UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) October 17, 2012

 

GNC HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-35113

 

20-8536244

(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

 

(Commission
File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

300 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

 

15222

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (412) 288-4600

 

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-4(c))

 

 

 



 

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

 

Resignation of Directors

 

Effective October 18, 2012, each of Brian Klos and Romeo Leemrijse resigned from all of his positions with GNC Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries. Prior to such resignations, Messrs. Klos and Leemrijse served as members of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”). The Board accepted the resignations of Messrs. Klos and Leemrijse, and such resignations were not the result of any disagreement with the Company on any matter.

 

In connection with such resignations, effective October 18, 2012, the Board reduced its size from eleven to nine members.

 

Long-Term Incentive Program

 

On October 17, 2012, the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) approved a long-term incentive program that is intended to provide a focus on long-term performance while aligning executives’ interests with those of the Company’s stockholders.  The long-term incentive program provides for annual awards to be made, following the awards described below, in the first quarter of each calendar year beginning in 2014.  For named executive officers, (i) 50% of the aggregate value of each annual grant will be made in time-vested restricted stock units (“RSUs”) that vest in equal installments over three years, (ii) 25% of the aggregate value of each annual grant will be made in stock options that vest in equal installments over four years, and (iii) 25% of the aggregate value of each annual grant will be made in performance-vested restricted stock units (“PSUs”) that vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, contingent upon the Company meeting specified performance targets measured over the applicable three-year period.

 

The PSUs will be granted in a form, and with terms, to be adopted by the Committee.  It is anticipated that (i) the performance measures for the PSUs will be revenue growth and earnings per share growth and (ii) initial grants of PSUs will be made to the named executive officers in the first quarter of 2013.  If the minimum performance threshold is met, the PSUs will be paid out at 50% of the initial grant amount.  No PSUs will vest unless the minimum threshold is met.  At the maximum threshold, the PSUs will be paid out at 200% of the initial grant amount.

 

Restricted Stock Unit Agreement

 

On October 17, 2012, the Committee also approved the form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the “RSU Agreement”) for grants of RSUs under the GNC Holdings, Inc. 2011 Stock and Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

 

The RSU Agreement provides for grants of RSUs that entitle the grantee to one share of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) for each RSU at vesting.  Subject to remaining employed by the Company during the vesting period, the RSUs vest in equal installments on the first three anniversaries of the grant date.  In the event of a grantee’s termination of employment, any unvested RSUs are immediately forfeited without compensation.

 

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The foregoing summary of certain provisions of the RSU Agreement is qualified in its entirety by the RSU Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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

 

Effective October 18, 2012, the Board adopted the Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), which amended the Company’s previously effective bylaws, to, among other things, provide for majority voting (rather than plurality voting) in uncontested director elections and to allow stockholders holding a majority of any class of capital stock of the Company to call special meetings of the stockholders.

 

The foregoing summary of certain provisions of the Bylaws is qualified in its entirety by the Bylaws, which are attached as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01.                                         Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)                                                                                  Exhibits:

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

 

 

 

3.1

 

Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws of GNC Holdings, Inc.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.

 

3



 

SIGNATURE

 

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.

 

Dated: October 22, 2012

 

 

GNC HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Gerald J. Stubenhofer, Jr.

 

 

Gerald J. Stubenhofer, Jr.

 

 

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

 

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

3.1

 

Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws of GNC Holdings, Inc.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.

 

5


Exhibit 3.1

 

FIFTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

GNC HOLDINGS, INC.

 

A Delaware Corporation

 

 

Effective October 18, 2012

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

 

ARTICLE I OFFICES

1

 

 

 

Section 1.

Registered Office

1

 

Section 2.

Other Offices

1

 

 

ARTICLE II MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

1

 

 

 

Section 1.

Place of Meetings

1

 

Section 2.

Annual Meetings

1

 

Section 3.

Special Meetings

1

 

Section 4.

Notice of Meetings

2

 

Section 5.

Notice of Annual Meeting Business

2

 

Section 6.

Quorum

6

 

Section 7.

Voting

7

 

Section 8.

Uncontested Elections; Director Resignation

7

 

Section 9.

Proxies; Inspectors

8

 

Section 10.

List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote

9

 

Section 11.

Record Date

10

 

Section 12.

Stock Ledger

11

 

Section 13.

Organization

11

 

Section 14.

Conduct of Meetings

11

 

 

ARTICLE III DIRECTORS

12

 

 

 

Section 1.

Number and Election of Directors

12

 

Section 2.

Duties and Powers

12

 

Section 3.

Meetings

12

 

Section 4.

Organization

12

 

Section 5.

Resignations and Removals of Directors

12

 

Section 6.

Quorum

13

 

Section 7.

Actions of the Board by Written Consent

13

 

Section 8.

Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone

13

 

Section 9.

Compensation

13

 

Section 10.

