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): June 16, 2016

NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.
 
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 

 
 
 
 
Colorado
 
1-31398
 
75-2811855
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

508 West Wall Street, Suite 550
Midland, TX 79701
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (432) 262-2700
 
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code) N/A
 
(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 ( see General Instruction A.2. below):
         
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-14(c)).
 
 
 







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

On June 16, 2016, the shareholders of Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (the "Company") approved the amendment and restatement to the 1998 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") to extend the Plan's expiration date and increase the number of shares authorized to be issued under the Plan by 250,000 shares. The Plan, as amended and restated, is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

On June 16, 2016, we held our Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) at which the following five proposals were presented to our shareholders for consideration: (1) the election of one Director to serve until the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held in 2019, or until his successor is elected and qualified, (2) an advisory vote on the compensation of our named executive officers (“Say-on-Pay Vote”), (3) to approve a proposal to amend and restate the Company's 1998 Stock Option Plan to extend the plan's expiration date and increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the Plan by 250,000 shares, (4) a proposal to ratify the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2016; and (5) to consider an amendment to the Company's Bylaws to implement a majority voting standard in uncontested election of Directors. These proposals were described in detail in our definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, 2016.

(1) Election of Director: The nominee for election to the Board of Directors set forth below was elected by the shareholders by the following vote:




Director Nominee
 



For
 

Against and Authority
Withheld
 


Abstentions
 


Broker
Non-Votes
John W. Chisholm
 
10,118,970
 
22,433
 
619,213
 
1,414,423

(2) Advisory Vote on the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers: The compensation of our named executive officers was approved by the shareholders by the following vote:

For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
6,991,706
 
3,550,529
 
218,381
 
1,414,423

(3)    Amendment and Restatement of the 1998 Stock Option Plan: The proposal to amend and restate the Company's 1998 Stock Option Plan to extend the Plan and increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the Plan by 250,000 was approved by the shareholders by the following vote:

For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
10,045,776
 
708,567
 
6,273
 
1,414,423








(4) Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm: The proposal to ratify the appointment of BDO USA, LLP for 2016 as our independent registered public accounting firm was approved by the shareholders by the following vote:

For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
11,669,102
 
33,060
 
472,877
 
1,414,423


(5) To consider an amendment to the Company's Bylaws to implement a majority voting standard in uncontested election of Directors: The proposal to amend the Company's Bylaws to implement a majority voting standard in uncontested election of Directors was approved by the shareholders by the following vote:

For
 
Against
 
Abstain
 
Broker Non-Votes
10,608,819
 
136,874
 
14,923
 
1,414,423


The Bylaws, as amended, is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.
Description
3.1
Bylaws, as amended on June 16, 2016
10.1
1998 Stock Option Plan, as amended and restated










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.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.
 
 
 
 
 
Dated: June 21, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
By:
 
/s/ Stephen C. Taylor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stephen C. Taylor
 
 
 
 
President & Chief Executive Officer







BYLAWS
OF
NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.
(As amended on April 27, 2016)
ARTICLE I
Offices
     The principal office of the corporation shall be designated from time to time by the corporation and may be within or outside of Colorado.
     The corporation may have such other offices, either within or outside Colorado, as the board of directors may designate or as the business of the corporation may require from time to time.
     The registered office of the corporation required by the Colorado Business Corporation Act to be maintained in Colorado may be, but need not be, identical with the principal office, and the address of the registered office may be changed from time to time by the board of directors.
ARTICLE II
Shareholders
      Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders shall be held each year on a date and at a time fixed by the board of directors of the corporation (or by the chairman of the board or the president in the absence of action by the board of directors), for the purpose of electing directors and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting. If the election of directors is not held on the day fixed as provided herein for any annual meeting of the shareholders, or any adjournment thereof, the board of directors shall cause the election to be held at a special meeting of the shareholders as soon thereafter as it may conveniently be held. If a shareholder intends to bring up items of business or nominate directors at any annual meeting, written notice of such intent must be received at the corporation’s principal executive offices not less than the number of days that is required from time to time under federal securities laws with respect to companies registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
     A shareholder may apply to the district court in the county in Colorado where the corporation’s principal office is located or, if the corporation has no principal office in Colorado, to the district court of the county in which the corporation’s registered office is located to seek an order that a shareholder meeting be held (i) if an annual meeting was not held within six months after the close of the corporation’s most recently ended fiscal year or fifteen months after its last annual meeting, whichever is earlier, or (ii) if the shareholder participated in a proper call of or proper demand for a special meeting and notice of the special meeting was not given within thirty days after the date of the call or the date the last of the demands necessary to require calling of the meeting was received by the corporation, or the special meeting was not held in accordance with the notice.
      Section 2. Special Meetings. Unless otherwise prescribed by statute, special meetings of the shareholders may be called for any purpose by the chairman of the board, by the president, by the secretary, by any one director or by the board of directors of the corporation. The president shall call a special meeting of the shareholders if the corporation receives one or more written demands for the meeting, stating the purpose or purposes for which it is to be held, signed and dated by holders of shares representing at least ten percent of all the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at the meeting.
      Section 3. Place of Meeting. The board of directors may designate any place, either within or outside Colorado, as the place for any annual meeting or any special meeting called by the board of directors. A waiver of notice signed by all shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting may designate any place, either within or outside Colorado, as the place for such meeting. If no designation is made, or if a special meeting is called other than by the board of directors, the place of meeting shall be the principal office of the corporation.





      Section 4. Notice of Meeting. Written notice stating the place, date, and time of the meeting shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting, except that (i) if the number of authorized shares is to be increased, at least thirty days' notice shall be given, or (ii) any other longer notice period shall be given if required by the Colorado Business Corporation Act. Notice of a special meeting shall include a description of the purpose or purposes of the meeting and the business conducted at a special meeting shall be limited to such purpose or purposes. Notice of an annual meeting need not include a description of the purpose or purposes of the meeting except the purpose or purposes shall be stated with respect to (i) an amendment to the articles of incorporation of the corporation, (ii) a merger or share exchange in which the corporation is a party and, with respect to a share exchange, in which the corporation’s shares will be acquired, (iii) a sale, lease, exchange or other disposition, other than in the usual and regular course of business, of all or substantially all of the property of the corporation or of another entity which this corporation controls, in each case with or without the goodwill, (iv) a dissolution of the corporation, or (v) any other purpose for which a statement of purpose is required by the Colorado Business Corporation Act. Notice shall be given personally or by mail, private carrier, telegraph, teletype, electronically transmitted facsimile or other form of wire or wireless communication by or at the direction of the chief executive officer, the president, the secretary, or the officer or persons calling the meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed and if in a comprehensible form, such notice shall be deemed to be given and effective when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the shareholder at his address as it appears in the corporation’s current record of shareholders, with postage prepaid. If notice is given other than by mail, and provided that such notice is in a comprehensible form, the notice is given and effective on the date received by the shareholder.
     If requested by the person or persons lawfully calling such meeting, the secretary shall give notice thereof at corporate expense. No notice need be sent to any shareholder if three successive notices mailed to the last known address of such shareholder have been returned as undeliverable until such time as another address for such shareholder is made known to the corporation by such shareholder. In order to be entitled to receive notice of any meeting, a shareholder shall advise the corporation in writing of any change in such shareholder’s mailing address as shown on the corporation’s books and records.
     When a meeting is adjourned to another date, time or place, notice need not be given of the new date, time or place if the new date, time or place of such meeting is announced before adjournment at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the corporation may transact any business which may have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 120 days, or if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a new notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting as of the new record date.
     A shareholder may waive notice of a meeting before or after the time and date of the meeting by a writing signed by such shareholder. Such waiver shall be delivered to the corporation for filing with the corporate records. Further, by attending a meeting either in person or by proxy, a shareholder waives objection to lack of notice or defective notice of the meeting unless the shareholder objects at the beginning of the meeting to the holding of the meeting or the transaction of business at the meeting because of lack of notice or defective notice. By attending the meeting, the shareholder also waives any objection to consideration at the meeting of a particular matter not within the purpose or purposes described in the meeting notice unless the shareholder objects to considering the matter when it is presented.
      Section 5. Fixing of Record Date. For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to (i) notice of or vote at any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment thereof, (ii) receive distributions or share dividends, or (iii) demand a special meeting, or to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose, the board of directors may fix a future date as the record date for any such determination of shareholders, such date in any case to be not more than seventy days, and, in case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days, prior to the date on which the particular action requiring such determination of shareholders is to be taken. If no record date is fixed by the board of directors, the record date shall be the date on which notice of the meeting is mailed to shareholders, or the date on which the resolution of the board of directors providing for a distribution is adopted, as the case may be. When a determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders is made as provided in this Section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof unless the board of directors fixes a new record date, which it must do if the meeting is adjourned to a date more than 120 days after the date fixed for the original meeting.
     Notwithstanding the above, the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to take action without a meeting or entitled to be given notice of action so taken shall be the date the corporation first receives a writing upon which





