of New York, a record containing the names and addresses of all shareholders, the number and class of shares held by each and the dates when they respectively became the owners of record thereof. The corporation shall be protected in treating the persons in whose names shares stand on the record of shareholders as the owners thereof for all purposes.

SECTION 5.      Transfer of Shares .

Upon surrender to the corporation or the transfer agent of the corporation of a certificate representing shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, and cancel the old certificate. Every such transfer of shares shall be entered on the record of shareholders of the corporation.


ARTICLE VII

Fiscal Year .

The fiscal year of the corporation shall be the calendar year.


ARTICLE VIII

Dividends .

The Board of Directors may from time to time declare, and the corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by law and its certificate of incorporation.




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ARTICLE IX

Seal .

The seal of the corporation shall be circular in form and contain the name of the corporation, the year when it was formed, and the words “New York”. The corporation may use the seal causing it or a facsimile to be affixed or impressed or reproduced in any other manner.

ARTICLE X

Waiver Of Notice .

SECTION 1.      Waiver of Notice to Shareholders .

Notice of meeting need not be given to any shareholder who signed a waiver of notice, in person or by proxy, whether before or after the meeting. The attendance of any shareholder at a meeting, in person or by proxy, without protesting prior to the conclusion of the meeting the lack of notice of such meeting, shall constitute a waiver of notice by him.

SECTION 2.      Waiver of Notice to Director .

Notice of meeting need not be given to any director who signs a waiver of notice whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting, prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him. A waiver of notice need not specify the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3.      Notice Dispensed with When Delivery Prohibited .

Whenever communication to any shareholder or any director is unlawful under any statute of the State of New York or of the United States or any regulation, proclamation or order issued under said statutes, the giving of any notice to such shareholder or such director shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply for license or other permission to so do.


ARTICLE XI

Indemnification .

SECTION 1.      Indemnification .

The corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as amended from time to time, indemnify each person made, or threatened to be made, a party to any action or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (“Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that such person, such person’s testator or intestate, is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or, while a director or officer, serves or served, at the request of the corporation, any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise in any capacity, against judgments, fines, penalties, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees, costs and charges) incurred in connection with such threatened or pending Proceeding, or any appeal therein;



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provided that no such indemnification shall be made if a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to such person establishes that (i) his acts were committed in bad faith or were the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and were material to the cause of action so adjudicated, or (ii) he personally gained in fact a financial profit or other advantage to which he was not legally entitled, and provided further that no such indemnification shall be required with respect to any settlement or other nonadjudicated disposition of any threatened or pending Proceeding unless the corporation has given its prior consent to such settlement or other disposition.

The corporation shall, from time to time, advance or promptly reimburse upon request any director or officer seeking indemnification hereunder the funds necessary for payment of expenses (including attorneys’ fees, costs and charges) reasonably incurred in connection with any threatened or pending Proceeding in advance of the final disposition thereof upon receipt of a written undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if such person is ultimately found not to be entitled to indemnification or, where indemnification is granted, to the extent the expenses so advanced or reimbursed exceed the amount to which such person is entitled.

Nothing herein shall limit or affect any right of any person otherwise than hereunder to indemnification or to advancement of expenses (including attorneys’ fees, costs and charges) under any statute, rule, regulation, certificate of incorporation, by-law, resolution of directors or shareholders, insurance policy, contract or otherwise.

The corporation is authorized to enter into agreements with any of its directors or officers to reflect or confirm the rights and benefits contained in this Article and to extend other additional rights to indemnification and to advancement of expenses to any such person to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and to set forth procedures for any such person to obtain advancement of expenses and indemnification, but the existence of any such agreement or the failure to enter into any such agreement shall not adversely affect or limit the rights of any such person pursuant to this Article or otherwise.

For the purposes of this Article, the corporation shall be deemed to have requested a person to serve an employee benefit plan where the performance by such person of his duties to the corporation also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, such person to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan, and excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall be considered indemnifiable expenses.

If a request to be indemnified or for the advancement of expenses pursuant to this Article is not paid in full by the corporation within 30 days after a written claim has been received by the corporation, the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may at any time thereafter bring suit against the corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses shall be entitled also to be paid the expenses of prosecuting such claim. In any such judicial proceeding, the corporation shall have the burden of proving by the preponderance of the evidence that the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses is not entitled to indemnification or advances hereunder. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its board of directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) to have made a determination that the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses is entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses in the circumstances nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its board of directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) that the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses is not so entitled shall be a defense to an action or create a presumption that the person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses is not so entitled.



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Nothing in this Article shall restrict the power and the authority of the corporation to indemnify or advance expenses to, make indemnification agreements and arrangements with, or maintain insurance on behalf of, any employee or agent of the corporation or any person (whether or not a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation) who serves at the request of the corporation in any capacity with any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.