Interested Directors

14

 

 

ARTICLE IV COMMITTEES

14

 

 

 

Section 1.

Committees of the Board of Directors

14

 

Section 2.

Conduct of Meetings

14

 

Section 3.

Audit Committee

15

 

Section 4.

Compensation Committee

15

 

Section 5.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

15

 

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ARTICLE V OFFICERS

15

 

 

 

Section 1.

General

15

 

Section 2.

Election

15

 

Section 3.

Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation

16

 

Section 4.

Chairman of the Board of Directors

16

 

Section 5.

Chief Executive Officer, President

16

 

Section 6.

Vice Presidents

16

 

Section 7.

Secretary

17

 

Section 8.

Treasurer

17

 

Section 9.

Assistant Secretaries

17

 

Section 10.

Assistant Treasurers

18

 

 

ARTICLE VI STOCK

18

 

 

 

Section 1.

Form of Certificates

18

 

Section 2.

Signatures

18

 

Section 3.

Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates

18

 

Section 4.

Transfers

19

 

Section 5.

Dividend Record Date

19

 

Section 6.

Record Owners

19

 

Section 7.

Transfer and Registry Agents

19

 

 

ARTICLE VII NOTICES

19

 

 

 

Section 1.

Notices

19

 

Section 2.

Waivers of Notice

20

 

 

ARTICLE VIII GENERAL PROVISIONS

20

 

 

 

Section 1.

Dividends

20

 

Section 2.

Disbursements

20

 

Section 3.

Fiscal Year

20

 

Section 4.

Corporate Seal

20

 

Section 5.

Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records

21

 

Section 6.

Time Periods

21

 

 

ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION

21

 

 

 

Section 1.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

21

 

Section 2.

Procedure for Indemnification of Directors

21

 

Section 3.

Expenses Payable in Advance

22

 

Section 4.

Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses

22

 

Section 5.

Insurance

22

 

Section 6.

Certain Definitions

23

 

Section 7.

Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses

23

 

Section 8.

Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses

23

 

Section 9.

Amendment or Repeal

23

 

Section 10.

Contract Rights

23

 

ii



 

 

Section 11.

Other Sources

24

 

 

ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS

24

 

 

 

Section 1.

Amendments

24

 

Section 2.

Entire Board of Directors

24

 

iii



 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

 

Section 1.                                            Registered Office .  The registered office of the Corporation shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware.

 

Section 2.                                            Other Offices .  The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time determine.

 

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1.                                            Place of Meetings .  Meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.                                            Annual Meetings .  Unless otherwise required by law or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as amended and restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors shall be held on such date, which date shall be within thirteen (13) months of the last annual meeting of stockholders, and at such time as shall be designated by the Board of Directors and announced by the Corporation.  Any other proper business may be transacted at the annual meeting of stockholders.

 

Section 3.                                            Special Meetings .

 

(a)                                  Unless otherwise required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called at any time by the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors that has been duly designated by the Board of Directors and whose powers and authority include the power to call such meetings.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding Section 3(a), meetings, special or otherwise, of holders of any class of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote may be called at the written request of holders of a majority of the shares of such class of capital stock delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation.  Such written request shall be signed and dated by each stockholder requesting a meeting (each, a “Requesting Stockholder”) and shall include the information required by Section 5(c) and documentation proving ownership of the requisite number of shares entitled to vote as of the date of such written request.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, special meetings of stockholders requested pursuant to Section 3(b) shall not be called if: (i) the business or proposals to be discussed are not proper matters for stockholder action, (ii) an annual or special meeting of stockholders that included substantially similar items of business was held no more than one hundred twenty (120) days before the written request for such special meeting was received by the Secretary of the Corporation or (iii) an annual or special meeting of stockholders that will include substantially similar items of business has been called but not yet held.

 

(c)                                   At a special meeting of stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall be specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto).

 



 

(d)                                  The Board of Directors may postpone, reschedule or cancel a previously called special meeting, excluding any special meeting called by the stockholders.

 

Section 4.                                            Notice of Meetings .

 

(a)                                  Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting shall be given that shall state the place, if any, date and time of such meeting of the stockholders, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of all special meetings of stockholders, the purpose of the meeting, not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) or the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

(b)                                  When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholder and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person of such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.  At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting.  If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.  If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

Section 5.                                            Notice of Annual Meeting Business .

 

(a)                                  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be transacted by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s proxy materials with respect to such meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or (iii) by any stockholder of record of the Corporation (a “Record Stockholder”) at the time of the giving of the notice required in the following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 5. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or propose business (other than business included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (such act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the “Exchange Act”)) at an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

(b)                                  For nominations or business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Record Stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of the foregoing paragraph, (i) the Record Stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, and (ii) any such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action under

 

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Delaware law. To be timely, a Record Stockholder’s notice shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the opening of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day and not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day prior to the one (1)-year anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders; provided , however , that, subject to the last sentence of this paragraph (b), if the meeting is convened more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than seventy (70) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the Record Stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the opening of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than (i) the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day before such annual meeting or (ii) the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased effective after the time period for which nomination would otherwise be due under this Section 5 and there has been no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or indicating the increase in the size of the Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a Record Stockholder’s notice required by this Bylaw shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall an adjournment, or postponement of an annual meeting for which notice has been given, commence a new time period for the giving of a Record Stockholder’s notice.