the action is taken. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to demand a special meeting shall be the date of the earliest of any of the demands pursuant to which the meeting is called.
 
      Section 6. Voting Lists. The secretary shall make, at the earlier of ten days before each meeting of shareholders or two business days after notice of the meeting has been given, a complete list of the shareholders entitled to be given notice of such meeting or any adjournment thereof. The list shall be arranged by voting groups and within each voting group by class or series of shares, shall be in alphabetical order within each class or series, and shall show the address of and the number of shares of each class or series held by each shareholder. For the period beginning the earlier of ten days prior to the meeting or two business days after notice of the meeting is given and continuing through the meeting and any adjournment thereof, this list shall be kept on file at the principal office of the corporation, or at a place (which shall be identified in the notice) in the city where the meeting will be held. Such list shall be available for inspection on written demand by any shareholder (including for the purpose of this Section 6 any holder of voting trust certificates) or his agent or attorney during regular business hours and during the period available for inspection. The original stock transfer books shall be prima facie evidence as to the shareholders entitled to examine such list or to vote at any meeting of shareholders.
     Any shareholder, his agent or attorney may copy the list during regular business hours and during the period it is available for inspection, provided (i) the shareholder has been a shareholder for at least three months immediately preceding the demand or holds at least five percent of all outstanding shares of any class of shares as of the date of the demand, (ii) the demand is made in good faith and for a purpose reasonably related to the demanding shareholder’s interest as a shareholder, (iii) the shareholder describes with reasonable particularity the purpose and the records the shareholder desires to inspect, (iv) the records are directly connected with the described purpose, and (v) the shareholder pays a reasonable charge covering the costs of labor and material for such copies, not to exceed the estimated cost of production and reproduction.
      Section 7. Recognition Procedure for Beneficial Owners. The board of directors may adopt by resolution a procedure whereby a shareholder of the corporation may certify in writing to the corporation that all or a portion of the shares registered in the name of such shareholder are held for the account of a specified person or persons. The resolution may set forth (i) the types of nominees to which it applies, (ii) the rights or privileges that the corporation will recognize in a beneficial owner, which may include rights and privileges other than voting, (iii) the form of certification and the information to be contained therein, (iv) if the certification is with respect to a record date, the time within which the certification must be received by the corporation, (v) the period for which the nominee’s use of the procedure is effective, and (vi) such other provisions with respect to the procedure as the board of directors deems necessary or desirable. Upon receipt by the corporation of a certificate complying with the procedure established by the board of directors, the persons specified in the certification shall be deemed, for the purpose or purposes set forth in the certification, to be the registered holders of the number of shares specified in place of the shareholder making the certification.
      Section 8. Quorum and Manner of Acting. A majority of the votes entitled to be cast on a matter by a voting group shall constitute a quorum of that voting group for action on the matter. If less than a majority of such votes are represented at a meeting, a majority of the votes so represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, for a period not to exceed 120 days for any one adjournment. If a quorum is present at such adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. The shareholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum, unless the meeting is adjourned and a new record date is set for the adjourned meeting.
     If a quorum exists, except as required by law or except as provided in the Articles of Incorporation, except as provided in Section 2 of Article III and except as provided in Section 3 of Article VIII, action on a matter other than the election of directors by a voting group is approved if the votes cast within the voting group favoring the action exceed the votes cast within the voting group opposing the action.
      Section 9. Proxies. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by proxy by signing an appointment form or similar writing, either personally or by his duly authorized attorney-in-fact. A shareholder may also appoint a proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, teletype, or other electronic transmission providing





a written statement of the appointment to the proxy, a proxy solicitor, proxy support service organization, or other person duly authorized by the proxy to receive appointments as agent for the proxy, or to the corporation. The transmitted appointment shall set forth or be transmitted with written evidence from which it can be determined that the shareholder transmitted or authorized the transmission of the appointment. The proxy appointment form or similar writing shall be filed with the secretary of the corporation before or at the time of the meeting. The appointment of a proxy is effective when received by the corporation and is valid for eleven months unless a different period is expressly provided in the appointment form or similar writing.
     Any complete copy, including an electronically transmitted facsimile, of an appointment of a proxy may be substituted for or used in lieu of the original appointment for any purpose for which the original appointment could be used.
     Revocation of a proxy does not affect the right of the corporation to accept the proxy’s authority unless (i) the corporation had notice that the appointment was coupled with an interest and notice that such interest is extinguished is received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his authority under the appointment, or (ii) other notice of the revocation of the appointment is received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his authority under the appointment. Other notice of revocation may, in the discretion of the corporation, be deemed to include the appearance at a shareholders’ meeting of the shareholder who granted the proxy and his voting in person on any matter subject to a vote at such meeting.
     The death or incapacity of the shareholder appointing a proxy does not affect the right of the corporation to accept the proxy’s authority unless notice of the death or incapacity is received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his authority under the appointment.
     The corporation shall not be required to recognize an appointment made irrevocable if it has received a writing revoking the appointment signed by the shareholder (including a shareholder who is a successor to the shareholder who granted the proxy) either personally or by his attorney-in-fact, notwithstanding that the revocation may be a breach of an obligation of the shareholder to another person not to revoke the appointment.
     Subject to Section 11 of Article II and any express limitation on the proxy’s authority appearing on the appointment form, the corporation is entitled to accept the proxy’s vote or other action as that of the shareholder making the appointment.
      Section 10. Voting of Shares. Each outstanding share, regardless of class shall be entitled to one vote, except in the election of directors, and each fractional share shall be entitled to a corresponding fractional vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders, except to the extent that the voting rights of the shares of any class or classes are limited or denied by the articles of incorporation as permitted by the Colorado Business Corporation Act. Cumulative voting shall not be permitted in the election of directors or for any other purpose.
Each record holder of stock shall be entitled to vote in the election of directors and shall have as many votes for each of the shares owned by him as there are directors to be elected and for whose election he has the right to vote. Except as provided in Section 4 of Article III, each director shall be elected by the vote of the majority of the votes cast with respect to the director at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present; provided that if the number of director nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the shares represented in person or by proxy at any such meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. For purposes of this section, a majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director must exceed the number of votes cast “against” with respect to that director (with abstentions and broker non-votes not counted as either a vote "for" or "against" the nominee's election. In the event a director fails to receive an affirmative majority of the votes cast in an election where the number of nominees is less than or equal to the number of directors to be elected, the Board of Directors, within its powers, may decrease the number of directors, fill the vacancy, or take other appropriate action.
     Except as otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction upon a finding that the purpose of this Section would not be violated in the circumstances presented to the court, the shares of the corporation are not entitled to be voted if they are owned, directly or indirectly, by a second corporation, domestic or foreign, and the first corporation





