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): January 22, 2014

 

RCM Technologies, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Nevada

 

1-10245

 

95-1480559

(State or Other

 

(Commission File

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Jurisdiction of

 

Number)

 

Identification No.)

Incorporation)

 

 

 

 

 

2500 McClellan Avenue, Suite 350

 

 

Pennsauken, NJ

 

08109-4613

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (856) 356-4500

 

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 1.01                                            Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On January 22, 2014, RCM Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Settlement Agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) with Legion Partners Asset Management LLC and the other members of its stockholder group (collectively, the “Legion Group”).

 

The Settlement Agreement also contains various provisions regarding the Company’s corporate governance and management structure, including that (i) both of the nominees of the Legion Group elected to the Board in December 2013, Bradley S. Vizi and Roger H. Ballou, as well as the two incumbent directors whose terms will then end (Leon Kopyt and S. Gary Snodgrass), will be nominated by the Company for reelection at the Company’s 2014 annual meeting of stockholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “2014 Annual Meeting”); (ii) either Mr. Vizi or Mr. Ballou will assume the role of lead independent director by the time of the 2014 Annual Meeting, and will assume the role of Chairman of the Board prior to the end of the Standstill Period (as defined below); (iii) an additional independent member of the Board will be added prior to the end of the Standstill Period; and (iv) one of the current independent members of the Board, other than Messrs. Vizi or Ballou, will not run for re-election at the Company’s 2015 annual meeting of stockholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “2015 Annual Meeting”).

 

The Settlement Agreement also requires the Company to effect certain amendments to its Amended and Restated Bylaws (see Item 5.03 below).  In addition, the parties agree in the Settlement Agreement to a dismissal of their ongoing litigation, as well as to mutual releases and covenants not to sue.  In addition, the Company agrees in the Settlement Agreement to reimburse the Legion Group for certain of its expenses incurred in connection with its activities relating to the Company’s 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as well as the negotiation and execution of the Settlement Agreement, not to exceed $600,000 in the aggregate.

 

The Settlement Agreement contains various provisions, including “standstill” provisions that govern the activities of the Legion Group and the Company through the time of the 2014 Annual Meeting and ending on the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the deadline for the submission of stockholder nominations for the 2015 Annual Meeting.  The period ending on such date is referred to herein as the “Standstill Period.”

 

The foregoing description of the Settlement Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete Amended and Restated Bylaws, which are filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

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

 

Also on January 22, 2014, Leon Kopyt retired as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective as of February 28, 2014.  Mr. Kopyt will remain the Chairman of the Board of

 

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Directors (the “Board”) of the Company.  In connection with Mr. Kopyt’s retirement, the Company and Mr. Kopyt entered into a Separation Agreement and General Release (the “Separation Agreement”).

 

The Board has appointed Rocco Campanelli the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective as of the effective date of Mr. Kopyt’s retirement.  Mr. Campanelli, age 63, has worked with the Company and Mr. Kopyt for 18 years and has served as an Executive Vice President of RCM since 1999.  The Company and Mr. Campanelli expect to revise his compensation arrangements in order to correspond to his new duties.

 

Under the Separation Agreement, Mr. Kopyt will receive a cash severance payment of approximately $2.6 million, less applicable deductions and withholdings, which shall be paid to Mr. Kopyt in a single lump sum following the end of the six-month period from his retirement date.  In addition, Mr. Kopyt shall receive any other amounts earned, accrued or owing but not yet paid to him prior to his retirement date, not to exceed $150,000.  The Separation Agreement also contains mutual releases and other provisions customary to such agreements.

 

The foregoing description of the Separation Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete Amended and Restated Bylaws, which are filed as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

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

 

Also on January 22, 2014, the Board approved amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Existing Bylaws”) such that the Existing Bylaws shall be amended and restated (the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”) to differ from the Existing Bylaws in primarily the following respects:  (i)  a special meeting of the stockholders may be called upon the request of stockholders who hold, in the aggregate, not less than twenty percent (20%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the Company, as compared to eighty percent (80%) in the Existing Bylaws; (ii) any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the stockholders or of a class of stockholders may be taken without a meeting upon the consent of holders of record of the outstanding shares of the Company having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted (as compared to requiring unanimous consent of the stockholders); and (iii) to make certain definitional changes in terms used in the provisions relating to the nomination of candidates for election as director.

 

The foregoing description of the amendments reflected in the Amended and Restated Bylaws does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete Amended and Restated Bylaws, which are filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

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Item 7.01                                            Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

On January 23, 2014, the Company issued a press release announcing the matters described in this Current Report on Form 8-K, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 99.3 hereto.

 

Item 9.01.                                         Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a) Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.

 

None.

 

(b) Pro Forma Financial Information.

 

None.

 

(c) Shell Company Transactions.

 

None.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number

 

Exhibit Title

3.1

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of RCM Technologies, Inc., as amended and restated on January 22, 2014.

99.1

 

Settlement Agreement, dated January 23, 2014, between RCM Technologies, Inc. and the stockholders of the Company named therein.

99.2

 

Separation Agreement, dated January 23, 2014, between RCM Technologies, Inc. and Leon Kopyt.

99.3

 

Press release, dated January 23, 2014.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

RCM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Kevin Miller

 

 

Kevin Miller

 

 

Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

 

 

Dated: January 23, 2014

 

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number

 

Exhibit Title

3.1

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of RCM Technologies, Inc., as amended and restated on January 22, 2014.

99.1

 

Settlement Agreement, dated January 23, 2014, between RCM Technologies, Inc. and the stockholders of the Company named therein.

99.2

 

Separation Agreement, dated January 23, 2014, between RCM Technologies, Inc. and Leon Kopyt.

99.3

 

Press release, dated January 23, 2014.

 

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Exhibit 3.1

 

As adopted January 22, 2014

 

RCM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

(A Nevada Corporation)

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

BYLAWS

 

As Amended through January 22, 2014

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

Offices and Fiscal Year

 

Section 1.01.

Registered Office

1

Section 1.02.

Other Offices

1

Section 1.03.

Fiscal Year

1

ARTICLE II

Intentionally Deleted

 

ARTICLE III

Stockholders

 

Section 3.01.

Place of Meeting

1

Section 3.02.

Annual Meeting

1

Section 3.03.

Special Meetings

2

Section 3.04

Notice; Waiver of Notice

5

Section 3.05.

Quorum and Adjournment

5

Section 3.06.

Action by Stockholders

6

Section 3.07.

Organization

6

Section 3.08.

Voting Rights of Stockholders

6

Section 3.09.

Voting and Other Action by Proxy

6

Section 3.10.

Voting by Fiduciaries and Pledgees

7

Section 3.11.

Voting by Joint Holders of Shares

7

Section 3.12.

Voting by Entity Stockholders

7

Section 3.13.

Notice of Business to be Brought Before the Meeting

8

Section 3.14.

Conduct of Meeting

11

Section 3.15.

Determination of Stockholders of Record

12

Section 3.16.

Voting Lists

13

Section 3.18.

Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting

13

ARTICLE IV

Board of Directors

 

Section 4.01.

Powers; Personal Liability

15

Section 4.02.

Qualifications and Selection of Directors

15

Section 4.03.

Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board of Directors

16

Section 4.04.

Number and Term of Office

19

Section 4.05.

Vacancies

19

Section 4.06.

Removal of Directors by the Stockholders

20

Section 4.07.

Place of Meetings

20

Section 4.08.

Organization of Meetings

20

Section 4.09.

Regular Meetings

20

Section 4.10.

Special Meetings

20

Section 4.11.

Notice of Meetings of Board of Directors

20

Section 4.12.

Meetings Through Electronic Communications

21

Section 4.13.

Quorum of and Action by Directors

21

Section 4.14.

Committees

21

Section 4.15.

Compensation

22

ARTICLE V

Officers

 

Section 5.01.

Officers Generally

22

Section 5.02.

Election, Term of Office and Resignations

22

Section 5.03.

Other Officers, Committees and Agents

23

Section 5.04.

Removal of Officers and Agents

23

 



 

Section 5.05.

Vacancies

23

Section 5.06.

Authority

23

Section 5.07.

Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

23

Section 5.08.

President

23

Section 5.09.

Vice Presidents

24

Section 5.10.

Secretary

24

Section 5.11.

Treasurer

24

Section 5.12.

Salaries

24

ARTICLE VI

Certificates of Stock Transfer, Etc.

 

Section 6.01.

Share Certificates

25

Section 6.02.

Issuance

25

Section 6.03.

Transfer

25

Section 6.04.

Record Holder of Shares

26

Section 6.05.

Lost, Destroyed or Mutilated Certificates

26

ARTICLE VII

Indemnification

 

Section 7.01.