 

(c)                                   Such Record Stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

 

(i)                                      if such notice pertains to the nomination of directors, as to each person whom the Record Stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director all information relating to such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of such nominees as directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, and such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;

 

(ii)                                   as to any business that the Record Stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of such business, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Record Stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and

 

(iii)                                a representation that the Record Stockholder is a record holder of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination and, as to (x) the Record Stockholder giving the notice and (y) the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made each, a “party”):

 

3



 

(A)                                the name and address of each such party;

 

(B)                                (1) the class, series, and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record by each such party, (2) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by each such party, and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (3) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which either party has a right to vote, directly or indirectly, any shares of any security of the Corporation, (4) any short interest in any security of the Corporation held by each such party (for purposes of this Section 5(c)(iii)(B), a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (5) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially directly or indirectly by each such party that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (6) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which either party is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner and (7) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that each such party is directly or indirectly entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any such interests held by members of each such party’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information set forth in this paragraph shall be supplemented by such stockholder or such beneficial owner, as the case may be, not later than ten (10) days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date); and

 

(C)                                a representation whether either party, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (1) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (2) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination; and

 

(D)                                any other information relating to each such party that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or

 

4



 

for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act.

 

The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 5(c) shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder with respect to business if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.  The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as the Corporation may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation.

 

(d)                                  A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director at an annual meeting unless (i) the person is nominated by a Record Stockholder in accordance with clause (iii) of Section 5(a) or (ii) the person is nominated by or at the direction of the Board of Directors. Only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. Except as otherwise provided by law, the person presiding over of the meeting shall have the power and the duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting has been made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws (including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with such stockholder’s representation as required by Section 5(d) ) and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defectively proposed business or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.

 

(e)                                   Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors. The notice of such special meeting shall include the purpose for which the meeting is called. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (x) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (y) by any Record Stockholder at the time of giving of notice provided for in this paragraph, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who delivers a written notice to the Secretary setting forth the information set forth in Section 5(c)(i) and (iii). Nominations by stockholders of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at such a special meeting of stockholders only if such Record Stockholder’s notice required by the preceding sentence shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the opening of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall an adjournment, or postponement of a special meeting for which notice has been given, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder of record’s notice. A person shall not be eligible for election or reelection as a director at a special meeting unless the person is nominated (i) by or at

 

5



 

the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by a Record Stockholder in accordance with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 5.

 

(f)                                    Except as otherwise expressly provided in any applicable rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act, only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or proposed business, as applicable, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation.  For purposes of this Section 5, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.

 

(g)                                   For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed or furnished by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(h)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 5 and compliance with this Section 5 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to submit other business (other than, as provided in the penultimate sentences of paragraphs (c) and (e) hereof, business brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 or Rule14a-11 of the Exchange Act, as such Rules may be amended from time to time). Nothing in this Section 5 shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors pursuant to applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 6.                                            Quorum .

 

(a)                                  At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to cast a majority of the total votes entitled to be cast by the holders of all outstanding capital stock of the Corporation, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number is required by the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation. Where a separate vote by one or more classes or series is required, the holder of shares entitled to cast a majority of the total votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the shares of the class or classes or series, present in person

 

6



 

or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.  Shares of its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation to vote stock, including but not limited to its own stock, held by it in a fiduciary capacity.

 

(b)                                  If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chair of the meeting may adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date and time.

 

Section 7.                                            Voting .  In an election of directors that is determined by the Board of Directors to be (a) an uncontested election, each director of the Corporation shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast, and (b) a contested election, whether or not such election becomes an uncontested election after such determination, each director of the Corporation shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.  For purposes of these Bylaws, a “contested election” is an election of directors in which the number of director nominees is greater than the number of directors to be elected, and an “uncontested election” is an election in which the number of director nominees is not greater than the number of directors to be elected. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, the rules and regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, all other matters shall be determined by the affirmative vote of the holders of shares entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter by the holders of all shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.  Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot.

 

Section 8.                                            Uncontested Elections; Director Resignation .

 

(a)                                  Following any election of directors that is determined by the Board of Directors to be an uncontested election, each incumbent director who was a nominee and did not receive a majority of the votes cast (each, an “Unsuccessful Incumbent Director”) shall, promptly following such election, tender such director’s offer of resignation to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee”).  For purposes of this Section 8, a “majority of the votes cast” shall mean that the number of votes cast “for” a director must exceed the number of votes cast “against” such director (with “withheld” votes counted as “against” and “abstentions” and “broker non-votes” not counted as votes cast with respect to that director’s election).