owns, directly or indirectly, a majority of the shares entitled to vote for directors of the second corporation except to the extent the second corporation holds the shares in a fiduciary capacity.
     Redeemable shares are not entitled to be voted after notice of redemption is mailed to the holders and a sum sufficient to redeem the shares has been deposited with a bank, trust company or other financial institution under an irrevocable obligation to pay the holders the redemption price on surrender of the shares.
      Section 11. Corporation’s Acceptance of Votes. If the name signed on a vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment, or proxy appointment revocation corresponds to the name of a shareholder, the corporation, if acting in good faith, is entitled to accept the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation and give it effect as the act of the shareholder. If the name signed on a vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation does not correspond to the name of a shareholder, the corporation, if acting in good faith, is nevertheless entitled to accept the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation and to give it effect as the act of the shareholder if:
     (i) the shareholder is an entity and the name signed purports to be that of an officer or agent of the entity;  
     (ii) the name signed purports to be that of an administrator, executor, guardian or conservator representing the shareholder and, if the corporation requests, evidence of fiduciary status acceptable to the corporation has been presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation;
     (iii) the name signed purports to be that of a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy of the shareholder and, if the corporation requests, evidence of this status acceptable to the corporation has been presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation;
     (iv) the name signed purports to be that of a pledgee, beneficial owner or attorney-in-fact of the shareholder and, if the corporation requests, evidence acceptable to the corporation of the signatory’s authority to sign for the shareholder has been presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation;
     (v) two or more persons are the shareholder as co-tenants or fiduciaries and the name signed purports to be the name of at least one of the co-tenants or fiduciaries, and the person signing appears to be acting on behalf of all the co-tenants or fiduciaries; or
     (vi) the acceptance of the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation is otherwise proper under rules established by the corporation that are not inconsistent with this Section 11.
     The corporation is entitled to reject a vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation if the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes, acting in good faith, has reasonable basis for doubt about the validity of the signature on it or about the signatory’s authority to sign for the shareholder.
     Neither the corporation nor its officers nor any agent who accepts or rejects a vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation in good faith and in accordance with the standards of this Section is liable in damages for the consequences of the acceptance or rejection.
      Section 12. Meetings by Telecommunication. Any or all of the shareholders may participate in an annual or special shareholders’ meeting by, or the meeting may be conducted through the use of, any means of communication by which all persons participating in the meeting may hear each other during the meeting. A shareholder participating in a meeting by this means is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.
ARTICLE III
Board of Directors
      Section 1. General Powers. All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed under, the direction of its board of directors, except as otherwise provided in the Colorado Business Corporation Act or the articles of incorporation.
      Section 2. Number, Qualifications and Tenure. The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed or be under the direction of the Board of Directors; and, subject to any restrictions imposed by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may exercise all the powers of the corporation. The Board





of Directors shall consist of three (3) members, unless otherwise determined from time to time by resolution adopted by at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by each voting group entitled to vote thereon, or by unanimous consent of the Board of Directors. No decrease shall affect the shortening of the term of any incumbent director. Directors need not be residents of Colorado or shareholders of the corporation absent provision to the contrary in the Articles of Incorporation or laws of the State of Colorado.
      Section 3. Removal of Directors. Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office, at any time, but only for cause, at any special meeting of shareholders by the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by each voting group entitled to vote thereon at such meeting, if notice of the intention to act upon such matter shall have been given in the notice calling such meeting. If the notice calling such meeting shall have so provided, the vacancy caused by such removal may be filled at such meeting by the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the shares of the votes entitled to be cast by each voting group entitled to vote thereon.
      Section 4. Vacancies. Any director may resign at any time by giving written notice to the corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time the notice is received by the corporation unless the notice specifies a later effective date. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the corporation’s acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders or the board of directors. If the directors remaining in office constitute fewer than a quorum of the board of directors, the directors may fill the vacancy by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the directors remaining in office. If elected by the directors, the director shall hold office until the next annual shareholders’ meeting at which directors are elected. If elected by the shareholders, the director shall hold office for the unexpired term of his predecessor in office; except that, if the directors’ predecessor was elected by the directors to fill a vacancy, the director elected by the shareholders shall hold office for the unexpired term of the last predecessor elected by the shareholders.
      Section 5. Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the board of directors shall be held without notice immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of shareholders. The board of directors may provide by resolution the time and place, either within or outside Colorado, for the holding of additional regular meetings without other notice.
      Section 6. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board, the president or any two directors. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the board of directors may fix any place, either within or outside Colorado, as the place for holding any special meeting of the board of directors called by them.
      Section 7. Notice. Notice of any special meeting shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting by written notice either personally delivered or mailed to each director at his business address, or by notice transmitted by telegraph, telex, electronically transmitted facsimile or other form of wire or wireless communication. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given and to be effective on the earlier of (i) three days after such notice is deposited in the United States mail, properly addressed, with postage prepaid, or (ii) the date shown on the return receipt, if mailed by registered or certified mail return receipt requested. If notice is given by telex, electronically transmitted facsimile or other similar form of wire or wireless communication, such notice shall be deemed to be given and to be effective when sent and with respect to a telegram, such notice shall be deemed to be given and to be effective when the telegram is delivered to the telegraph company. If a director has designated in writing one or more reasonable addresses or facsimile numbers for delivery of notice to him, notice sent by mail, telegraph, telex, electronically transmitted facsimile or other form of wire or wireless communication shall not be deemed to have been given or to be effective unless sent to such addresses or facsimile numbers, as the case may be.
     A director may waive notice of a meeting before or after the time and date of the meeting by a writing signed by such director. Such waiver shall be delivered to the corporation for filing with the corporate records. Further, a director’s attendance at or participation in a meeting waives any required notice to him of the meeting unless at the beginning of the meeting, or promptly upon his later arrival, the director objects to holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting because of lack of notice or defective notice and does not thereafter vote for or assent to action taken at the meeting. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the board of directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.