If this Article or any part hereof shall be held unenforceable in any respect by a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remainder of this Article shall remain fully enforceable.

This Article shall be given retroactive effect and the full benefits hereof shall be available in respect of any alleged or actual occurrences, acts or failures to act prior to the date of the adoption of this Article. The right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article shall be a contract right.


ARTICLE XII

Employee Benefits .

The Board may from time to time make such provision for the establishment, funding, and carrying out of pension, profit sharing, share bonus, share purchase, share option, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions for any or all of its employees and officers, as in its discretion the Board may deem advisable and the Board may from time to time adopt and carry out any such plan or plans of providing such benefits or modify, discontinue or terminate any such plan as may then be in force. If any such benefit plan entitles members of the Board to participate as employees of the corporation, every member of the Board shall be entitled to vote upon any matter relating to the adoption, administration, carrying out, modification, discontinuance or termination of any such plan. The Board shall have power to appropriate funds including cash, stock, and other property of the corporation to defray, in whole or in part, the cost of providing any such benefits which may be based upon services rendered by employees prior to the date of establishment or modification of such plan and upon services to be rendered thereafter prior to the retirement or other payment date provided therein and may obligate the corporation to make payments toward defraying any such expenses over a period of years, subject always to the power of the Board in its discretion to modify, discontinue and terminate any such benefit plan to the extent then permitted in existing tax or other laws. The Board shall have full power in its discretion to provide for the administration of any such benefit plan and the investment and reinvestment of funds therein by an insurance company, trustees (who may be directors, officers or employees of the corporation), or other agency under such terms and conditions as the Board may deem advisable or to provide for the administration of such plan and the investment and reinvestment of the funds therein by the company. The Board shall have full power in its discretion to delegate to such committees, individuals (who may be directors, officers or employees of the corporation) or independent consultants such part of the carrying out of any such plan as in its discretion it may deem advisable.





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ARTICLE XIII

Amendment And Repeal .

SECTION 1.      Amendment and Repeal by the Shareholders .

These By-Laws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of holders of at least 75% of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, provided that the notice of meeting states such purpose.

SECTION 2.      Amendment and Repeal by the Board of Directors .

These By-Laws may also be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of at least 75% of the entire Board of Directors.












NBca
Doc # 01-2216170.6



EXHIBIT 10.1


EXECUTION VERSION
AGREEMENT
This Agreement (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of October 14, 2015 by and among Hardinge Inc., a New York corporation (the “ Company ”), Privet Fund LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and Privet Fund Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (collectively, “ Privet ”) (each of the Company and Privet, a “ Party ” to this Agreement, and collectively, the “ Parties ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and Privet have engaged in various discussions and communications concerning the Company’s business, financial performance and strategic plans;
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, Privet is deemed to beneficially own shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “ Common Stock ”) totaling, in the aggregate, 964,040 shares (the “ Shares ”), or approximately 7.5%, of the Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date hereof; and
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, the Company and Privet have determined to come to an agreement with respect to the composition of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) and certain other matters, as provided in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.     Nomination and Election of Directors; Board Committees and Related Agreements .

(a) Nomination and Election of Directors . Immediately after the execution of this Agreement, the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall take all necessary actions to (1) set the size of the Board at eight (8) members and (2) appoint Benjamin Rosenzweig (the “ Privet Nominee ”) as a director of the Company. The Privet Nominee shall be nominated to stand for election at the Company’s 2016 annual meeting of stockholders (the “ 2016 Annual Meeting ”) as a Class III director with a term expiring at the 2018 annual meeting of stockholders (the “ 2018 Annual Meeting ”). After the appointment of the Privet Nominee in accordance with this Section 1(a) and before the appointment of the Additional Independent Nominee (as defined below) in accordance with Section 1(a)(i), the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall not (i) increase the size of the Board to more than eight (8) directors or (ii) seek to change the classes on which the Board members serve, in each case without the prior written consent of Privet.

(i) So long as Privet’s aggregate beneficial ownership of Common Stock is in excess of the Minimum Ownership Threshold (as defined below), commencing on the earliest of (1) March 1, 2016 and (2) the date upon which the Company publicly announces that the Board has terminated that certain strategic review process announced on August 24, 2015, the Company and Privet will mutually and promptly seek to identify a new director who qualifies as “independent” pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission and NASDAQ listing standards to serve as a Class II director with a term expiring at the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders (the “ 2017 Annual Meeting ”) or expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders in 2020, as applicable (such director, the “ Additional Independent Nominee ” and together with the Privet Nominee, the “ New Nominees ”). The search process for the Additional Independent Nominee shall be conducted by the Nominating and Governance Committee, which shall give due consideration to any candidate suggested by Privet. After the Nominating and Governance Committee and Privet jointly recommend an Additional Independent Nominee to the Board, the Board shall vote on the appointment of such Additional Independent Nominee to the Board. In connection with any such appointment to the Board, the Board shall take all necessary actions to (1) set the size of the Board at nine (9) members and (2) appoint, as soon as practicable, the Additional Independent Nominee (who, upon election at an annual meeting of stockholders, will be a Class II director with a term expiring at the 2017 Annual Meeting or expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders in 2020, as applicable). After the appointment of the Additional Independent Nominee in accordance with this Section 1(a)(i) and until the size of the Board is set at