Indemnification and Insurance

26

Section 7.02.

Amendment

30

ARTICLE VIII

Miscellaneous

 

Section 8.01.

Corporate Seal

31

Section 8.02.

Checks

31

Section 8.03.

Contracts

31

Section 8.04.

Interested Directors or Officers; Quorum

31

Section 8.05.

Deposits

32

Section 8.06.

Changes in Nevada Law

32

Section 8.07.

Amendment of Bylaws

32

 



 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

RCM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

(A Nevada Corporation)

 

ARTICLE I

Offices and Fiscal Year

 

Section 1.01.                           Registered Office . The Registered Office of RCM Technologies, Inc. (the “ Company ”) shall be at Bank of America Plaza, Suite 800, 50 West Liberty Street, Reno, Nevada 89501 until otherwise established by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Board of Directors ”).

 

Section 1.02.                           Other Offices . The Company may have offices at such other places within or without the State of Nevada as the Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or the business of the Company may require.

 

Section 1.03.                           Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Company shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors adopted by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors at such time.

 

ARTICLE II

[Intentionally Deleted]

 

ARTICLE III

Stockholders

 

Section 3.01.                           Place of Meeting . All meetings of the stockholders of the Company shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of Nevada, as may be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors of the Company “(Directors”) (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption). The place at which any given meeting shall be held shall be specified in the notice of such meeting. Whenever the Board of Directors shall fail to fix such place, the meeting shall be held at the principal executive offices of the Company.

 

Section 3.02.                           Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company for the election of Directors and for the transaction of such other business as properly may come before such meeting shall be held either within or outside the State of Nevada on such date and at such time, as may be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption) and set forth in the notice or waiver of notice of the meeting, unless, subject to the articles of incorporation of the Company (as amended from time to time, the

 

1



 

Articles of Incorporation ”) and Section 3.18 of these Bylaws, the stockholders have acted by written consent to elect Directors as permitted by the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended from time to time (the “ NRS” ). Any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders may be postponed by action of the Board of Directors taken prior to the time previously scheduled for the meeting.

 

Section 3.03.                           Special Meetings .

 

(a)                                  Call of Special Meetings . Special meetings of the stockholders may be called by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption); or unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, upon the written request of stockholders following the receipt by the Secretary of the Company of one or more written requests to call a special meeting of the stockholders in accordance with, and subject to, this Section 3.03 from stockholders of record as of the record date fixed in accordance with Section 3.03(d) who hold, in the aggregate, not less than twenty percent (20%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the Company. The notice of a special meeting shall state the purpose or purposes of the special meeting and the business to be conducted at the special meeting shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice. Except in accordance with this Section 3.03, stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders.

 

(b)                                  No stockholder may request that the Board of Directors call a special meeting of the stockholders pursuant to Section 3.03(a) unless a stockholder of record has first submitted a request in writing to the Secretary of the Company requesting that the Board of Directors fix a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to request that the Board of Directors of the Company call such special meeting, which request shall be in proper form and delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company.

 

(c)                                   To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 3.03, a request by a stockholder for the Board of Directors to fix a record date shall set forth: (i) as to each Requesting Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 3.13(c)(1), except that for purposes of this Section 3.03 the term “Requesting Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 3.13(c)(1)); (ii) as to each Requesting Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 3.13(c)(2), except that for purposes of this Section 3.03 the term “Requesting Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 3.13(c)(2) and the disclosure in clause (F) of Section 3.13(c)(2) shall be made with respect to the business proposed to be conducted at the special meeting); and (iii) as to the purpose or purposes of the special meeting, (A) a reasonably brief description of the purpose or purposes of the special meeting and the business proposed to be conducted at the special meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the special meeting and any material interest in such business of each Requesting Person, and (B) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Requesting Persons or (y) between or among any Requesting Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the request for the special

 

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meeting or the business proposed to be conducted at the special meeting. For purposes of this Section 3.03(c), the term “ Requesting Person ” shall mean (i) the stockholder of record making the request to fix a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to request that the Board of Directors call a special meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf such request is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate of such stockholder or beneficial owner, and (iv) any other person with whom such stockholder or beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined in Section 3.13(c)).

 

(d)                                  Within ten (10) days after receipt of a request to fix a record date in proper form and otherwise in compliance with this Section 3.03 from any stockholder of record, the Board of Directors may adopt a resolution fixing a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to request that the Board of Directors call a special meeting, which date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no resolution fixing a record date has been adopted by the Board of Directors within the ten (10) day period after the date on which such a request to fix a record date was received, the record date in respect thereof shall be deemed to be the twentieth (20th) day after the date on which such a request is received. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3.03 to the contrary, no record date shall be fixed if the Board of Directors determines that the request or requests that would otherwise be submitted following such record date could not comply with the requirements set forth in clauses (ii), (iv), (v) or (vi) of Section 3.03(f).

 

(e)                                   Without qualification, a special meeting of the stockholders shall not be called pursuant to Section 3.03(a) unless stockholders of record as of the record date fixed in accordance with Section 3.03(d) who hold, in the aggregate not less than twenty percent (20%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the Company (the “Requisite Percentage”) timely provide one or more requests to call such special meeting in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company. Only stockholders of record on the record date shall be entitled to request that the Board of Directors call a special meeting of the stockholders pursuant to Section 3.03(a). To be timely, a stockholder’s request to call a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Company not later than the sixtieth (60th) day following the record date fixed in accordance with Section 3.03(d). To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 3.03, a request to call a special meeting shall set forth (i) the business proposed to be conducted at the special meeting, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), and (iii) with respect to any stockholder or stockholders submitting a request to call a special meeting (except for any stockholder that has provided such request in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A) (a “Solicited Stockholder”) the information required to be provided pursuant to this Section 3.03 of a Requesting Person. A stockholder may revoke a request to call a special meeting by written revocation delivered to the Secretary at any time prior to the special meeting. If any such revocation(s) are received by the Secretary after the Secretary’s receipt of written requests from the holders of the Requisite Percentage of stockholders, and as a result of such revocation(s), there no longer are unrevoked requests from the Requisite Percentage of stockholders to call a special meeting, the Board of Directors shall have the discretion to determine whether or not to proceed with the special meeting.

 

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(f)                                    The Secretary shall not accept, and shall consider ineffective, a written request from a stockholder to call a special meeting (i) that does not comply with this Section 3.03, (ii) that relates to an item of business to be transacted at such meeting that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law, (iii) that includes an item of business to be transacted at such meeting that did not appear on the written request that resulted in the determination of the record date (the “ Current Record Date ”) to determine the stockholders entitled to submit such written request, (iv) that relates to an item of business (other than the election of Directors) that is identical or substantially similar to an item of business (a “ Similar Item ”) for which a record date (other than the Current Record Date) was previously fixed and such request is delivered between the time beginning on the sixty-first (61st) day after such previous record date and ending on the one-year anniversary of such previous record date, (v) if a Similar Item will be submitted for stockholder approval at any stockholder meeting to be held on or before the ninetieth (90th) day after the Secretary receives such request, or (vi) if a Similar Item has been presented at the most recent annual meeting or at any special meeting held within one year prior to receipt by the Secretary of such request to call a special meeting.

 

(g)                                   After receipt of requests in proper form and in accordance with this Section 3.03 from a stockholder or stockholders holding the Requisite Percentage, the Board of Directors shall duly call, and determine the place, date and time of, a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose or purposes and to conduct the business specified in the requests received by the Company. Any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders may be postponed by action of the Board of Directors taken prior to the time previously scheduled for the meeting. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, the Board of Directors may submit its own proposal or proposals for consideration at such a special meeting. The record date for such a special meeting shall be fixed in accordance with Section 3.15 of these Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall provide written notice of such special meeting to the stockholders in accordance with Section 3.04.

 

(h)                                  In connection with a special meeting called in accordance with this Section 3.03, the stockholder or stockholders (except for any Solicited Stockholder) who requested that the Board of Directors fix a record date in accordance with this Section 3.03 or who delivered a request to call a special meeting to the Secretary shall further update and supplement the information previously provided to the Company in connection with such request or request, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such request or request pursuant to this Section 3.03 shall be true and correct as of the record date for the special meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the special meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting, or if the meeting is adjourned or postponed, on the first practicable date after any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of a date ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).

 

(i)                                      Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, the Board of Directors shall not be required to call a special meeting requested to be called pursuant to this

 

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Section 3.03 except in accordance with this Section 3.03. If the Board of Directors shall determine that any request to fix a record date or request to call and hold a special meeting was not properly made in accordance with this Section 3.03, or shall determine that the stockholder or stockholders requesting that the Board of Directors fix such record date or submitting a request to call the special meeting have not otherwise complied with this Section 3.03, then the Board of Directors shall not be required to fix a record date or to call and hold the special meeting. In addition to the requirements of this Section 3.03, each Requesting Person shall comply with all requirements of applicable law, including all requirements of the Exchange Act, with respect to any request to fix a record date or request to call a special meeting.