      Section 8. Quorum. A majority of the number of directors fixed pursuant to Section 2 of this Article III shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the board of directors.
     If less than such majority is present at a meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, for a period not to exceed sixty days at any one adjournment.
      Section 9. Manner of Acting. Unless otherwise specified herein, the act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors.
      Section l0. Compensation. By resolution of the board of directors, any director may be paid any one or more of the following: his expenses, if any, of attendance at meetings, a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting, a stated salary as director, or such other compensation as the board of directors and the director may reasonably agree upon. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
      Section 11. Presumption of Assent. A director of the corporation who is present at a meeting of the board of directors or committee of the board of directors at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless (i) the director objects at the beginning of the meeting, or promptly upon his later arrival, to the holding of the meeting or the transaction of business at the meeting and does not thereafter vote for or assent to any action taken at the meeting, (ii) the director contemporaneously requests that his dissent or abstention as to any specific action taken be entered in the minutes of the meeting, or (iii) the director causes written notice of his dissent or abstention as to any specific action to be received by the presiding officer of the meeting before its adjournment or by the corporation promptly after the adjournment of the meeting. A director may dissent to a specific action at a meeting, while assenting to others. The right to dissent to a specific action taken at a meeting of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors shall not be available to a director who voted in favor of such action.
      Section 12. Committees. By resolution adopted by a majority of all the directors in office when the action is taken, the board of directors may designate from among its members an executive committee and one or more other committees, and appoint one or more members of the board of directors to serve on them. To the extent provided in the resolution, each committee shall have all the - authority of the board of directors, except that no such committee shall have the authority to (i) authorize distributions, (ii) approve or propose to shareholders actions or proposals required by the Colorado Business Corporation Act to be approved by shareholders, (iii) fill vacancies on the board of directors or any committee thereof, (iv) amend articles of incorporation, (v) adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws, (vi) approve a plan of merger not requiring shareholder approval, (vii) authorize or approve the reacquisition of shares unless pursuant to a formula or method prescribed by the board of directors, or (viii) authorize or approve the issuance or sale of shares, or contract for the sale of shares or determine the designations and relative rights, preferences and limitations of a class or series of shares, except that the board of directors may authorize a committee or officer to do so within limits specifically prescribed by the board of directors. The committee shall then have full power within the limits set by the board of directors to adopt any final resolution setting forth all preferences, limitations and relative rights of such class or series and to authorize an amendment of the articles of incorporation stating the preferences, limitations and relative rights of a class or series for filing with the Secretary of State under the Colorado Business Corporation Act.
     Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 of Article III, which govern meetings, notice, waiver of notice, quorum, voting requirements and action without a meeting of the board of directors, shall apply to committees and their members appointed under this Section 12.
     Neither the designation of any such committee, the delegation of authority to such committee, nor any action by such committee pursuant to its authority shall alone constitute compliance by any member of the board of directors or a member of the committee in question with his responsibility to conform to the standard of care set forth in Article III Section 15 of these bylaws.  
      Section 13. Informal Action by Directors. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the directors or any committee designated by the board of directors may be taken without a meeting if a written consent (or counterparts thereof) that sets forth the action so taken is signed by all of the directors or committee members entitled to vote with respect to the action taken. Such consent shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the directors or committee members and may be stated as such in any document. Unless the consent specifies a different





effective date, action taken under this Section 13 is effective at the time the last director signs a writing describing the action taken, unless, before such time, any director has revoked his consent by a writing signed by the director and received by the president or the secretary of the corporation.
      Section 14. Telephonic Meetings. The board of directors may permit any director (or any member of a committee designated by the board of directors) to participate in a regular or special meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof through the use of any means of communication by which all directors participating in the meeting can hear each other during the meeting. A director participating in a meeting in this manner is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.
      Section 15. Standard of Care. A director shall perform his duties as a director, including without limitation his duties as a member of any committee of the board of directors, in good faith, in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation, and with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances. In performing his duties, a director shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by the persons herein designated. However, he shall not be considered to be acting in good faith if he has knowledge concerning the matter in question that would cause such reliance to be unwarranted. A director shall not be liable to the corporation or its shareholders for any action he takes or omits to take as a director if, in connection with such action or omission, he performs his duties in compliance with this Section 15.
     The designated persons on whom a director is entitled to rely are (i) one or more officers or employees of the corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, (ii) legal counsel, public accountant, or other person as to matters which the director reasonably believes to be within such person’s professional or expert competence, or (iii) a committee of the board of directors on which the director does not serve if the director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.
ARTICLE IV
Officers and Agents
      Section 1. General. The officers of the corporation shall be a chief executive officer, a president, a secretary and a treasurer, each of whom shall be a natural person eighteen years of age or older. The board of directors or an officer or officers authorized by the board of directors may appoint such other officers, assistant officers, committees and agents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, as they may consider necessary. The board of directors or the officer or officers authorized by the board of directors shall from time to time determine the procedure for the appointment of officers, their term of office, their authority and duties and their compensation. One person may hold more than one office. In all cases where the duties of any officer, agent or employee are not prescribed by the bylaws or by the board of directors, such officer, agent or employee shall follow the orders and instructions of the president of the corporation.
      Section 2. Appointment and Term of Office. The officers of the corporation shall be appointed by the board of directors at each annual meeting of the board of directors held after each annual meeting of the shareholders. If the appointment of officers is not made at such meeting or if an officer or officers are to be appointed by another officer or officers of the corporation, such appointments shall be made as soon thereafter as conveniently possible. Each officer shall hold office until the first of the following occurs: his successor shall have been duly appointed and qualified, his death, his resignation, or his removal in the manner provided in Article IV, Section 3.
      Section 3. Resignation and Removal. An officer may resign at any time by giving written notice of resignation to the corporation. The resignation is effective when the notice is received by the corporation unless the notice specifies a later effective date.
     Any officer or agent may be removed at any time with or without cause by the board of directors or an officer or officers authorized by the board of directors or by the shareholders. Such removal does not affect the contract rights, if any, of the corporation or of the person so removed. The appointment of an officer or agent shall not in itself create contract rights.





      Section 4. Vacancies. A vacancy in any office, however occurring, may be filled by the board of directors, or by the officer or officers authorized by the board of directors, for the unexpired portion of the officer’s term. If an officer resigns and his resignation is made effective at a later date, the board of directors, or officer or officers authorized by the board of directors, may permit the officer to remain in office until the effective date and may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the board of directors or officer or officers authorized by the board of directors provide that the successor shall not take office until the effective date. In the alternative, the board of directors, or officer or officers authorized by the board of directors, may remove the officer at any time before the effective date and may fill the resulting vacancy.
      Section 5. Chairman of the Board. The chairman of the board of directors, if appointed and if available, or if not appointed or not available, the chief executive officer, or if not appointed or not available, the president, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the board of directors.
      Section 6. Chief Executive Officer. The chief executive officer shall be subject to the control of the board of directors, and shall in general supervise and control all business and affairs of the corporation. The chief executive officer may sign, with the secretary or any other proper officer of the corporation thereunto authorized by the board of directors, certificates for shares of the corporation, deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, and other obligations in the name of the corporation, which the board of directors has authorized to be executed, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the board of directors or by these bylaws to some other officer or agent of the corporation, or shall be required by law to be otherwise signed and executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the board of directors from time to time.
      Section 7. President. The president shall assist the chairman of the board and the chief executive officer and shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or by the board of directors.
      Section 8. Chief Operating Officer. The chief operating officer, if appointed, shall be in charge of the actual day-to-day operations of the business of the corporation.
      Section 9. Vice Presidents. If appointed, the vice presidents shall assist the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer and the president and shall perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer and the president or by the board of directors. In the absence of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer and the president, the vice president, if any (or, if more than one, the vice presidents in the order designated by the board of directors, or if the board of directors makes no such designation, then the vice president designated by the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or by the president, or if neither the board of directors, the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer nor the president makes any such designation, the senior vice president as determined by first election to that office), shall have the powers and perform the duties of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer and the president.
      Section 10. Secretary. The secretary shall (i) prepare and maintain as permanent records the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders and the board of directors, a record of all actions taken by the shareholders or board of directors without a meeting, a record of all actions taken by a committee of the board of directors in place of the board of directors on behalf of the corporation, and a record of all waivers of notice of meetings of shareholders and of the board of directors or any committee thereof, (ii) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws and as required by law, (iii) serve as custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the corporation and affix (the seal to all documents when authorized by the board of directors, (iv) keep at the corporation’s registered office or principal place of business a record containing the names and addresses of all shareholders in a form that permits preparation of a list of shareholders arranged by voting group and by class or series of shares within each voting group, that is alphabetical within each class or series and that shows the address of, and the number of shares of each class or series held by, each shareholder, unless such a record shall be kept at the office of the corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, (v) maintain at the corporation’s principal office the originals or copies of the corporation’s articles of incorporation, bylaws, minutes of all shareholders’ meetings and records of all action taken by shareholders without a meeting for the past three years, all written communications within the past three years to shareholders as a group or to the holders of any class or series of shares as a group, a list of the names and business addresses of the current directors and officers, a copy of the corporation’s most recent corporate report filed with the