 

(b)                                  The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall, no later than sixty (60) days following certification of the stockholder vote, recommend to the Board of Directors whether to accept the Unsuccessful Incumbent Director’s resignation offer.  To determine whether or not to recommend that the Board of Directors accept a resignation offer, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may consider any factors or other information that it deems relevant and appropriate.

 

(c)                                   The Board of Directors shall act on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s recommendation no later than ninety (90) days following certification

 

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of the stockholder vote by accepting or rejecting the resignation offer and shall notify the Unsuccessful Incumbent Director of its decision.  In determining whether or not to accept a resignation offer, the Board of Directors shall consider the factors considered by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and any additional factors and information it deems relevant and appropriate. Following such decision by the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors shall promptly make a public announcement thereof and, if rejecting a resignation offer, a statement of its reason therefor.

 

(d)                                  An Unsuccessful Incumbent Director who tenders his or her resignation pursuant to this Section 8 shall not participate in the decisions of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the Board of Directors regarding whether to accept such director’s resignation offer.  If each member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is an Unsuccessful Incumbent Director, the Board of Directors shall appoint a special committee of independent directors for the purpose of considering whether to recommend acceptance of any resignation offers.  If all the independent directors are Unsuccessful Incumbent Directors, the Board of Directors shall act on the resignation offers; provided that no director who has received a majority of “against” votes at the meeting shall participate in or vote on the decision whether to accept or reject such director’s resignation offer.

 

(e)                                   Any vacancy on the Board of Directors resulting from a resignation pursuant to this Section 8 shall be filled by the Board of Directors pursuant to Article 7 of the Certificate of Incorporation.  Each director elected pursuant to this Section 8(e) shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders following such director’s election and until such director’s successor is duly elected and qualified or until the earlier of such director’s death, resignation, disqualification or removal.

 

Section 9.                                            Proxies; Inspectors .

 

(a)                                  Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of the stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period.  Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority:

 

(i)                                      A stockholder may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy.  Execution may be accomplished by the stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent signing such writing or causing such person’s signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means, including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature.  A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power.

 

(ii)                                   A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a facsimile to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support

 

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service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such facsimile, provided that any such facsimile must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the facsimile was authorized by the stockholder.  If it is determined that such facsimiles are valid, the inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information on which they relied.

 

Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing authorizing another person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing, facsimile for any and all purposes for which the original writing, facsimile could be used; provided , however , that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or facsimile telecommunication.

 

(b)                                  The Corporation may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting may, and to the extent required by law, shall, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors may appoint or retain other persons or entities to assist the inspectors in the performance of the duties of inspectors.  Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability.  The inspector or inspectors so appointed or designated shall (i) ascertain the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and the voting power of each such share, (ii) determine the shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (iii) count all votes and ballots, (iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors, and (v) certify their determination of the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and such inspectors’ count of all votes and ballots.  Such certification and report shall specify such other information as may be required by law.  In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, the inspectors may consider such information as is permitted by applicable law.  No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.

 

Section 10.                                     List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote .  The officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10 th ) day before the meeting), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder.  Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting

 

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(i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of meeting or (ii) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation.  If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any stockholder who is present.  If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

 

Section 11.                                     Record Date .

 

(a)                                  In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of the stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting.  If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination.  If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.  A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided , however , that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at adjourned meeting.

 

(b)                                  In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to such other action.  If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

(c)                                   Unless otherwise prohibited by the Certificate of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors.  If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of

 

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Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded.  Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

Section 12.                                     Stock Ledger .  Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list required by Section 9 of this Article II or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders.

 

Section 13.                                     Organization .  The Chairman of the Board of Directors or, in his or her absence, the person whom the Board of Directors designates or, in the absence of that person or the failure of the Board of Directors to designate a person, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, the person chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall call to order any meeting of the stockholders and act as the presiding person of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be the person the chairman appoints.

 

Section 14.                                     Conduct of Meetings .  The Board of Directors of the Corporation may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of any meeting of the stockholders as it shall deem appropriate.  Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of Directors, the presiding person of any meeting of the stockholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting.  Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the presiding person of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following:  (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) the determination of when the polls shall open and close for any given matter to be voted on at the meeting; (c) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (d) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (e) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (f) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants.  The presiding person of any meeting shall have the power to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date and time.  The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.  The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so

 

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declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered.  Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

 

Section 1.                                            Number and Election of Directors .

 

(a)                                  Subject to the special right of the holders of any class or series of stock to elect directors, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.

 

(b)                                  Directors need not be stockholders to be qualified for election or service as a director of the Corporation.

 

Section 2.                                            Duties and Powers .  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.  All matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the directors present, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or required by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL.