 

Section 3.04                              Notice; Waiver of Notice .

 

(a)                                  Notice . Written notice of every meeting of stockholders shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting by depositing in the United States mail a written or printed notice of the same not less than ten (10) days and not more than sixty (60) days prior to the day named for a meeting, with postage prepaid, addressed to each stockholder at the address registered upon the books of the Company. Every notice of a meeting of stockholders shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting of stockholders, the notice shall specify the purpose of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted.

 

(b)                                  Waiver of Notice by Attendance . Attendance of a person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting except where a person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

 

Section 3.05.                           Quorum and Adjournment .

 

(a)                                  General Rule . At all meetings of stockholders, the presence, in person or by proxy, of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes which all stockholders are entitled to cast thereat shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of consideration and action on the matter.

 

(b)                                  Withdrawal of a Quorum . The stockholders present at a duly organized meeting can continue to do business until adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

(c)                                   Adjournments . Any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, including one at which Directors are to be elected and one which cannot be organized because a quorum has not attended, may be adjourned from time to time by the chairman of the meeting or by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by stockholders upon the question who are present in person or represented by proxy, whether or not a quorum is present. At any such adjourned meeting at which the requisite amount of voting stock shall be represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.

 

(d)                                  No Additional Notice For Adjourned Stockholder Meetings . When a meeting of stockholders is adjourned it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the adjourned

 

5



 

meeting or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting, other than by announcement at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

Section 3.06.                           Action by Stockholders . Except as otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, whenever any corporate action is to be taken by vote of the stockholders of the Company, such action shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a duly organized meeting of stockholders by the holders or duly authorized proxies of shares entitled to vote thereon.

 

Section 3.07.                           Organization . At every meeting of stockholders the presiding officer shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or in the event of his or her absence or disability, the President, or in the event of both the Chairman’s and the President’s absence or disability, a presiding officer chosen by resolution of the Board of Directors adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption). The Secretary, or in the event of his or her absence or disability, the Assistant Secretary, if any, or if there be no Assistant Secretary, in the absence of the Secretary, an appointee of the presiding officer, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 3.08.                           Voting Rights of Stockholders . Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, every stockholder of the Company shall be entitled to one vote for every share standing in the name of the stockholder in the books of the Company.

 

Section 3.09.                           Voting and Other Action by Proxy .

 

(a)                                  General Rule .

 

(1)                                  Every stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person to act for the stockholder by proxy.

 

(2)                                  The presence of, or vote or other action at a meeting of stockholders, or the expression of consent or dissent to corporate action in writing, by a proxy of a stockholder shall constitute the presence of, or vote or action by, or written consent or dissent of, the stockholder.

 

(3)                                  Where two or more proxies of a stockholder are present, the Company shall, unless otherwise expressly provided in the proxy, accept as the vote of all shares represented thereby the vote cast by a majority of them and, if a majority of the proxies cannot agree whether the shares represented shall be voted or upon the manner of voting the shares, the voting of the shares shall be divided equally among those persons.

 

(b)                                  Minimum Requirements . Every proxy shall be executed in writing by the stockholder or by the duly authorized attorney-in-fact of the stockholder and filed with the Secretary of the Company. A proxy, unless coupled with an interest, shall be revocable at will, notwithstanding any other agreement or any provision in the proxy to the contrary, but the

 

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revocation of a proxy shall not be effective unless written notice thereof has been given to the Secretary.  A proxy shall not be revoked by the death or incapacity of the maker unless, before the vote is counted or the authority is exercised, written notice of the death or incapacity is given to the Secretary of the Company.

 

(c)                                   Expenses .  The Company shall pay the reasonable expenses of solicitation of votes, proxies or consents of stockholders incurred by or on behalf of the Board of Directors or its recommended nominees for election to the Board of Directors, including solicitation by professional proxy solicitors and otherwise.

 

Section 3.10.                           Voting by Fiduciaries and Pledgees .  Shares of the Company standing in the name of a trustee or other fiduciary and shares held by an assignee for the benefit of creditors or by a receiver may be voted by the trustee, fiduciary, assignee or receiver. A stockholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote the shares unless the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, or a nominee of the pledgee, but nothing in this section shall affect the validity of a proxy given to a pledgee or nominee.

 

Section 3.11.                           Voting by Joint Holders of Shares .

 

(a)                                  General Rule .  Where shares of the Company are held jointly or as tenants in common by two or more persons, as fiduciaries or otherwise:

 

(1)                                  if only one or more of such persons is present in person or by proxy, all of the shares standing in the names of such persons shall be deemed to be represented for the purpose of determining a quorum and the Company shall accept as the vote of all the shares the vote cast by a joint owner or a majority of them; and

 

(2)                                  If the persons are equally divided upon whether the shares held by them shall be voted or upon the manner of voting the shares, the voting of the shares shall be divided equally among the persons without prejudice to the rights of the joint owners or the beneficial owners thereof among themselves.

 

(b)                                  Exception .  If there has been filed with the Secretary of the Company a copy, certified by an attorney at law to be correct, of the relevant portions of the agreement under which the shares are held or the instrument by which the trust or estate was created or the order of court appointing them or of an order of court directing the voting of the shares, the persons specified as having such voting power in the document latest in date of operative effect so filed, and only those persons shall be entitled to vote the shares but only in accordance therewith.

 

Section 3.12.                           Voting by Entity Stockholders .  Any corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or other legal entity that is a stockholder of this Company may vote at meetings of stockholders of this Company by any of its officers or agents, or by proxy appointed by any officer or agent, unless some other person, by resolution of the board of directors or other governing body or person of such entity or a provision of its governing documents, a copy of which resolution or provision certified to be correct by one of its officers has been filed with the Secretary of this Company, is appointed its general or special proxy in which case that person shall be entitled to vote the shares.

 

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Section 3.13.                           Notice of Business to be Brought Before the Meeting .

 

(a)                                  At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) brought before the meeting by the Company and specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder who (A) was a stockholder of record (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such business is proposed, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Company) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 3.13 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 3.13 as to such business. Except for proposals properly made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “ Exchange Act ”), and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting of stockholders (other than procedural matters and matters relating to the conduct of the meeting) are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 3.03. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board of Directors must comply with Section 4.03 and this Section 3.13 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 4.03.

 

(b)                                  Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Company and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 3.13. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Company not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting; provided , however , that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting is called for a date that is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made (such notice within such time periods, “ Timely Notice ”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement (or the public announcement thereof) of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

 

(c)                                   To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 3.13, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the Company shall set forth:

 

(1)                                  As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that

 

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appear on the Company’s books and records); (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Company that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Persons, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Company as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future; and (C) a representation that such Proposing Person intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C) are referred to as “ Stockholder Information ”);

 

(2)                                  As to each Proposing Person, (A) any derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to give such Proposing Person economic risk similar to ownership of shares of any class or series of the Company, including due to the fact that the value of such derivative, swap or other transactions are determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any shares of any class or series of the Company, or which derivative, swap or other transactions provide, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any increase in the price or value of shares of any class or series of the Company (“ Synthetic Equity Interests ”), which Synthetic Equity Interests shall be disclosed without regard to whether (x) the derivative, swap or other transactions convey any voting rights in such shares to such Proposing Person, (y) the derivative, swap or other transactions are required to be, or are capable of being, settled through delivery of such shares or (z) such Proposing Person may have entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such derivative, swap or other transactions, (B) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such Proposing Person has or shares a right to vote any shares of any class or series of the Company, (C) any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship, including any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such Proposing Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of shares of any class or series of the Company by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposing Person with respect to the shares of any class or series of the Company, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of the shares of any class or series of the Company (“ Short Interests ”), (D) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of the Company owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Company, (E) any performance related fees (other than an asset based fee) that such Proposing Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the price or value of shares of any class or series of the Company, or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests, if any, and (F) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made

 

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pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (F) are referred to as “ Disclosable Interests ”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course of business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

 

(3)                                  As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a reasonably brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), and (C) a reasonably detailed description of all direct and indirect compensation or other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder, including without limitation any agreements that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 5 or Item 6 of a Schedule 13D that would be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act (regardless of whether the requirement to file a Schedule 13D is applicable to the Proposing Person or other person or entity).