Secretary of State, and financial statements showing in reasonable detail the corporation’s assets and liabilities and results of operations for the last three years, (vi) have general charge of the stock transfer books of the corporation, unless the corporation has a transfer agent, (vii) authenticate records of the corporation, and (viii) in general, perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the chief executive officer, the president or by the board of directors. Assistant secretaries, if any, shall have the same duties and powers as the secretary, subject to supervision by the secretary. The directors and/or shareholders may however respectively designate a person other than the secretary or assistant secretary to keep the minutes of their respective meetings.
     Any books, records, or minutes of the corporation may be in written form or in any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time.
      Section 11. Treasurer. The treasurer shall be the principal financial officer of the corporation, shall have the care and custody of all funds, securities, evidences of indebtedness and other personal property of the corporation and shall deposit the same in accordance with the instructions of the board of directors. He shall receive and give receipts and acquaintances for money paid in on account of the corporation, and shall pay out of the corporation’s funds on hand all bills, payrolls and other just debts of the corporation of whatever nature upon maturity. He shall perform all other duties incident to the office of the treasurer and, upon request of the board of directors, shall make such reports to it as may be required at any time. He shall, if required by the board of directors, give the corporation a bond in such sums and with such sureties as shall be satisfactory to the board of directors, conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties and for the restoration to the corporation of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the corporation. He shall have such other powers and perform such other duties, as may from time to time be prescribed by the board of directors, the chief executive officer or the president. The assistant treasurers, if any, shall have the same powers and duties as the treasurer, subject to the supervision of the treasurer.
     The treasurer shall also be the principal accounting officer of the corporation. He shall prescribe and maintain the methods and systems of accounting to be followed, keep complete books and records of account as required by the Colorado Business Corporation Act, prepare and file all local, state and federal tax returns, prescribe and maintain an adequate system of internal audit and prepare and furnish to the chief executive officer, the president and the board of directors statements of account showing the financial position of the corporation and the results of its operations.
ARTICLE V
Stock
      Section 1. Certificates. The board of directors shall be authorized to issue any of its classes of shares with or without certificates, provided that the board of directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the corporation. Notwithstanding the adoption of such a resolution by the board of directors, every holder of stock represented by a certificate or certificates and upon request every holder of uncertificated shares shall be entitled to have a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of stock owned by him in the corporation registered in certificate form. If the shares are represented by certificates, such shares shall be represented by consecutively numbered certificates signed, either manually or by facsimile, in the name of the corporation by the chief executive officer or the president and by the secretary or by one or more other persons designated by the board of directors. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is issued, such certificate may nonetheless be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer at the date of its issue. Certificates of stock shall be in such form and shall contain such information consistent with the law as shall be prescribed by the board of directors. If shares are not represented by certificates, within a reasonable time following the issue or transfer of such shares, the corporation shall send the shareholder a complete written statement of all of the information required to be provided to holders of uncertificated shares by the Colorado Business Corporation Act. Except as otherwise provided by law, the rights and obligations of holders of uncertificated shares and the rights and obligations of the holders of certificated shares of the same class and series shall be identical.





      Section 2. Consideration for Shares. Certificated or uncertificated shares shall not be issued until the shares represented thereby are fully paid. The board of directors may authorize the issuance of certificated or uncertificated shares for consideration consisting of any tangible or intangible property of benefit to the corporation, including cash, promissory notes, services performed or other securities of the corporation. Future services shall not constitute payment or partial payment for shares of the corporation. The promissory note of a subscriber or an affiliate of a subscriber shall not constitute payment or partial payment for shares of the corporation unless the note is negotiable and is secured by collateral, other than the shares being purchased, having a fair market value at least equal to the principal amount of the note. For purposes of this Section 2, “promissory note” means a negotiable instrument on which there is an obligation to pay independent of collateral and does not include a non-recourse note.
      Section 3. Lost Certificates. In case of the alleged loss, destruction or mutilation of a certificate of stock, the board of directors may direct the issuance of a new certificate or may register uncertificated shares in lieu thereof upon such terms and conditions in conformity with law as the board of directors may prescribe. The board of directors may in its discretion require an affidavit of lost certificate and/or a bond in such form and amount and with such surety as it may determine before issuing a new certificate or registering uncertificated shares.
      Section 4. Transfer of Shares. Transfer of shares shall be made only on the books of the corporation by the registered holder thereof, or by such holder’s attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney and filed with the Secretary of the corporation or a transfer agent of the corporation. If such shares are certificated, upon surrender to the corporation or to a transfer agent of the corporation of a certificate of stock duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, and receipt of such documentary stamps as may be required by law and evidence of compliance with all applicable securities laws and other restrictions, the corporation shall issue a new certificate or register uncertificated shares to the person entitled thereto, and cancel the old certificate. Upon the receipt of proper transfer instructions of uncertificated shares by the holders thereof in person or by their duly authorized attorney, such uncertificated shares shall be cancelled and the corporation shall issue new equivalent certificated shares or register uncertificated shares to the person entitled thereto. Every such transfer of certificated or uncertificated shares shall be entered on the stock books of the corporation which shall be kept at its principal office or by the person and the place designated by the board of directors.
     Except as otherwise expressly provided in Article II, Sections 7 and 11, and except for the assertion of dissenters’ rights to the extent provided in Article 113 of the Colorado Business Corporation Act, the corporation shall be entitled to treat the registered holder of any shares of the corporation as the owner thereof for all purposes, and the corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such shares or rights deriving from such shares on the part of any person other than the registered holder, including without limitation any purchaser, assignee or transferee of such shares or rights deriving from such shares, unless and until such other person becomes the registered holder of such shares, whether or not the corporation shall have either actual or constructive notice of the claimed interest of such other person.
      Section 5. Transfer Agent, Registrars and Paying Agents. The board of directors may at its discretion appoint one or more transfer agents, registrars and agents for making payment upon any class of stock, bond, debenture or other security of the corporation. Such agents and registrars may be located either within or outside Colorado. They shall have such rights and duties and shall be entitled to such compensation as may be agreed.
ARTICLE VI
Indemnification of Certain Persons
      Section 1. Indemnification. For purposes of Article VI, a “Proper Person” means any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, fiduciary or agent of any foreign or domestic profit or nonprofit corporation or of any partnership, joint venture, trust, profit or nonprofit unincorporated association, limited liability company, or other enterprise or employee benefit plan. The corporation shall indemnify any Proper Person against reasonably incurred expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, penalties, fines (including any excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan) and amounts paid in settlement reasonably incurred by him in connection