 

Section 3.                                            Meetings .  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or by any two or more directors.  Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each director either by mail not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time of the meeting, by telephone, facsimile or other means of electronic transmission not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the meeting, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.  Unless otherwise stated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.

 

Section 4.                                            Organization .  At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, in his or her absence, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall act as chairman of the meeting.  The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at each meeting of the Board of Directors.  In case the Secretary shall be absent from any meeting of the Board of Directors, an Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of secretary at such meeting; and in the absence from any such meeting of the Secretary and all the Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 5.                                            Resignations and Removals of Directors .  Any director of the Corporation may resign at any time, by giving notice in writing to the Chairman of the Board of

 

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Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation.  Such resignation shall take effect at the time therein specified or, if no time is specified, immediately; and, unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.  Except as otherwise required by applicable law or permitted under the Certificate of Incorporation, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed only for cause from office at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of shares entitled to be cast on the matter by the holders of all shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote in the election of directors.

 

Section 6.                                            Quorum .  Except as otherwise required by the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation, at all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors.  If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the directors then present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting of the time and place of the adjourned meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

 

Section 7.                                            Actions of the Board by Written Consent .  Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all the members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee.  Any copy, facsimile, other electronic transmission or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile, other electronic transmission or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing.

 

Section 8.                                            Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone .  Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 8 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

Section 9.                                            Compensation .  Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of the directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary for service as director, payable in cash or securities of the Company.  No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.  Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for service as committee members.

 

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Section 10.                                     Interested Directors .  No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because any such director’s or officer’s vote is counted for such purpose if: (a) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; (b) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (c) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders.  Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

 

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

 

Section 1.                                            Committees of the Board of Directors .  The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation.  The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of any such committee.  In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, and in the absence of a designation by the Board of Directors of an alternate member to replace the absent or disqualified member, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any absent or disqualified member.  Any committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it.  Each committee shall keep regular minutes and report to the Board of Directors when required.

 

Section 2.                                            Conduct of Meetings .  Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as otherwise provided herein or required by the DGCL.  Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws, in the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board of Directors conducts its business pursuant to Article III of these Bylaws.  Adequate provision shall be made for notice to members of all meetings; one third (1/3) of the members shall constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of one (1) or two (2) members, in which event one (1) member shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be

 

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determined by a majority vote of the members present. Action may be taken by any committee without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 3.                                            Audit Committee .  The Board of Directors shall have an Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) composed of three (3) or more directors, each of whom shall satisfy any securities exchange independence requirements then in effect and applicable to the Corporation. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee shall be stated in the Audit Committee’s charter, as approved by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.                                            Compensation Committee .  The Board of Directors shall have a Compensation Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) composed of three (3) or more directors, each of whom shall satisfy any securities exchange independence requirements then in effect and applicable to the Corporation. The responsibilities of the Compensation Committee shall be stated in the Compensation Committee’s charter, as approved by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.                                            Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee .  The Board of Directors shall have a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee composed of three (3) or more directors, each of whom shall satisfy any securities exchange independence requirements then in effect and applicable to the Corporation. The responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall be stated in the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s charter, as approved by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

 

Section 1.                                            General .  The Board of Directors shall elect a Chief Executive Officer and Secretary, and it may, if it so determines, choose a Chairman of the Board of Directors (who must be a director).  The Board of Directors may also choose a President, one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as it shall from time to time deem necessary or desirable. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation.  Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

Section 2.                                            Election .  The Board of Directors shall elect the officers of the Corporation who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and each officer of the Corporation shall hold office until such officer’s successor is elected and qualified, or until such officer’s earlier death, resignation or removal.  Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors.  Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors.  The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.

 

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Section 3.                                            Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation .  Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President or any other officer authorized to do so by the Board of Directors and any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present.  The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

 

Section 4.                                            Chairman of the Board of Directors .  The Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors.  Except where by law the signature of the Chief Executive Officer is required, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall possess the same power as the Chief Executive Officer to sign all contracts, certificates and other instruments of the Corporation which may be authorized by the Board of Directors.  The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.                                            Chief Executive Officer, President .  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, the Chief Executive Officer shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section.  The Chief Executive Officer shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors and, if there be one, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, have general supervision of the business of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect.  The Chief Executive Officer shall have the power to execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except that the other officers of the Corporation may sign and execute documents when so authorized by these Bylaws, the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.  The Chief Executive Officer shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned to such officer by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may also appoint a President, who may also be the Chief Executive Officer.  If the Chief Executive Officer and the President are not the same person, the Board of Directors shall determine their respective responsibilities.  At the request of the Chief Executive Officer or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or in the event of the Chief Executive Officer’s inability or refusal to act (and if there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors), the President shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 6.                                            Vice Presidents .  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, the Vice President or Vice Presidents, if any, shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section.  At the request of the Chief Executive Officer or in the Chief Executive Officer’s absence or in the event of the Chief Executive Officer’s inability or refusal to act (and if there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors and if the Chief Executive Officer and

 

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President are the same person), the Vice President, or the Vice Presidents if there are more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors), shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer.  Each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe.