eight (8) members in accordance with Section 1(a)(ii), the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall not (i) increase the size of the Board to more than nine (9) directors or (ii) seek to change the classes on which the Board members serve, in each case without the prior written consent of Privet.

(ii) Not later than the 2017 Annual Meeting, the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall take all necessary actions to set the size of the Board at eight (8) members (subject to further increase or decrease by the Board after the 2017 Annual Meeting), provided , that in doing so, none of the New Nominees (or any Replacement Privet Director, if applicable) shall be required to resign as a director.

(iii) Prior to the mailing of its definitive proxy statement for the 2016 Annual Meeting, the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall take all necessary actions to nominate the Privet Nominee for election to the Board at the 2016 Annual Meeting as a Class III director with a term expiring at the 2018 Annual Meeting. If the Additional Independent Nominee is identified and approved by the Board in accordance with Section 1(a)(i) prior to the mailing of the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2016 Annual Meeting, the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall take all necessary actions to nominate the Additional Independent Nominee for election to the Board at the 2016 Annual Meeting as a Class II director with a term expiring at the 2017 Annual Meeting. The Company will recommend, support and solicit proxies for the election of the Privet Nominee (or a Privet Replacement Director (as defined below), if applicable), and the Additional Independent Nominee, if applicable, at the 2016 Annual Meeting in the same manner as for the other nominees nominated by the Board at the 2016 Annual Meeting.

(iv) If the Privet Nominee (or any Privet Replacement Director) is unable or unwilling to serve as a director, resigns as a director or is removed as a director prior to the 2017 Annual Meeting, and at such time Privet beneficially owns in the aggregate at least the lesser of five percent (5.0%) of the Company’s then outstanding Common Stock and 641,835 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, reclassifications, combinations and similar adjustments) (the “ Minimum Ownership Threshold ”), Privet shall have the ability to recommend a substitute person(s) in accordance with this Section 1(a)(iv) (any such replacement nominee shall be referred to as the “ Privet Replacement Director ”). Any Privet Replacement Director recommended by Privet must qualify as “independent” pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission and NASDAQ listing standards. The Nominating and Governance Committee shall make its determination and recommendation regarding whether such person so qualifies as independent within five (5) business days after (i) such nominee has submitted to the Company the documentation required by Section 1(b)(v) herein and (ii) representatives of the Company’s Board have conducted customary interview(s) of such nominee. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to conduct any interview(s) contemplated in this section as promptly as practicable, but in any case, assuming reasonable availability of the nominee, within twenty (20) business days, after Privet’s submission of such nominee. In the event the Nominating and Governance Committee does not accept a substitute person recommended by Privet as the Privet Replacement Director as a result of such person not so qualifying as independent, Privet shall have the right to recommend additional substitute person(s) whose appointment shall be subject to the Nominating and Governance Committee recommending such person in accordance with the procedures described above. Upon the recommendation of a Privet Replacement Director nominee by the Nominating and Governance Committee, the Board shall vote on the appointment of such Privet Replacement Director to the Board no later than five (5) business days after the Nominating and Governance Committee recommendation of such Privet Replacement Director; provided , however , that if the Board does not elect such Privet Replacement Director to the Board as a result of such person not meeting the independence standards described above, the Parties shall continue to follow the procedures of this Section 1(a)(iv) until a Privet Replacement Director is elected to the Board. Any Privet Replacement Director designated pursuant to this Section 1(a)(iv) replacing the Privet Nominee prior to the 2016 Annual Meeting shall stand for election at the 2016 Annual Meeting as a Class III director with a term expiring at the 2018 Annual Meeting. If at any time Privet’s aggregate beneficial ownership of Common Stock decreases to less than the Minimum Ownership Threshold, the right of Privet pursuant to this Section 1(a)(iv) to participate in the recommendation of a Privet Replacement Director to fill the vacancy caused by any such resignation of the Privet Nominee or any Privet Replacement Director shall automatically terminate.





Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Privet fails to comply with its obligations in Section 1(b)(iii) prior to the 2016 Annual Meeting, the Company shall not be required to nominate, recommend, support or solicit proxies for the election of the Privet Nominee or any Privet Replacement Director for election to the Board at the 2016 Annual Meeting.