with such action, suit or proceeding if it is determined by the groups set forth in Section 4 of this Article VI that he conducted himself in good faith and that he reasonably believed (i) in the case of conduct in his official capacity with the corporation, that his conduct was in the corporation’s best interests, or (ii) in all other cases (except criminal cases), that his conduct was at least not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, or (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, that he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. A Proper Person will be deemed to be acting in his official capacity while acting as a director, officer, employee or agent on behalf of this corporation and not while acting on this corporation’s behalf for some other entity.
     No indemnification shall be made under this Article VI to a Proper Person with respect to any claim, issue or matter in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of a corporation in which the Proper Person was adjudged liable to the corporation or in connection with any proceeding charging that the Proper Person derived an improper personal benefit, whether or not involving action in an official capacity, in which he was adjudged liable on the basis that he derived an improper personal benefit. Further, indemnification under this Section in connection with a proceeding brought by or in the right of the corporation shall be limited to reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with the proceeding.
      Section 2. Right to Indemnification. The corporation shall indemnify any Proper Person who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any action, suit, or proceeding as to which he was entitled to indemnification under Section 1 of this Article VI against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred by him in connection with the proceeding without the necessity of any action by the corporation other than the determination in good faith that the defense has been wholly successful.
      Section 3. Effect of Termination of Action. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not of itself create a presumption that the person seeking indemnification did not meet the standards of conduct described in Section 1 of this Article VI. Entry of a judgment, by consent as part of a settlement shall not be deemed an adjudication of liability, as described in Section 2 of this Article VI.
      Section 4. Groups Authorized to Make Indemnification Determination. Except where there is a right to indemnification as set forth in Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VI or where indemnification is ordered by a court in Section 5 of this Article VI, any indemnification shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination by a proper group that indemnification of the Proper Person is permissible under the circumstances because he has met the applicable standards of conduct set forth in Section 1 of this Article VI. This determination shall be made by the board of directors by a majority vote of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, which quorum shall consist of directors not parties to the proceeding (“Quorum”). If a Quorum cannot be obtained, the determination shall be made by a majority vote of a committee of the board of directors designated by the board, which committee shall consist of two or more directors not parties to the proceeding, except that directors who are parties to the proceeding may participate in the designation of directors for the committee. If a Quorum of the board of directors cannot be obtained and the committee cannot be established, or even if a Quorum is obtained or the committee is designated and a majority of the directors constituting such Quorum or committee so directs, the determination shall be made by (i) independent legal counsel selected by a vote of the board of directors or the committee in the manner specified in this Section 4 or, if a Quorum of the full board of directors cannot be obtained and a committee cannot be established, by independent legal counsel selected by a majority vote of the fall board of directors (including directors who are parties to the action) or (ii) a vote of the shareholders.
      Section 5. Court-Ordered Indemnification. Any Proper Person may apply for indemnification to the court conducting the proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction for mandatory indemnification under Section 2 of this Article VI, including indemnification for reasonable expenses incurred to obtain court-ordered indemnification. If the court determines that such Proper Person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not he met the standards of conduct set forth in Section 1 of this Article VI or was adjudged liable in the proceeding, the court may order such indemnification as the court deems proper except that if the Proper Person has been adjudged liable, indemnification shall be limited to reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding and reasonable expenses incurred to obtain court-ordered indemnification.
      Section 6. Advance of Expenses. Reasonable expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending an action, suit or proceeding as described in Section 1 of this Article VI may be paid by the corporation to any Proper Person in





advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of (i) a written affirmation of such Proper Person’s good faith belief that he has met the standards of conduct prescribed by Section 1 of this Article VI, (ii) a written undertaking, executed personally or on the Proper Person’s behalf, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that he did not meet the prescribed standards of conduct (the undertaking shall be an unlimited general obligation of the Proper Person but need not be secured and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make repayment), and (iii) a determination is made by the proper group (as described in Section 4 of this Article VI) that the facts as then known to the group would not preclude indemnification. Determination and authorization of payments shall be made in the same manner specified in Section 4 of this Article VI.
      Section 7. Witness Expenses. The sections of this Article VI do not limit the corporation’s authority to pay or reimburse expenses incurred by a director in connection with an appearance as a witness in a proceeding at a time when he has not been made a named defendant or respondent in the proceeding.
      Section 8. Report to Shareholders. Any indemnification of or advance of expenses to a director in accordance with this Article VI, if arising out of a proceeding by or on behalf of the corporation, shall be reported in writing to the shareholders with or before the notice of the next shareholders’ meeting. If the next shareholder action is taken without a meeting at the instigation of the board of directors, such notice shall be given to the shareholders at or before the time the first shareholder signs a writing consenting to such action.
ARTICLE VII
Provision of Insurance
     By action of the board of directors, notwithstanding any interest of the directors in the action, the corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, in such scope and amounts as the board of directors deems appropriate, on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of the corporation, or who, while a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, fiduciary or agent of any other foreign or domestic corporation or of any partnership, joint venture, trust, profit or nonprofit unincorporated association, limited liability company or other enterprise or employee benefit plan, against any liability asserted against, or incurred by, him in that capacity or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of Article VI or applicable law. Any such insurance may be procured from any insurance company designated by the board of directors of the corporation, whether such insurance company is formed under the laws of Colorado or any other jurisdiction of the United States or elsewhere, including any insurance company in which the corporation has an equity interest or any other interest, through stock ownership or otherwise.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
      Section 1. Seal. The corporate seal of the corporation shall be circular in form and shall contain the name of the corporation and the words, “Seal, Colorado.”
      Section 2. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be as established by the board of directors.
      Section 3. Amendments. Except as hereinafter stated, the board of directors shall have power, to the maximum extent permitted by the Colorado Business Corporation Act, to make, amend and repeal the bylaws of the corporation at any regular or special meeting of the board of directors unless the shareholders, in making, amending or repealing a particular bylaw, expressly provide that the directors may not amend or repeal such bylaw. The directors may not amend Sections 2 or 3 of Article III, Article VI or Section 3 of Article VIII of the bylaws. Sections 2 and 3 of Article Ill, Article VI and Section 3 of Article VIII of the bylaws can only be amended or repealed by 80% of the votes of the shareholders entitled to be cast thereon. The shareholders also shall have the power to make, amend or repeal the bylaws of the corporation at any annual meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose.
      Section 4. Gender. The masculine gender is used in these bylaws as a matter of convenience only and shall be interpreted to include the feminine and neuter genders as the circumstances indicate.





      Section 5. Conflicts. In the event of any irreconcilable conflict between these bylaws and either the corporation’s articles of incorporation or applicable law, the latter shall control.  
      Section 6. Definitions. Except as otherwise specifically provided in these bylaws, all terms used in these bylaws shall have the same definition as in the Colorado Business Corporation Act.






NATURAL GAS SERVICES GROUP, INC.

1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN (as amended and restated) (The Plan was (i) amended and restated by the Board of Directors on May 9, 2006 (approved by the Stockholders on June 20, 2006) (ii) amended by the Board of Directors on April 15, 2009 (approved by the Stockholders on June 16, 2009); and (iii) further amended and restated on February ___, 2016 (subject to approval by the Stockholders.)


1.     Purposes of this Plan. The purposes of this 1998 Stock Option Plan, as amended and restated, are to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, to provide additional incentive to Employees and Consultants and to promote the success of the Company’s business. Options granted hereunder may be either “incentive stock options,” as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or “nonstatutory stock options,” at the discretion of the Board and as reflected in the terms of the written stock option agreement.