 

For purposes of this Section 3.13, the term “ Proposing Person ” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate (each within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act for purposes of these Bylaws) of such stockholder or beneficial owner, and (iv) any other person with whom such stockholder or beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined below). A person shall be deemed to be “ Acting in Concert ” with another person for purposes of these Bylaws if such persons would be deemed a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

 

(d)                                  A stockholder providing notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 3.13 shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting, or if the meeting is adjourned or postponed, on the first practicable date after any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of a date ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).

 

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(e)                                   If the information submitted pursuant to this Section 3.13 by any stockholder proposing business for consideration at an annual meeting shall be inaccurate to any material extent, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 3.13. Upon written request by the Secretary, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, any stockholder proposing business for consideration at an annual meeting shall provide, within five (5) business days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), written verification, satisfactory in the discretion of the Board of Directors, any committee thereof or any authorized officer of the Company, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 3.13. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification within such period, the information as to which written verification was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 3.13.

 

(f)                                    Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting except in accordance with this Section 3.13. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 3.13, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

 

(g)                                   This Section 3.13 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. In addition to the requirements of this Section 3.13 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 3.13 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Company’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. Nor shall anything in this Section 3.13 or any other provision of these Bylaws be construed to permit any stockholder, or give any stockholder the right, to include or have disseminated or described in the Company’s proxy statement any nomination of director or directors any other business proposal.

 

(h)                                  For purposes of these By laws, “ public disclosure ” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or in a notice pursuant to the applicable rules of an exchange on which the securities of the Company are listed.

 

Section 3.14.                           Conduct of Meeting . To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules, regulations and procedures for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting. Subject to such rules, regulations and procedures of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of such chairman, are deemed necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations and procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) establishing an

 

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agenda for the meeting and the order for the consideration of the items of business on such agenda; (ii) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (iii) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Company entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized proxies or other such persons as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (iv) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Company entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies or other such persons as the chairman of the meeting may determine to recognize and, as a condition to recognizing any such participant, requiring such participant to provide the chairman of the meeting with evidence of his or her name and affiliation, whether he or she is a stockholder or a proxy for a stockholder, and the class and series and number of shares of each class and series of capital stock of the Company which are owned beneficially and/or of record by such stockholder; (v) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (vi) determining when the polls should be opened and closed for voting; (vii) taking such actions as are necessary or appropriate to maintain order, decorum, safety and security at the meeting; (viii) removing any stockholder who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as established by the chairman of the meeting; and (ix) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

Section 3.15.                           Determination of Stockholders of Record .

 

(a)                                  Fixing Record Date .  The Board of Directors may fix a time prior to the date of any meeting of stockholders as a record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, the meeting, which time, except in the case of an adjourned meeting, shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the meeting of stockholders. Only stockholders of record on the date fixed shall be so entitled notwithstanding any transfer of shares on the books of the Company after any record date fixed as provided in this subsection. The Board of Directors may similarly fix a record date for the determination of stockholders of record for any other purpose. When a determination of stockholders of record has been made as provided in this section for purposes of a meeting, the determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof unless the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

(b)                                  Determination When No Record Date Fixed . If a record date is not fixed:

 

(1)                                  The record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of 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 immediately preceding the day on which the meeting is held.

 

(2)                                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the record date for determining those stockholders entitled to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, shall be determined exclusively in accordance with Section 3.18(b) of these Bylaws.

 

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(3)                                  The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

Section 3.16.                           Voting Lists .

 

(a)                                  General Rule .  The officer or agent having charge of the transfer books for shares of the Company shall make a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order, with the address of and number of shares held by each. The list shall be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and be subject to the inspection of any stockholder during the meeting for the purposes thereof.  Nothing contained in this Section 3.16 shall require the Company to include electronic mail addresses or other contact information on such list.

 

(b)                                  Effect of List .  Failure to comply with the requirements of this Section shall not affect the validity of any action taken at a meeting prior to a demand at the meeting by any stockholder entitled to vote thereat to examine the list. The original share register or transfer book, or a duplicate thereof kept at the Registered Office of the Company, or at such other place as determined by the Board of Directors, shall be prima facie evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list or share register or transfer book or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

Section 3.17.                           Inspectors of Election . Preceding any meeting of the stockholders, the Board of Directors may, and when required by law shall, appoint one or more persons to act as inspector(s) of elections who may be employees of the Company, and may designate one or more alternate inspector(s) of elections.  If no inspector of election or alternate so appointed by the Board of Directors is able to act, or if no inspector of election or alternate has been appointed and the appointment of an inspector of elections is required by law, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors of elections to act at the meeting.  No Director or nominee for the office of Director shall be appointed as an inspector of elections.  Each inspector of elections, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of an inspector of elections, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector of elections with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability.  The inspectors of elections shall discharge their duties in accordance with the requirements of applicable law.

 

Section 3.18.                           Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting .

 

(a)                                  Subject to the requirements of this Section 3.18, any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the stockholders or of a class of stockholders may be taken without a meeting only if, prior or subsequent to the action, a consent or consents thereto, setting forth the action so taken are (i) signed by the holders of record of the outstanding shares of the Company having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted; and (ii) delivered to the Company by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to its registered office in the State of Nevada, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Company having custody of the book in which proceedings

 

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of meetings of stockholders are recorded within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated valid consent so delivered to the Company.

 

(b)                                  Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders give consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting pursuant to this Section 3.18 shall first request in writing that the Board of Directors fix a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to give consent to such corporate action, which request shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary to the principal executive offices of the Company (the “ Consent Record Date Request Notice ”). Within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of a Consent Record Date Request Notice in proper form and otherwise in compliance with this Section 3.18 from any such stockholder, the Board of Directors may adopt a resolution fixing a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to give consent to such corporate action, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors (the “ Resolution Adoption Date ”), and which record date shall not be more than ten (10) calendar days after the Resolution Adoption Date.  If no resolution fixing a record date has been adopted by the Board of Directors within such ten (10) calendar day period after the date on which a Consent Record Date Request Notice is received, then: (i) if the NRS does not require action by the Board of Directors prior to the proposed stockholder action, the record date 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 Company at any of the locations referred to in Section 3.18(a)(ii) of these Bylaws; and (ii) if the NRS requires action by the Board of Directors prior to the proposed stockholder action, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.  Every written consent to action without a meeting shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and shall be valid if timely delivered to the Company in the manner prescribed by Section 3.18(a)(ii) of these Bylaws. Only stockholders of record on the record date shall be entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting.

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no action may be taken by the stockholders by written consent except in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation and this Section 3.18.  If the Board of Directors shall determine that any request to fix a record date or to take stockholder action by written consent was not properly made in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation and this Section 3.18, or the stockholder or stockholders seeking to take such action do not otherwise comply with the Articles of Incorporation and this Section 3.18, then the Board of Directors shall not be required to fix a record date and any such purported action by written consent shall be null and void to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

(d)                                  In addition to the requirements of this Section 3.18 with respect to stockholders seeking to take an action by written consent, each stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall comply with all requirements of applicable law, including all requirements of the Exchange Act, with respect to such action.

 

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ARTICLE IV

Board of Directors

 

Section 4.01.                           Powers; Personal Liability .

 

(a)                                  General Rule .  Unless otherwise provided by statute all powers vested by law in the Company shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Company shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors.

 

(b)                                  Regulations . To the extent consistent with applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings of the Board of Directors and for the management of the affairs and business of the Company as the Board of Directors may deem appropriate.

 

(c)                                   Notation of Dissent .  A Director who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors, or of a committee of the Board of Directors, at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his or her dissent is entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless the Director files a written dissent to the action with the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or transmits the dissent in writing to the Secretary of the Company immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. The right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favor of the action. Nothing in this Section shall bar a Director from asserting that the minutes of the meeting incorrectly omitted his or her dissent if, promptly upon receipt of a copy of such minutes, the Director notifies the Secretary, in writing, of the asserted omission or inaccuracy.

 

Section 4.02.                           Qualifications and Selection of Directors .

 

(a)                                  Qualifications .  Each Director of the Company shall be a natural person of at least 18 years of age who need not be a resident of the State of Nevada or a stockholder of the Company.

 

(b)                                  Power to Select Directors .  Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, Directors of the Company shall be elected by the stockholders.

 

(c)                                   Election of Directors .  Each candidate for Director shall be elected Director by the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast with respect to such candidate at any meeting for the election of Directors at which a quorum is present; provided , however , that Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at any meeting of stockholders for which (i) the Secretary of the Company receives a notice that a stockholder has nominated a person for election to the Board of Directors in compliance with Article IV, Section 4.03 of these Bylaws, (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn by such stockholder on or before the tenth day before the Company first mails its notice of meeting for such meeting to the stockholders, and (iii) the number of director nominees exceeds the number of Directors to be elected at the meeting (any such election, a “ Contested Election ”).  For purposes of this Section 4.02(c), election by “the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast” means the votes cast “for” a candidate’s election must exceed the votes cast “against” that candidate’s election.  If Directors

 

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are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, stockholders shall not be permitted to vote against a candidate.