 

Section 7.                                            Secretary .  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, the Secretary shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section.  The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings at such meetings in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for committees of the Board of Directors when required.  The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, under whose supervision the Secretary shall be.  The Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by the signature of the Secretary or by the signature of any such Assistant Secretary.  The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest to the affixing by such officer’s signature.  The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by the DGCL to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.

 

Section 8.                                            Treasurer .  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, the Treasurer, if any, shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section.  The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors.  The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.  If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of the Treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of the Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Treasurer’s possession or under the Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation.

 

Section 9.                                            Assistant Secretaries .  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, the Assistant Secretary, if any, shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section.  Assistant Secretaries, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Secretary, and in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of the Secretary’s inability or refusal to act, shall perform

 

17



 

the duties of the Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary.

 

Section 10.                                     Assistant Treasurers .  Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, the Assistant Treasurer, if any, shall have the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section.  Assistant Treasurers, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Treasurer, and in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of the Treasurer’s inability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer.  If required by the Board of Directors, an Assistant Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of Assistant Treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of the Assistant Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Assistant Treasurer’s possession or under the Assistant Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE VI

STOCK

 

Section 1.                                            Form of Certificates .  The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by 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 stock shall be uncertificated shares. Every holder of stock in the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation (i) by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or a Vice President and (ii) by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such stockholder in the Corporation.  Any of or all the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile.  In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.

 

Section 2.                                            Signatures .  Any or all of the signatures on a certificate may be a facsimile.  In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

Section 3.                                            Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates .  The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed.  When authorizing such issue of a new certificate, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed

 

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certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

 

Section 4.                                            Transfers .  Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by applicable law and in these Bylaws.  Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the person named as the holder thereof on the stock records of the Corporation or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and, in the case of shares represented by a certificate, upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, properly endorsed for transfer, and payment of all necessary transfer taxes; provided , however , that such surrender and endorsement or payment of taxes shall not be required in any case in which the officers of the Corporation shall determine to waive such requirement.  Every certificate exchanged, returned or surrendered to the Corporation shall be marked “Cancelled,” with the date of cancellation, by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or the transfer agent thereof.  No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred.

 

Section 5.                                            Dividend Record Date .  Except as otherwise set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action.  If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

Section 6.                                            Record Owners .  The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by the DGCL.

 

Section 7.                                            Transfer and Registry Agents .  The Corporation may from time to time maintain one or more transfer offices or agencies and registry offices or agencies at such place or places as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE VII

NOTICES

 

Section 1.                                            Notices .  Whenever written notice is required by the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, such notice may be given by mail, addressed to such director, member of a

 

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committee or stockholder, at such person’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United States mail.  Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, and except as prohibited by applicable law, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given.  Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation.  Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Corporation, within sixty (60) days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send the single notice permitted under this Section 1, shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.  Subject to the requirements of applicable law, written notice may also be given personally or by facsimile, telegram, telex, cable or other means of electronic transmission.

 

Section 2.                                            Waivers of Notice .  Whenever any notice is required by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.  Attendance of a person at a meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where the person attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.  Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual or special meeting of stockholders or any regular or special meeting of the directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice unless so required by the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE VIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 1.                                            Dividends .  The Board of Directors, subject to any restrictions contained in the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock.  Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 2.                                            Disbursements .  All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

 

Section 3.                                            Fiscal Year .  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.                                            Corporate Seal .  The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware”.  The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

 

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Section 5.                                            Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records .  Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated, or by any other person as to matters which such director or committee member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.

 

Section 6.                                            Time Periods .  In applying any provision of these Bylaws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.

 

ARTICLE IX

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 1.                                            Indemnification of Directors and Officers .  In the event a person (a “Covered Person”) was, is or becomes a party to or witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or other participant in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the Corporation serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, the Corporation shall indemnify such person to the fullest extent permitted by law against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such Covered Person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding.  The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the Covered Person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such Covered Person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Article IX, Section 2, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such Covered Person only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the Covered Person was authorized in the specific case by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.                                            Procedure for Indemnification of Directors .  Any indemnification of a Covered Person of the Corporation under Section 1 of this Article IX or advancement of expenses under Section 3 of this Article IX shall be made promptly, and in any event within thirty (30) days, upon the written request of the Covered Person.  If a determination by the Corporation that the Covered Person is entitled to indemnification or advancement pursuant to this Article IX is required, and the Corporation fails to respond within sixty (60) days to a written request for indemnity or advancement, the Corporation shall be deemed to have approved the

 

21



 

request.  If the Corporation denies a written request for indemnification or advancing of expenses, in whole or in part, or if payment in full pursuant to such request is not made within thirty (30) days, the right to indemnification or advances as granted by this Article IX shall be enforceable by the Covered Person in any court of competent jurisdiction.  Such Covered Person’s costs and expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing his or her right to indemnification or advancement of expenses, in whole or in part, in any such action shall also be indemnified by the Corporation.  It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of such defense shall be on the Corporation.  Neither the failure of the Corporation (including the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

Section 3.                                            Expenses Payable in Advance .  Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Covered Person in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding shall, to the extent permitted by law, be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article IX.  Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by Covered Persons who are former directors or officers may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Corporation deems appropriate.