2.     Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:

a.    “Board” shall mean the Committee, if one has been appointed, or the Board of Directors of the Company if no Committee is appointed.

b.    “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

c.    “Common Stock” shall mean the $0.01 par value common stock of the Company.

d.    “Company” shall mean Natural Gas Services Group, Inc., a Colorado corporation.

e.    “Committee” shall mean the Committee appointed by the Board in accordance with paragraph (a) of Section 4 of this Plan, if one is appointed, or the Board if no committee is appointed.

f.     “Consultant” shall mean any person who is engaged by the Company or by any Parent or Subsidiary to render consulting services and is compensated for such consulting services, but does not include a director of the Company who is compensated for services as a director only with the payment of a director’s fee by the Company.

g    “Continuous Status as an Employee” shall mean the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee. Continuous Status as an Employee shall not be considered interrupted in the case of sick leave, military leave, or any other leave of absence approved by the Board, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than 90 days or reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute.

h.    “Employee” shall mean any person, including officers and directors, employed by the Company or by any Parent or Subsidiary. The payment of a director’s fee by the Company shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.

i.     “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option which is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and which shall be clearly identified as such in the written Stock Option Agreement provided by the Company to each Optionee granted an Incentive Stock Option under this Plan.

j.     “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a director who:

(i)    Is not currently an officer (as defined in Section 16a-1(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of the Company or of a Parent or Subsidiary or otherwise currently employed by the Company or by a Parent or Subsidiary.

(ii)     Does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or from a Parent or Subsidiary, for services rendered as a Consultant or in any capacity other than as a director, except for an amount that does not exceed the dollar amount for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.






(iii)     Does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

k.     “Nonstatutory Stock Option” shall mean an Option granted under this Plan which does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option and which shall be clearly identified as such in the written Stock Option Agreement provided by the Company to each Optionee granted a Nonstatutory Stock Option under this Plan. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of Optioned Stock to which Incentive Stock Options granted under Options to an Employee are exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under this Plan and all plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options under this Plan. The aggregate fair market value of the Optioned Stock shall be determined as of the date of grant of each Option and the determination of which Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as qualified incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code and which Incentive Stock Options exercisable for the first time in a particular year in excess of the $100,000 limitation shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options shall be determined based on the order in which such Options were granted in accordance with Section 422(d) of the Code.

l.     “Option” shall mean an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonstatutory Stock Option or both as identified in a written Stock Option Agreement representing such stock option granted pursuant to this Plan.

m.     “Optioned Stock” shall mean the Common Stock subject to an Option.

n.     “Optionee” shall mean an Employee or other person who is granted an option.

o.     “Parent” shall mean a “parent corporation” of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

p.      “Plan” shall mean this 1998 Stock Option Plan, as restated.

q.     “Share” shall mean a share of the Common Stock of the Company, as adjusted in accordance with Section 11 of this Plan.

r.     “Stock Option Agreement” shall mean the agreement to be entered into between the Company and each Optionee which shall set forth the terms and conditions of each Option granted to each Optionee, including the number of Shares underlying such Option and the exercise price of each Option granted to such Optionee under such agreement.

s.     “Subsidiary” shall mean a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

3.      Stock Subject to this Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 of this Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be optioned and sold under this Plan is 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock. The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock. If an Option should expire or become unexercisable for any reason without having been exercised in full, the unpurchased Shares which were subject thereto shall, unless this Plan shall have been terminated, become available for future grant under this Plan.


4.      Administration of this Plan.

a.      Procedure. This Plan shall be administered by the Board or a Committee appointed by the Board consisting of two or more Non-Employee Directors to administer this Plan on behalf of the Board, subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may prescribe.

(i)     Once appointed, the Committee shall continue to serve until otherwise directed by the Board (which for purposes of this paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 4 shall be the Board of Directors of the Company). From time to time the Board may increase the size of the Committee and appoint additional members thereof, remove members (with or without cause) and appoint new members in substitution therefor, fill vacancies however caused, or remove all members of the Committee and thereafter directly administer this Plan.

(ii)     Members of the Board who are granted, or have been granted, Options may vote on any matters affecting the administration of this Plan or the grant of any Options pursuant to this Plan.

b.     Powers of the Board. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Board shall have the authority, in its discretion:






(i)     To grant Incentive Stock Options, in accordance with Section 422 of the Code, and Nonstatutory Stock Options or both as provided and identified in a separate written Stock Option Agreement to each Optionee granted such Option or Options under this Plan; provided however, that in no event shall an Incentive Stock Option and a Nonstatutory Stock Option granted to any Optionee under a single Stock Option Agreement be subject to a “tandem” exercise arrangement such that the exercise of one such Option affects the Optionee’s right to exercise the other Option granted under such Stock Option Agreement;

(ii)     To determine, upon review of relevant information and in accordance with Section 8(b) of this Plan, the fair market value of the Common Stock;

(iii)     To determine the exercise price per Share of Options to be granted, which exercise price shall be determined in accordance with Section 8(a) of this Plan;

(iv)     To determine the Employees or other persons to whom, and the time or times at which, Options shall be granted and the number of Shares to be represented by each Option;

(v)    To interpret this Plan;

(vi)     To prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan;

(vii)     To determine the terms and provisions of each Option granted (which need not be identical) and, with the consent of the holder thereof, modify or amend each Option;

(viii)     To accelerate or defer (with the consent of the Optionee) the exercise date of any Option, consistent with the provisions of Section 7 of this Plan;

(ix)     To authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effectuate the grant of an Option previously granted by the Board; and

(x)     To make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Plan.
c.      Effect of Board’s Decision. All decisions, determinations and interpretations of the Board shall be final and binding on all Optionees and any other permissible holders of any Options granted under this Plan.

5.      Eligibility.

a.      Persons Eligible. Options may be granted to any person selected by the Board. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. An Employee, who is also a director of the Company, its Parent or a Subsidiary, shall be treated as an Employee for purposes of this Section 5. An Employee or other person who has been granted an Option may, if he is otherwise eligible, be granted an additional Option or Options.

b.      No Effect on Relationship. This Plan shall not confer upon any Optionee any right with respect to continuation of employment or other relationship with the Company nor shall it interfere in any way with his right or the Company’s right to terminate his employment or other relationship at any time.

6.      Term of Plan. This Plan, as amended and restated, became effective on March 1, 2016. It shall continue in effect until February 28, 2026, unless sooner terminated under Section 13 of this Plan.

7.      Term of Option. The term of each Option shall be 10 years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Stock Option Agreement. However, in the case of an Option granted to an Optionee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns stock representing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, if the Option is an Incentive Stock Option, the term of the Option shall be five years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter time as may be provided in the Stock Option Agreement.

8.      Exercise Price and Consideration.

a.      Exercise Price. The per Share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option shall be such price as is determined by the Board, but the per Share exercise price under an Incentive Stock Option shall be subject to the following:






(i)     If granted to an Employee who, at the time of the grant of such Incentive Stock Option, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value per Share on the date of grant.