(v) During the Standstill Period (as defined below), the Company shall not amend its By-Laws (as defined below) in any manner relating to the nomination, election, or qualification of the members of the Board, or implement any other restriction with respect thereto, without the prior written consent of Privet.

(b) Additional Agreements .

(i) Privet agrees that it will cause its controlled Affiliates and Associates to comply with the terms of this Agreement and shall be responsible for any breach of this Agreement by any such controlled Affiliate or Associate. As used in this Agreement, the terms “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings set forth in Rule 12b-2 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Exchange Act ”) and shall include all persons or entities that at any time during the term of this Agreement become Affiliates or Associates of any person or entity referred to in this Agreement.

(ii) Upon execution of this Agreement, Privet hereby agrees that it will not, and that it will not permit any of its controlled Affiliates or Associates to, (1) nominate or recommend for nomination any person for election at the 2016 Annual Meeting, directly or indirectly, (2) submit any proposal for consideration at, or bring any other business before, the 2016 Annual Meeting, directly or indirectly, or (3) initiate, encourage or participate in any “withhold” or similar campaign with respect to the 2016 Annual Meeting, directly or indirectly. Privet shall not publicly or privately encourage or support any other stockholder to take any of the actions described in this Section 1(b)(ii), provided , however , that the foregoing shall not be deemed to limit the exercise by the New Nominees (or any Privet Replacement Directors) of their fiduciary duties and such exercise by such individuals shall not be a breach of this Agreement.

(iii) Privet agrees that it will (1) continue to have the right to vote all of the Shares held as of the date hereof through the 2016 Annual Meeting and (2) appear in person or by proxy at the 2016 Annual Meeting and vote all shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned by Privet at the meeting (x) in favor of the slate of directors recommended by the Board, (y) in favor of the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2016 and (z) in accordance with the Board’s recommendation with respect to the advisory vote on executive compensation.

(iv) Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Privet has delivered to the Company an irrevocable resignation letter pursuant to which the Privet Nominee shall resign from the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees thereof if at any time Privet’s aggregate beneficial ownership of Common Stock decreases to less than the Minimum Ownership Threshold or if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 5(b). In addition, prior to the appointment of any Privet Replacement Director to the Board pursuant to Section 1(a)(iv), Privet agrees to obtain from such Privet Replacement Director and deliver to the Company an irrevocable resignation letter pursuant to which the Privet Replacement Director shall resign from the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees thereof if at any time Privet’s aggregate beneficial ownership of Common Stock decreases to less than the Minimum Ownership Threshold or if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 5(b).

(v) Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Privet Nominee has submitted to the Company (x) a fully completed copy of the Company’s standard director & officer questionnaire and other reasonable and customary director onboarding documentation required by the Company of all current directors in connection with the appointment or election of new Board members, (y) the information required pursuant to Section 5 of Article III of the Company’s By-Laws (the “ By-Laws ”) and (z) a written acknowledgment that the Privet Nominee agrees to be bound by all current policies, codes and guidelines applicable to directors of the Company in existence and publicly available at





www.ir.hardinge.com/governance.cfm as of the date hereof. Any Privet Replacement Director will also promptly (but in any event prior to being placed on the Board in accordance with this Agreement) submit to the Company (a) a fully completed copy of the Company’s standard director & officer questionnaire and other reasonable and customary director onboarding documentation required by the Company of all current directors in connection with the appointment or election of new Board members, (b) the information required pursuant to Section 5 of Article III of the By-Laws and (c) a written acknowledgment that the Privet Replacement Director agrees to be bound by all current policies, codes and guidelines applicable to directors of the Company in existence and publicly available at www.ir.hardinge.com/governance.cfm as of the date of such director’s appointment to the Board .

(vi) Privet agrees that the Board or any committee or subcommittees thereof, in the exercise of its fiduciary duties, may recuse the Privet Nominee (or any Privet Replacement Director, if applicable) from the portion of any Board or committee or subcommittee meeting at which the Board or any such committee or subcommittee is evaluating and/or taking action with respect to (i) the ownership of Shares by Privet, (ii) the exercise of any of the Company’s rights or enforcement of any of the obligations under this Agreement, (iii) any action taken in response to actions taken or proposed by Privet or its Affiliates with respect to the Company or (iv) any transaction proposed by, or with, Privet or its Affiliates.

(vii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Privet’s obligations pursuant to Section 1 and Section 2 hereof are subject to the Company’s compliance with its obligations in Section 1(a) and Section 1(c) hereof. In the event that the Company fails to comply with its obligations in Section 1(a) and Section 1(c) hereof, Privet shall not be required to comply with Section 1(b) and Section 2 hereof.