 

Section 4.                                            Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses .  The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such Covered Person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that indemnification of Covered Persons shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law.  The provisions of this Article IX shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Section 1 of this Article IX but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the DGCL, or otherwise.

 

Section 5.                                            Insurance .  The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any Covered Person against any liability asserted against such Covered Person and incurred by such Covered Person in any such capacity, or arising out of such Covered Person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article IX.

 

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Section 6.                                            Certain Definitions .  For purposes of this Article IX, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors and officers, so that any person who is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article IX with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.  For purposes of this Article IX, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director or officer with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article IX.

 

Section 7.                                            Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses .  The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

Section 8.                                            Other Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses .  The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article IX to Covered Persons.  This Article IX shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons and employees and agents of the Corporation when and as authorized by appropriate corporate action.

 

Section 9.                                            Amendment or Repeal .  Any right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses of any Covered Person arising hereunder shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to or repeal of these Bylaws after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought.

 

Section 10.                                     Contract Rights .  The provisions of this Article IX shall be deemed to be a contract right between the Corporation and each Covered Person who serves in any such capacity at any time while this Article IX and the relevant provisions of the DGCL or other applicable law are in effect, and any repeal or modification of this Article IX or any such law shall not affect any rights or obligations then existing with respect to any state of facts or proceeding then existing.

 

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Section 11.                                     Other Sources .  The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any Covered Person, or any officer, employee or agent of the Corporation pursuant to Article IX, Section 8, who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity shall be reduced by any such amount such Covered Person or such officer, employee or agent of the Corporation may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit enterprise.

 

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 1.                                            Amendments .  These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed, in whole in part, or new Bylaws may be adopted only in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Section 2.                                            Entire Board of Directors .  As used in these Bylaws generally, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.

 

* * *

 

Adopted as of: October 18, 2012

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

PURSUANT TO THE

GNC HOLDINGS, INC. 2011 STOCK AND INCENTIVE PLAN

 

AGREEMENT (the “ Agreement ”), dated as of                         , 20     (the “ Grant Date ”), between GNC Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and                                  (the “ Participant ”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the GNC Holdings, Inc. 2011 Stock and Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”).

 

1.                                        Grant of Restricted Stock Units .   The Company hereby awards to the Participant [    ] restricted stock units (the “ RSUs ”) as of the Grant Date.  Each RSU represents the right to receive one share of Common Stock upon satisfaction of the vesting conditions in Section 2(a).

 

2.                                        Terms of Retricted Stock Units .

 

(a)                                   Vesting .

 

(i)             The RSUs will vest in accordance with the following schedule, provided that the Participant has not incurred a Termination prior to the applicable vesting date:

 

Vesting Date

 

Percent Vested

 

 

 

 

 

First Anniversary of Grant Date

 

33-1/3%

 

 

 

 

 

Second Anniversary of Grant Date

 

33-1/3%

 

 

 

 

 

Third Anniversary of Grant Date

 

33-1/3%

 

 

(ii)            There shall be no proportionate or partial vesting in the periods between the vesting dates and vesting shall occur only on each vesting date, provided that no Termination has occurred prior to such date.

 

(iii)           When any RSUs become vested, the Company shall promptly (and in no event later than 30 days after vesting) issue and deliver, unless the Company is using book entry, to the Participant a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant representing one share of Common Stock (a “ Share ”) for each vested RSU and deliver to the Participant any related Dividend Equivalents (as defined below), subject to applicable withholding.  Upon payment of the Shares, the vested RSUs will be deemed fully settled and will be cancelled.

 

(b)                                  Dividend Equivalents .   If the Company pays cash or stock dividends on the Common Stock, an amount equal to (i) the dollar amount of such cash dividend or (ii) the Fair Market Value of such stock dividend will be credited to a dividend book entry account on behalf of the Participant with respect to each vested and unvested RSU (a “ Dividend Equivalent ”).  Credits on account of cash dividends will be held uninvested and will not accrue interest.  Credits on account of stock dividends will be deemed to be reinvested in shares of

 

1



 

Common Stock.  All Dividend Equivalents will be paid in cash if and when the corresponding RSUs vest.