(ii)     If granted to any other Employee, the per Share exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value per Share on the date of grant.

b.      Determination of Fair Market Value. The fair market value per Share on the date of grant shall be determined as follows:

(i)     If the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or such other securities exchange designated by the Board, or admitted to unlisted trading privileges on any such exchange, or if the Common Stock is quoted on a National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. system that reports closing prices, the fair market value shall be the closing price of the Common Stock as reported by such exchange or system on the day the fair market value is to be determined, or if no such price is reported for such day, then the determination of such closing price shall be as of the last immediately preceding day on which the closing price is so reported;

(ii)     If the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges or so quoted, the fair market value shall be the average of the last reported highest bid and the lowest asked prices quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System or, if not so quoted, then by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. on the day the fair market value is determined; or

(iii)     If the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted to unlisted trading privileges or so quoted, and bid and asked prices are not reported, the fair market value shall be determined in such reasonable manner as may be prescribed by the Board.

c.      Consideration and Method of Payment. The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Board and may consist entirely of cash, check, other shares of Common Stock having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised, or any combination of such methods of payment, or such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted under the Colorado Business Corporation Act.

9.      Exercise of Option.

a.      Procedure for Exercise: Rights as a Shareholder. Any Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Board, including performance criteria with respect to the Company and/or the Optionee, and as shall be permissible under the terms of this Plan.

An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.

An option shall be deemed to be exercised when written notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Stock Option Agreement by the person entitled to exercise the Option and full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised has been received by the Company. Full payment, as authorized by the Board, may consist of a consideration and method of payment allowable under Section 8(c) and this Section 9(a) of this Plan. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of the duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) of the stock certificate evidencing such Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to the Optioned Stock, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the stock certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 11 of this Plan.

Exercise of an Option in any manner shall result in a decrease in the number of Shares which thereafter may be available, both for purposes of this Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.

b.      Termination of Status as an Employee. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, if any Employee ceases to serve as an Employee, he may, but only within such period of time not exceeding three months as is determined by the Board at the time of grant of the Option after the date he ceases to be an Employee of the Company, exercise his Option to the extent that he was entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination. To the extent that he was not entitled to exercise the Option at the





date of such termination, or if he does not exercise such Option (which he was entitled to exercise) within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

c.      Disability of Optionee. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9(b) above, in the event an Employee is unable to continue his employment with the Company as a result of his total and permanent disability (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), he may, but only within such period of time not exceeding 12 months as is determined by the Board at the time of grant of the Option from the date of termination, exercise his Option to the extent he was entitled to exercise it at the date of such termination. To the extent that he was not entitled to exercise the Option at the date of termination, or if he does not exercise such Option (which he was entitled to exercise) within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.

d.      Death of Optionee. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, in the event of the death of the Optionee:

(i)     During the term of the Option if the Optionee was at the time of his death an Employee and had been in Continuous Status as an Employee or Consultant since the date of grant of the Option, the Option may be exercised, at any time within 12 months following the date of death, by the Optionee’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent that the right to exercise would have accrued had the Optionee continued living and remained in Continuous Status as an Employee 12 months after the date of death; or

(ii)     Within such period of time not exceeding three months as is determined by the Board at the time of grant of the Option after the termination of Continuous Status as an Employee, the Option may be exercised, at any time within 12 months following the date of death, by the Optionee’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent that the right to exercise had accrued at the date of termination.

10.      Nontransferability of Options. Unless permitted by the Code, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the Option may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Optionee, only by the Optionee.

11.      Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization or Merger. Subject to any required action by the shareholders of the Company, the number of Shares covered by each outstanding Option, and the number of Shares which have been authorized for issuance under this Plan but as to which no Options have yet been granted or which have been returned to this Plan upon cancellation or expiration of any Option, as well as the price per Share covered by each such outstanding Option, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Board, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Option.

In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Option will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Board. The Board may, in the exercise of its sole discretion in such instances, declare that any Option shall terminate as of a date fixed by the Board and give each Optionee the right to exercise his Option as to all or any part of the Optioned Stock, including Shares as to which the Option would not otherwise be exercisable. In the event of the proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the merger of the Company with or into another entity in a transaction in which the Company is not the survivor, the Option shall be assumed or an equivalent option shall be substituted by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Board determines, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of such assumption or substitution, that the Optionee shall have the right to exercise the Option as to all of the Optioned Stock, including Shares as to which the Option would not otherwise be exercisable. If the Board makes an Option fully exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of such a merger or sale of assets, the Board shall notify the Optionee that the Option shall be fully exercisable for a period of 30 days from the date of such notice, and the Option will terminate upon the expiration of such period.

12.      Time of Granting Options. The date of grant of an Option shall, for all purposes, be the date on which the Board makes the determination granting such Option. Notice of the determination shall be given to each Employee or other person to whom an Option is so granted within a reasonable time after the date of such grant. Within a reasonable time after the date of the grant of an Option, the Company shall enter into and deliver to each Employee or other person granted such Option a written Stock Option Agreement as provided in Sections 2(r) and 16 hereof, setting forth the terms and conditions of such Option and separately





identifying the portion of the Option which is an Incentive Stock Option and/or the portion of such Option which is a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

13.      Amendment and Termination of this Plan.

a.      Amendment and Termination. The Board may amend or terminate this Plan from time to time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable; provided that, the following revisions or amendments shall require approval of the shareholders of the Company in the manner described in Section 17 of this Plan:

(i)    Any change in the designation of the class of Employees eligible to be granted Incentive Stock Options; or

(ii)     Any material amendment under this Plan that would have to be approved by the shareholders of the Company for the Board to continue to be able to grant Incentive Stock Options under this Plan.

b.      Effect of Amendment or Termination. Any such amendment or termination of this Plan shall not affect Options already granted and such Options shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been amended or terminated, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Optionee and the Board, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Optionee and the Company.

14.      Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, applicable state securities laws, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of legal counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

As a condition to the existence of an Option, the Company may require the person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares and such other representations and warranties which in the opinion of legal counsel for the Company, are necessary or appropriate to establish an exemption from the registration requirements under applicable federal and state securities laws with respect to the acquisition of such Shares.

15.      Reservation of Shares. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Plan. Inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of any Share hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability relating to the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

16.      Stock Option Agreement. Each Option granted to an Employee or other persons shall be evidenced by a written Stock Option Agreement in such form as the Board shall approve.

17.      Shareholder Approval. Any restatement or amendment of this Plan shall be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company if and when required by law or regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (or such other stock exchange or quotation system that shares of the Company's common stock may be traded or listed upon at the time.)

18.      Information to Optionees. The Company shall provide to each Optionee, during the period for which such Optionee has one or more Options outstanding, copies of all annual reports and other information which are provided to all shareholders of the Company. The Company shall not be required to provide such information if the issuance of Options under this Plan is limited to key employees whose duties in connection with the Company assure their access to equivalent information.

19.      Gender. As used herein, the masculine, feminine and neuter genders shall be deemed to include the others in all cases where they would so apply.

20.     Section 409A . Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Plan and Options granted under the Plan are intended to be stock rights that do not provide for the deferral of compensation under Section 409A of the Code.  The Plan shall be interpreted to the fullest extent possible and shall be operated so as to comply with the requirements imposed by Section 409A of the Code such that Options do not provide for the deferral of compensation.  If any Plan provision or Option would result in the imposition of any additional tax or interest under Section 409A of the Code, the Company and the participant





intend that the Plan provision or Option will be reformed to avoid imposition, to the extent possible, of such additional tax and interest, and no action taken by the Company to so comply with Section 409A of the Code shall be deemed to adversely affect the participant’s rights to an Option.

21.      CHOICE OF LAW. ALL QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS PLAN AND THE INSTRUMENTS EVIDENCING OPTIONS WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAW, AND NOT THE LAW OF CONFLICTS, OF THE STATE OF COLORADO.
 
 
 
Stephen C. Taylor, Chairman of the Board,
 
President and Chief Executive Officer