(viii) Privet agrees that the Privet Nominee’s compensation as a non-employee director for 2015 will be pro-rated based on the date of the Privet Nominee’s commencement of services as a director.

(c) Strategic Alternatives Matters . Subject to applicable laws and regulations, if the Board establishes a special committee of the Board to oversee that certain strategic review process announced on August 24, 2015 (the “ Special Committee ”), the Board and all applicable committees and subcommittees of the Board shall take all actions necessary to ensure that during the Standstill Period, the members of the Special Committee include the Privet Nominee (or any Privet Replacement Director, if applicable). In addition, during the Standstill Period, any meeting of the Board regarding such strategic review process shall conclude with an executive session of the independent directors unless such session is waived by all of the independent directors.

2.     Standstill Provisions .

(a) Privet agrees that from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of (x) immediately following the certification of the voting results from the 2016 Annual Meeting and (y) the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms (the “ Standstill Period ”), neither it nor any of its Affiliates or Associates under its control or direction will, and it will cause each of its Affiliates and Associates under its control not to, directly or indirectly, in any manner:

(i) solicit, or knowingly encourage or in any way engage in any solicitation of, any proxies or consents or become a “participant” in a “solicitation” as such terms are defined in Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act of proxies or consents (including, without limitation, any solicitation of consents that seeks to call a special meeting of stockholders), in each case, with respect to securities of the Company;

(ii) advise, knowingly encourage, support or influence any person with respect to the voting or disposition of any securities of the Company at any annual or special meeting of stockholders, except in accordance with Section 1, or seek to do so;

(iii) deposit any Common Stock in any voting trust or subject any Common Stock to any arrangement or agreement with respect to the voting of any Common Stock, other than





any such voting trust, arrangement or agreement solely among the Affiliates or Associates of Privet and otherwise in accordance with this Agreement;

(iv) seek, alone or in concert with others, representation on the Board, except as specifically contemplated in Section 1;

(v) seek or knowingly encourage any person to submit nominations in furtherance of a “contested solicitation” or take other applicable action for the election or removal of directors with respect to the Company;

(vi) form or join in a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or other group, including, without limitation, a group as defined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, with respect to any Common Stock or take any other action that would divest Privet of the ability to vote or cause to be voted its shares of Common Stock in accordance with this Agreement;

(vii) act alone or in concert with others to control or seek to control the management or the Board (excluding actions (A) specifically contemplated in Section 1 and (B) taken by the Privet Nominee (or Privet Replacement Director, if applicable) in his or her capacity as a director of the Company);

(viii) with respect to the Company or the Common Stock, make any communication or announcement (other than in the ordinary course of its business on a confidential basis to their investors) stating how its shares of Common Stock will be voted, or the reasons therefor or otherwise communicate pursuant to Rule 14a-1(l)(2)(iv) under the Exchange Act;

(ix) enter into any arrangements, understanding or agreements (whether written or oral) with, or advise, finance, assist or knowingly encourage, any other person in connection with any of the foregoing, or make any investment in or enter into any arrangement with any other person that engages, or offers or proposes to engage, in any of the foregoing;

(x) make any public statement or public disclosure regarding any intent, purpose, plan or proposal with respect to the Board, the Company, its management, policies or affairs or any of its securities or assets (including with respect to any merger, acquisition, recapitalization, restructuring, disposition or other business combination involving the Company) or this Agreement, that is inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, including any intent, purpose, plan or proposal that is conditioned on, or would require waiver, amendment, nullification or invalidation of, any provision of this Agreement or take any action that could require the Company to make any public disclosure relating to any such intent, purpose, plan, proposal or condition;

(xi) purchase or cause to be purchased or otherwise acquire or agree to acquire beneficial ownership of any Common Stock or other securities issued by the Company, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, if, in any such case immediately after the taking of such action, Privet together with its Affiliates and Associates would, in the aggregate, beneficially own 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock;

(xii) otherwise take, or solicit, cause or knowingly encourage others to take, any action inconsistent with any of the foregoing; or

(xiii) take any action challenging the validity or enforceability of this Section 2 or this Agreement, or request the Company or Board to amend or waive any provision of this Section 2 (provided, that Privet may make confidential requests to the Board to amend or waive any provision of this Section 2, which the Board (excluding the New Nominees (and Privet Replacement Director, if applicable)) may accept or reject in its sole discretion, so long as any such request is not publicly disclosed by Privet and is made by Privet in a manner that does not require the public disclosure thereof by the Company, Privet or any other person).

(b) Except as expressly provided in Section 1 or Section 2(a), Privet shall be entitled to vote the Shares on any other proposal duly brought before the 2016 Annual Meeting or otherwise vote as Privet determines in its sole discretion.