 

Section 4.03.                           Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board of Directors .

 

(a)                                  Nominations of any person for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of Directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting in accordance with Section 3.03) may be made at such meeting only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, including by any committee or persons appointed by the Board of Directors, or (ii) by a stockholder who (A) was a stockholder of record (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf such nomination is proposed to be made, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Company) both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 4.03 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 4.03 as to such nomination. The foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting or special meeting.

 

(b)                                  Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 3.13(b)) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Company and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 4.03. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.03 to the contrary, in the event that the number of Directors to be elected to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting is increased and there is no public disclosure by the Company, naming all of the nominees for Directors or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors, at least one-hundred (100) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 4.03 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public disclosure is first made. Without qualification, if the election of Directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board of Directors at a special meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company, and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 4.03. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Company at its principal executive offices not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 3.13(h)) of the date of such special meeting was first made. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

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(c)                                   To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 4.03, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the Company shall set forth:

 

(1)                                  As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 3.13(c)(1), except that for purposes of this Section 4.03 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 3.13(c)(1) and the representation in clause (C) of Section 3.13(c)(i) shall be as to whether the Nominating Person intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to present the nomination;

 

(2)                                  As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 3.13(c)(2), except that for purposes of this Section 4.03 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 3.13(c)(2) and the disclosure in clause (F) of Section 3.13(c)(2) shall be made with respect to the election of Directors at the meeting);

 

(3)                                  As to each person whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a Director, (A) all information with respect to such proposed nominee that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 4.03 if such proposed nominee were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such proposed nominee that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of Directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such proposed nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Director if elected), (C) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, his or her respective affiliates and associates and any other persons with whom such proposed nominee (or any of his or her respective affiliates and associates) is Acting in Concert (as defined in Section 3.13(c)), on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the proposed nominee were a Director or executive officer of such registrant, and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 4.03(g); and

 

(4)                                  The Company may reasonably require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information (A) as may reasonably be required by the Company to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent Director of the Company in accordance with the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or (B) that could be material to a stockholder’s understanding of the independence or lack of independence of such proposed nominee.

 

For purposes of this Section 4.03, the term “ Nominating Person ” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed

 

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to be made at the meeting is made, (iii) any affiliate or associate of such stockholder or beneficial owner, and (iv) any other person with whom such stockholder or such beneficial owner (or any of their respective affiliates or associates) is Acting in Concert.

 

(d)                                  A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting, or if the meeting is adjourned or postponed, on the first practicable date after any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of a date ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).

 

(e)                                   If the information submitted pursuant to this Section 4.03 by any stockholder proposing business for consideration at an annual meeting shall be inaccurate to any material extent, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 4.03. Upon written request by the Secretary, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, any stockholder proposing business for consideration at an annual meeting shall provide, within five (5) business days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), written verification, satisfactory in the discretion of the Board of Directors, any committee thereof or any authorized officer of the Company, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 4.03. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification within such period, the information as to which written verification was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 4.03.

 

(f)                                    Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no person shall be eligible for election as a Director of the Company unless nominated in accordance with this Section 4.03. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with this Section 4.03, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.

 

(g)                                   To be eligible to be a nominee for election as a Director of the Company, the proposed nominee must deliver (in accordance with the time periods prescribed for delivery of notice under this Section 4.03 to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company) a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such proposed nominee (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary upon written request) and a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the Secretary upon written request) that such proposed nominee (i) is not and will not become a party to (A) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a Director of the Company, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “ Voting Commitment ”) that has not been disclosed to the

 

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Company or (B) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a Director of the Company, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (ii) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Company with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a Director that has not been disclosed to the Company and (iii) in such proposed nominee’s individual capacity and on behalf of the stockholder (or the beneficial owner, if different) on whose behalf the nomination is made, would be in compliance, if elected as a Director of the Company, and will comply with applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, code of conduct and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Company.

 

(h)                                  In addition to the requirements of this Section 4.03 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

 

Section 4.04.                           Number and Term of Office .

 

(a)                                  Number .  The Board of Directors shall consist of such number of Directors, not less than three (3) nor more than nine (9), the exact number within said limits to be fixed from time to time solely by resolution of the Board of Directors adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time of any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption).

 

(b)                                  Term of Office .  Beginning with the annual meeting of stockholders that is held in calendar year 2013 (the “ 2013 Annual Meeting ”), and at each annual meeting of stockholders thereafter, Directors shall be elected annually for terms expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until such Directors’ successors have been elected and qualified; provided, however, that any Director in office immediately prior to the 2013 Annual Meeting who was elected to a term that expires at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in calendar year 2014 or calendar year 2015 shall continue to hold such office until the end of the terms for which such Director was elected and until such Director’s successors shall have been elected and qualified.  A decrease in the number of Directors shall not have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent Director.

 

(c)                                   Resignation .  Any Director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Company. The resignation shall be effective upon receipt thereof by the Company or at such subsequent time as shall be specified in the notice of resignation.

 

Section 4.05.                           Vacancies . Any vacancy in the Board of Directors that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any Director or from any other cause or newly created directorship shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Director.  Any Director filling a vacancy shall be of the same class as that of the Director whose death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other event caused the vacancy, and any Director filling a newly created directorship shall be of the class specified by the Board of Directors at the

 

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time the newly created directorship was created.  A Director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until his or her successor has been elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

Section 4.06.                           Removal of Directors by the Stockholders .  The entire Board of Directors, or any individual Director, may be removed from office by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of the combined voting power of all the then issued and outstanding shares of stock of all classes and series of the Company entitled to vote generally for the election of Directors, thereon, voting together as a single class, with or without assigning any cause.

 

Section 4.07.                           Place of Meetings .  Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at the Company’s executive offices, or at such place as the Board of Directors may from time to time appoint or as may be designated in the notice of the meeting.

 

Section 4.08.                           Organization of Meetings .  At every meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman, if there be one, or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, one of the following officers present in the order stated: the Vice Chairman, if there be one, the President, the Vice Presidents in their order of rank and seniority, or a person chosen by a majority of the Directors present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The Secretary, or, in the absence of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary and the Assistant Secretaries, any person appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 4.09.                           Regular Meetings .  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.10.                           Special Meetings .  Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held whenever called by the Chairman or by a majority of the Directors in office.

 

Section 4.11.                           Notice of Meetings of Board of Directors .

 

(a)                                  No notice shall be required of any annual or regular meeting of the Board of Directors unless the time and place has been changed from that last designated by the Board of Directors.

 

(b)                                  Notice of any annual or regular meeting, when required, or of any special meeting of the Board of Directors, shall be given by the Secretary of the Company to each Director by personally delivering, mailing, faxing or otherwise electronically transmitting the same, or by telephone, at least 24 hours before the time fixed for the meeting. Such notice shall state the place and hour of the meeting, but need not include a statement of the business to be transacted at, or the purpose of, any such meeting.  In the absence of written instructions from a Director designating some other address, notice shall be sufficiently given if addressed to him at his usual business address.

 

(c)                                   Notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof need not be given to any Director if waived by such Director in writing, or by facsimile,

 

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or electronic mail, whether before or after such meeting be held, or if he or she shall be present at the meeting; and any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof shall be a legal meeting without any notice thereof having been given, if all the members shall be present thereat.

 

Section 4.12.                           Meetings Through Electronic Communications .  Members of the Board of Directors or of any committee designated by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by any means of electronic communications, videoconferencing, teleconferencing or other available technology permitted under the NRS (including, without limitation, a telephone conference or similar method of communication by which all individuals participating in the meeting can hear each other) and utilized by the Company.  If any such means are utilized, the Company shall, to the extent required under the NRS, implement reasonable measures to (a) verify the identity of each person participating through such means as a Director or member of the committee, as the case may be, and (b) provide the Directors or members of the committee a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the Directors or members of the committee, including an opportunity to communicate, and to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting in a substantially concurrent manner with such proceedings.  Participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 4.12 constitutes presence in person at the meeting.

 

Section 4.13.                           Quorum of and Action by Directors .

 

(a)                                  General Rule .  At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the presence of a majority of the total authorized number of Directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time of such meeting) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  The acts of a majority of the Directors present and voting at a meeting where a quorum is present shall be the acts of the Board of Directors.

 

(b)                                  Action by Written Consent .  Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Directors may be taken without a meeting if, prior or subsequent to the action, a consent or consents thereto signed by all of the Directors in office is filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.14.                           Committees .