 

(c)                                   Forfeiture .   The Participant shall forfeit to the Company, without compensation, any and all unvested RSUs upon the Participant’s Termination for any reason.  Additionally, in the event the Participant engages in Detrimental Activity prior to, or during the one year period after, any vesting of RSUs, all unvested RSUs shall be immediately forfeited to the Company and the Participant shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the Fair Market Value at the time of vesting of any RSU which had vested in the period referred to above.

 

(d)                                  Withholding .   The Participant shall pay, or make arrangements to pay, in a manner satisfactory to the Company, an amount equal to the amount of all applicable foreign, federal, state, provincial and local taxes that the Company is required to withhold at any time.  In the absence of such arrangements, any statutorily required withholding obligation may, as determined at the sole discretion of the Committee, be satisfied by reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to the Participant by a number of Shares whose Fair Market Value on the applicable vesting date is equal to the amount of taxes required to be withheld (disregarding any fraction of a Share required to satisfy such tax obligations, which fractional amount due must be paid instead in cash by the Participant).

 

(e)                                   Delivery Delay .   The delivery of any certificate representing the Shares may be postponed by the Company for such period as may be required for it to comply with any applicable foreign, federal, state or provincial securities law, or any national securities exchange listing requirements, and the Company is not obligated to issue or deliver any Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such issuance or delivery constitutes a violation by the Participant or the Company of any provisions of any applicable foreign, federal, state or provincial law or of any regulations of any governmental authority or any national securities exchange.

 

3.                                        No Obligation to Continue Employment .   This Agreement is not an agreement of employment.  This Agreement does not guarantee that the Company or its Affiliates will employ or retain, or continue to, employ or retain the Participant for any period of time, nor does it modify in any respect the Company’s (or any Affiliate’s) right to terminate or modify the Participant’s employment or compensation.

 

4.                                        Transferability .   The Participant is prohibited to sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, assign or otherwise dispose of the RSUs.  Any attempted sale, transfer, pledge, hypothecation, assignment or other disposition of the RSUs in violation of the Plan or this Agreement shall be void and of no effect and the Company shall have the right to disregard the same on its books and records and to issue “stop transfer” instructions to its transfer agent.

 

5.                                        Uncertificated Shares .   Notwithstanding anything else herein, to the extent permitted under applicable foreign, federal, state or provincial law, the Company may issue the Shares in the form of uncertificated shares.  Such uncertificated shares shall be credited to a book entry account maintained by the Company (or its designee) on behalf of the Participant.  If

 

2



 

thereafter certificates are issued with respect to the uncertificated shares, such issuance and delivery of certificates shall be in accordance with the applicable terms of this Agreement.

 

6.                                        Rights as a Stockholder .   The Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares unless and until the Participant has become the holder of record of the Shares, and no adjustments will be made for dividends in cash or other property, distributions or other rights in respect of any such Shares, except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement or the Plan.

 

7.                                        Provisions of Plan Control .   This Agreement is subject to all the terms, conditions and provisions of the Plan, including, without limitation, the amendment provisions thereof, and to such rules, regulations and interpretations relating to the Plan as may be adopted by the Committee and as may be in effect from time to time.  The Plan is incorporated herein by reference.  By signing and returning this Agreement, the Participant acknowledges having received and read a copy of the Plan and agrees to comply with it, this Agreement and all applicable laws and regulations.  If and to the extent that this Agreement conflicts or is inconsistent with the terms, conditions and provisions of the Plan, the Plan shall control, and this Agreement shall be deemed to be modified accordingly.  This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreements between the Company and the Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

8.                                        Amendment To the extent applicable, the Board or the Committee may at any time and from time to time amend, in whole or in part, any or all of the provisions of this Agreement to comply with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder or any other applicable law and may also amend, suspend or terminate this Agreement subject to the terms of the Plan.  Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, no modification or waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing by the party against whom it is sought to be enforced.  This Agreement is intended to comply with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code relating to “short-term deferrals” thereunder, and shall be limited, construed and interpreted in a manner so as to comply therewith.

 

9.                                        Notices Any notice or communication given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, or by regular United States mail, first class and prepaid, to the appropriate party at the address set forth below (or such other address as the party shall from time to time specify):

 

If to the Company, to:

 

GNC Holdings, Inc.

300 Sixth Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

Attention: Chief Legal Officer

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Proskauer Rose LLP

2049 Century Park East

Suite 3200

 

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Los Angeles, California 90067
Attention: Philippa M. Bond

 

If to the Participant, to the address on file with the Company.

 

10.                                  Miscellaneous .

 

(a)                                   This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

 

(b)                                  This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of Delaware (regardless of the law that might otherwise govern under applicable Delaware principles of conflict of laws).

 

(c)                                   This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one contract.

 

(d)                                  The failure of any party hereto at any time to require performance by another party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of such party to require performance of that provision, and any waiver by any party of any breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any continuing or succeeding breach of such provision, a waiver of the provision itself, or a waiver of any right under this Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

 

GNC HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

PARTICIPANT

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Employee ID Number:

 

 

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