3.     Representations and Warranties of the Company .
The Company represents and warrants to Privet that (a) the Company has the corporate power and authority to execute this Agreement and to bind it thereto, (b) this Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, constitutes a valid and binding obligation and agreement of the Company, and is enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws generally affecting the rights of creditors and subject to general equity principles and (c) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company does not and will not violate or conflict with (i) any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to the Company, or (ii) result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both could constitute such a breach, violation or default) under or pursuant to, or result in the loss of a material benefit under, or give any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any organizational document, agreement, contract, commitment, understanding or arrangement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

4. Representations and Warranties of Privet .
Privet represents and warrants to the Company that (a) the authorized signatory of Privet set forth on the signature page hereto has the power and authority to execute this Agreement and any other documents or agreements to be entered into in connection with this Agreement and to bind Privet thereto, (b) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Privet, and is a valid and binding obligation of Privet, enforceable against Privet in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws generally affecting the rights of creditors and subject to general equity principles, (c) the execution of this Agreement, the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the fulfillment of the terms hereof, in each case in accordance with the terms hereof, will not conflict with, or result in a breach or violation of the organizational documents of Privet as currently in effect, (d) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Privet does not and will not violate or conflict with (i) any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to Privet, or (ii) result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both could constitute such a breach, violation or default) under or pursuant to, or result in the loss of a material benefit under, or give any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any organizational document, agreement, contract, commitment, understanding or arrangement to which Privet is a party or by which it is bound, (e) as of the date of this Agreement, Privet is deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate 964,040 shares of Common Stock, (f) as of the date hereof, Privet does not currently have, and does not currently have any right to acquire or any interest in any other securities of the Company (or any rights, options or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable (whether or not convertible, exercisable or exchangeable immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of a specified event) for such securities or any obligations measured by the price or value of any securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates, including any swaps or other derivative arrangements designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond to the ownership of Common Stock, whether or not any of the foregoing would give rise to beneficial ownership (as determined under Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), and whether or not to be settled by delivery of Common Stock, payment of cash or by other consideration, and without regard to any short position under any such contract or arrangement), (g) any Additional Independent Nominee will be independent of Privet, (h) Privet has not, directly or indirectly, compensated or agreed to, and will not, compensate the New Nominees (or any Privet Replacement Director, as applicable) for his or her respective service as a nominee or director of the Company with any cash, securities (including any rights or options convertible into or exercisable for or exchangeable into securities or any profit sharing agreement or arrangement), or other form of compensation directly or indirectly related to the Company or its securities, other than any performance-based compensation tied to Privet’s investments, and (i) no person other than Privet has any rights with respect to the Shares.

5. Termination .
This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until the earliest of:
(a)     the certification of the voting results of the 2017 Annual Meeting;
(b)    the Company, the Board or Privet materially breaches an obligation under this Agreement, provided that the non-breaching party elects to terminate this Agreement and, if such breach is curable, such non-breaching party has provided written notice of such breach (which notice shall specify in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances surrounding such breach) and such breach has not been cured within a ten (10) day period; provided , that if this Agreement is terminated





pursuant to this Section 5(b) as a result of an uncured breach by Privet, the Privet Nominee (or the Privet Replacement Director, if applicable) agree to, and Privet agrees to cause the Privet Nominee (or the Privet Replacement Director, if applicable) to, promptly resign from the Board; or
(c)    such other date established by mutual written agreement of the Parties hereto.

6. Press Release .
Promptly following the execution of this Agreement, the Company and Privet shall jointly issue a mutually agreeable press release, in substantially the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “ Mutual Press Release ”), announcing certain terms of this Agreement. Prior to the issuance of the Mutual Press Release and subject to the terms of this Agreement, neither the Company (including the Board and any committee or subcommittee thereof) nor Privet shall issue any press release or public announcement regarding this Agreement or the matters contemplated hereby without the prior written consent of the other Party, other than a Form 8-K to be filed by the Company and an amendment to its Schedule 13D to be filed by Privet. During the Standstill Period, neither the Company nor Privet or the Privet Nominee shall make any public announcement or statement that is inconsistent with or contrary to the statements made in the Mutual Press Release, except as required by law or the rules of any stock exchange or with the prior written consent of the other Party, and otherwise in accordance with this Agreement.

7. Specific Performance .
Each of Privet, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, acknowledges and agrees that irreparable injury to the other Party hereto would occur in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and that such injury would not be adequately compensable by the remedies available at law (including the payment of money damages). It is accordingly agreed that Privet, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand (the “ Moving Party ”), shall each be entitled to specific enforcement of, and injunctive relief to prevent any violation of, the terms hereof, and the other Party hereto will not take action, directly or indirectly, in opposition to the Moving Party seeking such relief on the grounds that any other remedy or relief is available at law or in equity. This Section 7 is not the exclusive remedy for any violation of this Agreement.