 

(a)                                  Establishment and Powers .  The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Directors in office (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption), establish one or more committees to consist of one or more Directors of the Company. Any committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all of the powers and authority of the Board of Directors.

 

(b)                                  Alternate Committee Members .  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 the committee or for the purposes of any written action by the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member and alternate member or members of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from

 

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voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another Director to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

 

(c)                                   Term .  Each committee of the Board of Directors shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

 

(d)                                  Committee Procedures .  The term “Board of Directors” when used in any provision of these Bylaws relating to the organization or procedures of or the manner of taking action by the Board of Directors, shall be construed to include and refer to any committee of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.15.                           Compensation .  The Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of Directors for their services as Directors and a Director may be a salaried officer of the Company.

 

Section 4.16.                           Reliance on Accounts and Reports, etc.   A Director, as such or as a member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, shall in the performance of his or her duties be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Company and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Company by any of the Company’s officers or employees, or committees designated by the Board of Directors, or by any other person as to the matters the 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 Company.

 

ARTICLE V

Officers

 

Section 5.01.                           Officers Generally .

 

(a)                                  Number, Qualifications and Designation .  The officers of the Company shall be a President, one or more Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer (or the equivalents of such offices) and such other officers as may be elected in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.03. Officers may but need not be Directors or stockholders of the Company. The President, Treasurer, Secretary and all other officers of the Company shall be natural persons of full age. The Board of Directors may elect from among its members a Chairman and Vice Chairman who shall be officers of the Company. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

 

(b)                                  Bonding .  The Company may secure the fidelity of any or all of its officers by bond or otherwise.

 

Section 5.02.                           Election, Term of Office and Resignations .

 

(a)                                  Election and Term of Office .  The officers of the Company, except those elected by delegated authority pursuant to Section 5.03, shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors and each such officer shall hold office for a term of one year and until a successor has

 

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been selected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. The Board of Directors, as soon as may be done after each annual meeting of stockholders and election, shall choose a President, Secretary and Treasurer and from time to time one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, and may appoint such other officers, agents and employees as it may deem proper. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.

 

(b)                                  Resignations .  Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Company. The resignation shall be effective upon its receipt by the Company or at such subsequent time as may be specified in the notice of resignation.

 

Section 5.03.                           Other Officers, Committees and Agents .  The Board of Directors may from time to time elect such other officers and appoint such committees, employees or other agents as the business of the Company may require, including a Chief Financial Officer, an Executive Vice President, a Chief Operating Officer and one or more Assistant Secretaries, each of whom shall hold office for such period, have such authority and perform such duties as are provided in these Bylaws, or as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. The Board of Directors may delegate to any officer or committee the power to elect subordinate officers and to retain or appoint employees or other agents, or committees thereof, and to prescribe the authority and duties of such subordinate officers, committees, employees or other agents.

 

Section 5.04.                           Removal of Officers and Agents .  Any officer or agent of the Company may be removed by the Board of Directors with or without cause. The removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of any person so removed. Election or appointment of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights.

 

Section 5.05.                           Vacancies .  A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or any other cause may be filled by the Board of Directors or by the officer or committee to which the power to fill such office has been delegated pursuant to Section 5.03, as the case may be, and if the office is one for which these Bylaws prescribe a term, shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term.

 

Section 5.06.                           Authority .  All officers of the Company, as between themselves and the Company, shall have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the Company as may be provided by or pursuant to resolutions or orders of the Board of Directors or, in the absence of controlling provisions in the resolutions or orders of the Board of Directors, as may be determined by or pursuant to these Bylaws.

 

Section 5.07.                           Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors .  The Chairman, or in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be requested by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.08.                           President .  The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Company and shall have general supervision over its business and subject however, to the control of the Board of Directors. The President shall sign, execute, and acknowledge, in the name of the Company, deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments authorized by the

 

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Board of Directors, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or law to some other officer or agent of the Company and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of President and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.09.                           Vice Presidents .  The Vice Presidents shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to them by the Board of Directors or the President. The Vice Presidents may sign, execute, and acknowledge, in the name of the Company, deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments authorized by the Board of Directors, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or law to some other officer or agent of the Company.

 

Section 5.10.                           Secretary .  The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and Board of Directors and record the votes of stockholders and Directors, the minutes of the meetings of stockholders, Board of Directors and of committees of the Board of Directors in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; ensure notices are given and records and reports properly kept and filed by the Company as required by law; serve as custodian of the seal of the Company and ensure it is affixed to all documents to be executed on behalf of the Company under seal; and, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors or the President.

 

Section 5.11.                           Treasurer .  The Treasurer shall have or provide for the custody of the funds or other property of the Company; collect and receive or provide for the collection and receipt of moneys earned by or in any manner due to or received by the Company; deposit all funds in his or her custody as Treasurer in such banks or other places of deposit as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate; whenever so required by the Board of Directors, render an account showing all transactions as Treasurer, and the financial condition of the Company; and, in general, discharge such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors or the President. The Treasurer may sign, execute and acknowledge in the name of the Company deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments authorized by the Board of Directors, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or law to some other officer or agent of the Company.

 

Section 5.12.                           Salaries .  The salaries of the officers elected by the Board of Directors shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors or by such officer as may be designated by resolution of the Board of Directors. The salaries or other compensation of any other officers, employees and other agents shall be fixed from time to time by the officer or committee to which the power to elect such officers or to retain or appoint such employees or other agents has been delegated pursuant to Section 5.03. No officer shall be prevented from receiving a salary or other compensation by reason of the fact the officer is also a Director of the Company.

 

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ARTICLE VI

Certificates of Stock Transfer, Etc.

 

Section 6.01.                           Share Certificates .

 

(a)                                  Form of Certificates .  Shares of the Company may be certified or uncertificated, as provided under Nevada law, and this Section 6.01(a) of this Article VI shall not be interpreted to limit the authority of the Directors to issue some or all of any of the classes or series of shares of the Company without certificates.

 

To the extent certificates for shares are issued, such certificates shall be in the form as approved by the Board of Directors and state the Company is incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada, the name of the person to whom issued and the number and class of shares and the designation of the series (if any) the certificate represents.  If the Company is authorized to issue shares of more than one class or series, certificate for shares of the Company shall set forth upon the face or back of the certificate(or shall state on the face or back of the certificate that the Company will furnish to any stockholder upon request and without charge), a full or summary statement of the designations, voting rights, preferences, limitations and special rights of the shares of each class or series authorized to be issued so far as they have been fixed and determined and the authority of the Board of Directors to fix and determine the designations, voting rights, preferences, limitations and special rights of the classes and series of shares of the Company.

 

In the case of shares issued without certificates, the Company will, within a reasonable time after such issuance, send the holders of such shares a written statement containing the information specified in the preceding paragraph. At least annually thereafter, the Company shall provide to its stockholders of record a written statement confirming the information contained in the informational statement sent pursuant to the preceding sentence.

 

(b)                                  Share Register .  The share register or transfer books and blank share certificates shall be kept by the Secretary or by any transfer agent or registrar designated by the Board of Directors for that purpose.

 

Section 6.02.                           Issuance .  The share certificates of the Company shall be numbered and registered in the share register or transfer books of the Company as they are issued. They shall be executed in such manner as the Board of Directors shall determine.

 

Section 6.03.                           Transfer .  Transfers of shares shall be made on the share register or transfer books of the Company upon surrender of the certificate therefore, endorsed by the person named in the certificate or by an attorney lawfully constituted in writing; provided, that in the case of shares that are not represented by a certificate, no delivery of a certificate shall be required and transfers shall be made on the share register or transfer books of the Company only by the record holder of such shares or by an attorney lawfully constituted in writing.  No transfers shall be made inconsistent with the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, its amendments and supplements.

 

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Section 6.04.                           Record Holder of Shares .  The Company shall be entitled to treat the person in whose name any share or shares of the Company stand on its books as the absolute owner thereof, 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.

 

Section 6.05.                           Lost, Destroyed or Mutilated Certificates .  The holder of any shares of the Company shall immediately notify the Company of any loss, destruction or mutilation of the certificate therefor, and the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, cause a new certificate or certificates to be issued to such holder, in case of mutilation of the certificate, upon the surrender of the mutilated certificate or in case of loss or destruction of the certificate, upon satisfactory proof of such loss or destruction, and if the Board of Directors shall so determine, the deposit of a bond in such form and in such sum, and with such surety or sureties, as it may direct.

 

ARTICLE VII

Indemnification

 

Section 7.01.                           Indemnification and Insurance .

 

(a)                                  Indemnification of Directors and Officers .

 

(1)                                  For purposes of this Article VII, (A) “ Indemnitee ” shall mean any Director or officer of the Company who was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is otherwise involved in, any Proceeding (as hereinafter defined), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, as a Director, officer, trustee, administrator, partner, member, managing member, manager, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company (or was a director, officer, trustee, administrator, partner, member, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any predecessor thereto), or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, administrator, partner, member, managing member, manager, fiduciary, employee or agent of, or in any other capacity for, another domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, or other enterprise (collectively, “ Other Enterprise ”) (such service, for the Company or an Other Enterprise, referred to herein as an “ Official Capacity ”); (B) “ Proceeding ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, investigation, inquiry, hearing, arbitration, other alternative dispute mechanism or any other proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, legislative or otherwise and whether formal or informal (including, without limitation, an action, suit or proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including any counterclaim (permissive or compulsory), cross-claim or third-party action brought by the Indemnitee in connection therewith or arising out of or related to the facts that are the subject matter of the claim or action against the Indemnitee; and (C) “ Expenses ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, all direct and indirect losses, liabilities, expenses actually incurred, including fees and expenses of attorneys, fees and expenses of accountants, fees and expenses of public relations consultants and other advisors, court costs, transcript costs, fees and expenses of experts, witness fees and expenses, travel expenses, printing

 

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and binding costs, telephone charges, delivery service fees, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any bond (including cost bonds, appraisal bonds, or their equivalents), ERISA excise taxes and penalties, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred, in connection with (i) the investigation, prosecution, defense, appeal or settlement of a Proceeding, (ii) serving as an actual or prospective witness, or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding, or other participation in, or other preparation for, any Proceeding, (iii) any voluntary or required interviews or depositions related to a Proceeding, and (iv) responding to, or objecting to, a request to provide discovery in any Proceeding.  “ Expenses ” shall also include (A) any federal, state, local and foreign taxes imposed on such person as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Article VII and (B) attorneys’ fees and any Expenses of establishing a right to indemnification under subsection (3) of this Section 7.01(a).

 

(2)                                  The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada Law (as defined below) as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide broader indemnification than said law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnitee who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is otherwise involved in, any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding, arising out of, or in any way related to, the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was or has agreed to serve in an Official Capacity), or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Company in an Official Capacity of an Other Enterprise, in each case whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action or omission to take action in an Official Capacity or in any other capacity while serving in an Official Capacity and whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Article VII, against all Expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually incurred in connection with such Proceeding; provided that such Indemnitee either is not liable pursuant to Section 78.138 of the Nevada Revised Statutes or acted in good faith and in a manner such Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any Proceeding that is criminal in nature, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

(3)                                  For purposes of any determination as to whether indemnification is proper under the circumstances because an Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct required by this Section 7.01, an Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if the action or failure to act is based on (i) the records or books of account of the Company or an Other Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to such person by the officers of the Company or an Other Enterprise in the course of their duties, (ii) the advice of legal counsel for the Company or an Other Enterprise, or (iii) information or records given or reports made to the Company or an Other Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant, independent financial adviser, appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or an Other Enterprise, except to the extent that the Indemnitee knew or had reason to know that such records or books of account of the Company or an Other Enterprise,

 

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information supplied by the officers of the Company or an Other Enterprise, advice of legal counsel or information or records given or reports made by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert were materially false or materially inaccurate. The provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which an Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(4)                                  The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, does not, of itself, create a presumption that the Indemnitee is liable pursuant to Section 78.138 of the Nevada Revised Statutes or did not act in good faith and in a manner in which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or that, with respect to any criminal proceeding, he or she had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

(5)                                  The Company shall not indemnify an Indemnitee for any claim, issue or matter as to which the Indemnitee has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the Company or for any amounts paid in settlement to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such amounts as the court deems proper.  Except as so ordered by a court and for advancement of Expenses pursuant to this Section 7.01, indemnification may not be made to or on behalf of an Indemnitee if a final adjudication establishes that his or her acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law and was material to the cause of action. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in these Bylaws, no Director or officer may be indemnified for expenses incurred in defending any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding (including without limitation, an action, suit or proceeding by or in the right of the Company), whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, that such Director or officer incurred in his or her capacity as a stockholder.

 

(b)                                  Continuation of Indemnification . Indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.01 shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a Director or officer of the Company (or director, officer, partner, member, manager or managing member of its predecessor entity, if any), or a director, officer, employee, agent, partner, member, manager or fiduciary of, or to serve in any other capacity for, any Other Enterprise and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such Indemnitee.

 

(c)                                   Advancement of Expenses . Expenses incurred in defending any Proceeding shall be paid by the Company or through insurance purchased and maintained by the Company or through other financial arrangements made by the Company, as such expenses are incurred and in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amounts advanced only if, and only to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision of a court of competent jurisdiction from which there is no further right of appeal that he or she is not entitled

 

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to be indemnified by the Company. The Indemnitee’s undertaking to repay the Company any amounts advanced for Expenses shall not be required to be secured and shall not bear interest. Advancements shall be made without regard to the Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to the Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of these Bylaws. The Company shall not impose on the indemnified party additional conditions to the advancement of Expenses or require from the indemnified party additional undertakings regarding repayment.  Advancements of Expenses pursuant to this subsection shall not require approval of the Board of Directors or the stockholders of the Company, or of any other person or body. The Secretary shall promptly advise the Board of Directors in writing of the request for advancement of Expenses, of the amount and other details of the request and of the undertaking to make repayment provided pursuant to this subsection.  Advancements of Expenses shall be made within seven (7) calendar days after receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advancements from time to time.  Advancements of Expenses shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advancements claimed.

 

(d)                                  Contract Rights . The rights to indemnification and advancement of Expenses conferred upon indemnified persons in this Article VII shall be contract rights that vest immediately upon the commencement of such person’s service to the Company or, at the request of the Company, to an Other Enterprise.

 

(e)                                   Reliance .  Persons who after the date of the adoption of this provision in Article VII serve or continue to serve the Company in an Official Capacity or who, while serving in an Official Capacity, serve or continue to serve in an Official Capacity for an Other Enterprise, shall be conclusively presumed to have relied on the rights to indemnification and advancement of Expenses contained in this Article VII.

 

(f)                                    No Imputation .  The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other officer, Director, employee or agent of the Company or an Other Enterprise shall not be imputed to an Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Section 7.1.

 

(g)                                   Indemnification of Other Persons .  The Company may, by action of its Board of Directors and except as provided in such action to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada Law as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, indemnify other persons as though they were Indemnitees. Furthermore, the provisions of this Article VII do not affect any rights to advancement of Expenses to which Company personnel other than Directors or officers may be entitled under any contract or otherwise by law.

 

(h)                                  Non-Exclusivity of Rights .  The rights to indemnification provided in this Article VII does not exclude any other rights to which an Indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise, for either an action in the Indemnitee’s Official Capacity or an action in another capacity while holding office.

 

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(i)                                      Insurance .  The Company may purchase and maintain insurance or make other financial arrangements on behalf of any Indemnitee for any liability asserted against him or her and liability and Expenses incurred by him or her in his or her capacity as a Director, officer, employee, member, managing member or agent, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Company has the authority to indemnify him or her against such liability and Expenses.

 

(j)                                     Other Financial Arrangements .  The other financial arrangements which may be made by the Company for the purpose of satisfying its obligations pursuant to this Article may include the following: (i) the creation of a trust fund; (ii) the establishment of a program of self-insurance; (iii) the securing of its obligation of indemnification by granting a security interest or other lien on any assets of the Company; and (iv) the establishment of a letter of credit, guarantee or surety.  No financial arrangement made pursuant to this subsection may provide protection for a person adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable for intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law, except with respect to advancement of Expenses or indemnification ordered by a court.

 

(k)                                  Other Matters Relating to Insurance or Financial Arrangements .  Any insurance or other financial arrangement made on behalf of a person pursuant to this Section 7.01 may be provided by the Company or any other person approved by the Board of Directors, even if all or part of the other person’s stock or other securities is owned by the Company.  In the absence of fraud, (i) the decision of the Board of Directors as to the propriety of the terms and conditions of any insurance or other financial arrangement made pursuant to this Section 7.01 and the choice of the person to provide the insurance or other financial arrangement is conclusive; and (ii) the insurance or other financial arrangement is not void or voidable and does not subject any Director approving it to personal liability for his action; even if a Director approving the insurance or other financial arrangement is a beneficiary of the insurance or other financial arrangement.