8. Expenses .
The Company shall reimburse Privet for its reasonable, documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including legal expenses) incurred through the date of this Agreement in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement, provided , that such reimbursement shall not exceed $35,000 in the aggregate.

9. Severability .
If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Parties agree to use their commercially reasonable best efforts to agree upon and substitute a valid and enforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction for any of such that is held invalid, void or enforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction.






10. Notices .
Any notices, consents, determinations, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending Party); (iii) upon confirmation of receipt, when sent by email (provided such confirmation is not automatically generated); or (iv) one (1) business day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the Party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:
If to the Company: Hardinge Inc.
1 Hardinge Drive
Elmira, NY 14902
Attention: Richard Simons
Telephone: (607) 378-4107
Facsimile: (607) 734-2353
Email: Rick.Simons@hardinge.com
With copies (which shall not constitute notice) to: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
4 Times Square
New York, NY 10036
Attention: Richard J. Grossman
Telephone: (212) 735-2116
Facsimile: (917) 777-2116
Email: Richard.Grossman@skadden.com

If to Privet:
Privet Fund Management LLC
79 West Paces Ferry Rd
Suite 200B
Atlanta, GA 30305
Attention: Benjamin Rosenzweig
Telephone: (404) 419-2670
Facsimile: (678) 999-5908

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: Bryan Cave LLP
One Atlantic Center, 14th Floor
1201 W. Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
Attention: Rick Miller
Telephone: (404) 572-6787
Facsimile: (404) 420-0787
Email: Rick.Miller@bryancave.com

11. Applicable Law .
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without reference to the conflict of laws principles thereof. Each of the Parties hereto irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder brought by the other Party hereto or its successors or assigns, shall be brought and determined exclusively in the New York State Supreme Court and any state appellate court therefrom within the State of New York (or, if the New York State Supreme Court declines to accept jurisdiction over a particular matter, any federal court located in New York, New York). Each of the Parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement in any court other than the aforesaid courts. Each of the Parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement, (i) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts for any reason, (ii) any claim that it or its property is exempt or immune from





jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (iii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable legal requirements, any claim that (A) the suit, action or proceeding in such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (B) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (C) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.

12. Counterparts .
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Party (including by means of electronic delivery or facsimile).

13. Mutual Non-Disparagement .
Subject to applicable law, each of the Parties covenants and agrees that, during the Standstill Period or if earlier, until such time as the other Party or any of its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, assigns, officers, key employees or directors shall have breached this Section, neither it nor any of its respective agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, assigns, officers, key employees or directors, shall in any way publicly criticize, disparage, call into disrepute, or otherwise defame the other Parties or such other Parties’ subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, assigns, officers (including any current officer of a Party or a Parties’ subsidiaries who no longer serves in such capacity following the execution of this Agreement), directors (including any current director of a Party or a Parties’ subsidiaries who no longer serves in such capacity following the execution of this Agreement), employees, stockholders, agents, attorneys or representatives, or any of their businesses, products or services, in any manner that would reasonably be expected to damage the business or reputation of such other Parties, their businesses, products or services or their subsidiaries, affiliates, successors, assigns, officers (or former officers), directors (or former directors), employees, stockholders, agents, attorneys or representatives. This Section shall not limit the power of any director of the Company to act in accordance with applicable law; provided , however , that the Company shall be responsible for any such action by a director other than the Privet Nominee (and any Privet Replacement Director, if applicable) that would otherwise be in violation of this Section 13; and provided , further , that Privet shall be responsible for any such action by the Privet Nominee (and any Privet Replacement Director, if applicable) that would otherwise be in violation of this Section 13.

14. Confidentiality .
The Company hereby agrees that: (i) Benjamin Rosenzweig, if he wishes to do so, is permitted to and may provide confidential information to Privet and its controlled Affiliates provided that prior to providing any such confidential information, Benjamin Rosenzweig and the appropriate Privet entities execute a confidentiality agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Annex B (the “ Confidentiality Agreement ”), and (ii) the Company will execute and deliver the Confidentiality Agreement to Privet substantially contemporaneously with execution and delivery thereof by the other signatories thereto.

15. Entire Agreement; Amendment and Waiver; Successors and Assigns; Third Party Beneficiaries .
This Agreement (and the Annexes) contains the entire understanding of the Parties hereto with respect to its subject matter. There are no restrictions, agreements, promises, representations, warranties, covenants or undertakings between the Parties other than those expressly set forth herein. No modifications of this Agreement can be made except in writing signed by an authorized representative of each the Company and Privet. No failure on the part of any Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of such right, power or remedy by such Party preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. All remedies hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs, executors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns. No Party shall assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without, with respect to Privet, the prior written consent of the Company, and with respect to the Company, the prior written consent of Privet. This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties hereto and is not enforceable by any other persons.
[The remainder of this page intentionally left blank]





IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the duly authorized signatories of the Parties as of the date hereof.

HARDINGE INC.
By:    __________________            
Name:
Title:
















































[Signature Page to Agreement]






PRIVET FUND LP
By: Privet Fund Management LLC, its Managing Partner
By: __________________                
Name: Ryan Levenson
Title: Sole Manager

PRIVET FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
By: __________________                
Name: Ryan Levenson
Title: Sole Manager









































[Signature Page to Agreement]


EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS
RELEASE

Hardinge Inc. One Hardinge Drive , Elmira, N.Y. 14902

For more information contact:
 
 
 
Company:
Investor Relations:
Douglas J. Malone
Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (607) 378-4140
Deborah K. Pawlowski, Kei Advisors LLC
Phone: (716) 843-3908
Email: dpawlowski@keiadvisors.com
Hardinge and Privet Reach Agreement on Board Composition

ELMIRA, N.Y., October 15, 2015-Hardinge Inc. (NASDAQ: HDNG), a leading international provider of advanced metal-cutting solutions and accessories, today announced that its Board of Directors has reached an agreement with Privet Fund LP (together with its affiliates, “Privet”), one of its largest shareholders, in advance of the Company’s 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.

Under the terms of the agreement, Privet has agreed to vote all of its shares at the 2016 annual meeting in favor of the director nominees of the Board. The agreement also calls for the immediate appointment of Benjamin Rosenzweig as a new director to the Board of Directors, who will be the only nominee affiliated with Privet, and the later appointment of a second, independent director to be mutually selected by the Company and Privet. Upon election, Mr. Rosenzweig will be a Class III director with a term expiring at the 2018 annual meeting and the mutually selected independent director will become a member of the class of directors with terms expiring at the 2017 annual meeting. In addition, Privet has agreed to customary standstill restrictions through the 2016 annual meeting.

“This agreement represents a positive outcome for the Company. We look forward to working with the new directors toward our common goal of enhancing shareholder value through the successful completion of our strategic review process,” said Mr. John Perrotti, the Chairman of the Board.

Benjamin Rosenzweig, on behalf of Privet, stated: “We are pleased the Company is undertaking a strategic review process and we hope to be instrumental in bringing the process to a successful conclusion. We look forward to working constructively with the incumbent Board members to enhance shareholder value.”

The agreement will be filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

Ben Rosenzweig is a Partner at Privet Fund Management LLC.  Prior to joining Privet in September 2008, Mr. Rosenzweig served as an investment banking analyst in the Corporate Finance group of Alvarez and Marsal, where he completed multiple distressed mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, capital formation transactions and similar financial advisory engagements across several industries. He has considerable financial expertise, including extensive involvement with capital market transactions and turnaround situations. Mr. Rosenzweig graduated magna cum laude from Emory University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and a second major in Economics.





Mr. Rosenzweig is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Startek, Inc. (NYSE: SRT), where he chairs the Audit Committee and sits on the Nominating and Compensation Committees, and PFSweb, Inc. (NASDAQ: PFSW), where he sits on the Nominating Committee.  Mr. Rosenzweig formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors of RELM Wireless Corporation (NYSE MKT: RWC), where he sat on the Compensation and Nominating Committees.

About Hardinge

Hardinge is a leading global designer and manufacturer of high precision, computer-controlled machine tool solutions developed for critical, hard-to-machine metal parts and of technologically advanced workholding accessories.  The Company’s strategy is to leverage its global brand strength to further penetrate global market opportunities where customers will benefit from the technologically advanced, high quality, reliable products Hardinge produces.  With approximately two-thirds of its sales outside of North America, Hardinge serves the worldwide metal working market Hardinge’s machine tool and accessory solutions can also be found in a broad base of industries to include aerospace, agricultural, automotive, construction, consumer products, defense, energy, medical, technology and transportation.

Hardinge applies its engineering design and manufacturing expertise in high performance machining centers, high-end cylindrical and jig grinding machines, SUPER-PRECISION® and precision CNC lathes and technologically advanced workholding accessories.  Hardinge has manufacturing operations in China, France, Germany, India, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Company regularly posts information on its website: http://www.hardinge.com .

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). Such statements are based on management’s current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact or that are about future events may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. For example, words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “strategy,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this release may relate to, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s future prospects and the Board’s review of potential strategic alternatives, the timing of such review, and the possible outcomes of such review. The Company’s actual results or outcomes and the timing of certain events may differ significantly from those discussed in any forward-looking statements, including as a result of the uncertainty associated with being able to identify and close any strategic transaction, the impact of the announcement of the Board’s review of strategic alternatives (including with respect to the Company’s business, its financial and operating results and its employees, suppliers and customers), as well as any strategic transaction that is pursued. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.