 

(l)                                      Severability or Partial Invalidity .  If this Article VII or any provision hereof shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VII (including, without limitation, each section and subsection of this Article VII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired hereby, and (ii) to the fullest extent possible and permitted by law, the provisions of this Article VII (including, without limitation, each portion of any section or subsection of this Article VII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give maximum effect to the intent manifested by the provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

Section 7.02.                           Amendment .  The provisions of this Article VII relating to indemnification shall constitute a contract between the Company and each of its Directors and officers which may be modified as to any Director or officer only with that person’s consent or as specifically provided in this Section 7.02. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws relating to their amendment generally, any repeal or amendment of this Article VII which is adverse to any Director or officer shall apply to such Director or officer only on a

 

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prospective basis, and shall not limit the rights of an Indemnitee to indemnification with respect to any action or failure to act occurring prior to the time of such repeal or amendment.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws (including, without limitation, Section 8.08), no repeal or amendment of these Bylaws shall affect any or all of Article VII so as to limit or reduce the indemnification in any manner unless adopted by (i) the unanimous vote of the Directors of the Company then serving, or (ii) by the stockholders as set forth in Section 8.08; provided that no such amendment shall have a retroactive effect inconsistent with the preceding sentence.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Miscellaneous

 

Section 8.01.                           Corporate Seal .  The Company shall have a corporate seal in the form approved from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 8.02.                           Checks .  All checks, notes, bills of exchange or other orders in writing shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors or any person authorized by resolution of the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

 

Section 8.03.                           Contracts .  Except as otherwise provided in the case of transactions which require action by the stockholders, the Board of Directors may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute or deliver any instrument on behalf of the Company, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

 

Section 8.04.                           Interested Directors or Officers; Quorum .

 

(a)                                  General Rule .  A contract or transaction between the Company and one or more of its Directors or officers or between the Company and another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in which one or more of its Directors or officers are directors or officers or have a financial or other interest shall not be void or voidable solely for that reason, or solely because the Director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors that authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because his, her or their votes are counted for that purpose, if:

 

(1)                                  the material facts as to the relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors and it authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested Directors even though the disinterested Directors are less than a quorum; or

 

(2)                                  the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transactions 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 those stockholders; or

 

(3)                                  the contract or transaction is fair as to the Company as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors or the stockholders.

 

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(b)                                  Quorum .  Common or interested Directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors which authorizes a contract or transaction specified in subsection (a) above.

 

Section 8.05.                           Deposits .  All funds of the Company shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Company in such banks, trust companies or other depositaries as the Board of Directors may approve or designate, and all such funds shall be withdrawn only upon checks signed by such one or more officers or employees as the Board of Directors shall from time to time determine.

 

Section 8.06.                           Changes in Nevada Law .  References in these Bylaws to Nevada law, the laws of the State of Nevada, the Nevada Revised Statutes or to any provision thereof (collectively, “ Nevada Law ”) shall be to such Nevada Law as it existed on the date these Bylaws were adopted or as such law thereafter may be changed; provided that (i) in the case of any change in Nevada Law which expands the liability of directors or officers or limits the indemnification rights or the rights to advancement of Expenses which the Company may provide pursuant to Article VII, the rights to limited liability, to indemnification and to the advancement of Expenses provided in the Articles of Incorporation and/or these Bylaws shall continue as theretofore to the extent permitted by law and (ii) if such change in Nevada Law permits the Company, without the requirement of any further action by stockholders or Directors, to limit further the liability of Directors or limit the liability of officers or to provide broader indemnification rights or rights to the advancement of Expenses than the Company was permitted to provide prior to such change, then liability thereupon shall be so limited and the rights to indemnification and the advancement of Expenses shall be so broadened to the extent permitted by law.

 

Section 8.07.                           Amendment of Bylaws .  Subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, these Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed (a) by resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption) acting at any special or regular meeting of the Board of Directors if, in addition to any other notice required by these Bylaws and other applicable requirements contained herein, notice of such amendment, alteration or repeal is contained in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, which notice shall also include, without limitation, the text of any such proposed amendment and/or any resolution calling for any such amendment, alteration or repeal, or (b) at any regular or special meeting of the stockholders upon the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the shares of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors if, in the case of such special meeting only, in addition to any other notice required by these Bylaws and other applicable requirements contained herein, notice of such amendment, alteration or repeal is contained in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, which notice shall also include, without limitation, the text of any such proposed amendment and/or any resolution calling for any such amendment, alteration or repeal.

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

Execution Copy

 

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Settlement Agreement (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of January 22, 2014, by and among RCM Technologies, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “ Company ”), and the entities and natural persons listed on Exhibit A hereto and their respective Affiliates (collectively, the “ Stockholder Group ”) (each of the Company and the Stockholder Group, a “ Party ” to this Agreement, and collectively, the “ Parties ”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Stockholder Group have engaged in various discussions and communications concerning the Company’s business, financial performance and strategic plans;

 

WHEREAS , the Stockholder Group is deemed to beneficially own shares of common stock of the Company (the “ Common Stock ”) totaling, in the aggregate, 1,641,849 shares, or approximately 13.3%, of the Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date hereof;

 

WHEREAS , at the 2013 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company (the “ 2013 Annual Meeting ”), (i) Bradley S. Vizi and Roger H. Ballou (the “ Stockholder Group Nominees ”), who had been nominated by the Stockholder Group as candidates for election to the Company’s board of directors (the “ Board ”), were elected as directors of the Company, each to serve until the Company’s next annual meeting of stockholders or until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, and (ii) the stockholders of the Company approved a business proposal made by the Stockholder Group (the “ Stockholder Group Proposal ”) that the Board adopt a policy that its Chairman be an independent director according to the definition set forth in the listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market;

 

WHEREAS, following their election to the Board, Mr. Ballou was appointed to the Audit Committee of the Board (the “ Audit Committee ”) and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee of the Board (the “ Nominating Committee ”) and Mr. Vizi was appointed to the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “ Compensation Committee ”) and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee;

 

WHEREAS , the Company and the Stockholder Group each believe that the best interests of the Company and its stockholders would be served by, among other things, avoiding the substantial expense and disruption that could result from additional disagreement between the Company and the Stockholder Group regarding the matters referenced in this Agreement, including without limitation any solicitation by the Stockholder Group of proxies for the 2014 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “ 2014 Annual Meeting ”) with respect to any nominations as candidate for election to the Board or any business proposals (any such solicitation, collectively, a “ Proxy Contest ”);

 

WHEREAS , the Company and the Stockholder Group have thus determined to come to an agreement with respect to certain matters, as provided in this Agreement;

 

WHEREAS , the Nominating Committee and the Board have considered the

 



 

qualifications of Mr. Vizi, Mr. Ballou, Leon Kopyt and S. Gary Snodgrass (each of whom currently serves on the Board) to serve on the Board and have conducted such review as they have deemed appropriate;

 

WHEREAS , the Nominating Committee has recommended that all of such individuals be nominated for re-election as directors at 2014 Annual Meeting on the terms set forth in this Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Board has agreed to approve amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) as reflected on Exhibit B hereto, in order to, among other things, (i) reduce the thresholds required (A) to call special meetings of the Company’s stockholders and (B) for the stockholders of the Company to take action by partial written consent, and (ii) amend the definition of “ Acting in Concert ” contained in Section 3.13(c) of the Bylaws in order to track the definition of a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”);

 

WHEREAS , simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, (i) Leon Kopyt has agreed to retire, effective as of February 28, 2014, as President, Chief Executive Officer and from all other positions (except as Chairman of the Board) with the Company, (ii) Mr. Kopyt has agreed to certain amendments to his existing employment, severance and benefit agreements, and (iii) Rocco Campanelli has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective upon the retirement of Mr. Kopyt; and

 

WHEREAS , Mr. Ballou shall be deemed a member of the Stockholder Group solely for the purposes of Sections 23 and 25 of this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Board Matters; Board Appointments; 2014 Annual Meeting; 2015 Annual Meeting; Other Matters .

 

(a)                                  The Stockholder Group agrees that no Stockholder Group Nominee will be compensated by any party other than the Company for such Stockholder Group Nominee’s service on the Board and, while serving as a member of the Board, Mr. Vizi shall comply with all policies, procedures, processes, codes, rules, standards and guidelines applicable to Board members, including without limitation the Company’s Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, Policy on Avoidance of Insider Trading, Statement of Policies and Procedures, and Corporate Governance Principles and Practices (as each may be amended from time to time for all directors), and preserve the confidentiality of Company business and information, including discussions or matters considered in meetings of the Board or Board committees to the extent not disclosed publicly by the Company, including without limitation by entering into and complying with the provisions of any confidentiality agreements entered into from time to time by all directors.

 

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(b)                                  The Parties agree that:

 

(i)                                      no later than the time of the 2014 Annual Meeting, the Board shall appoint either Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi as the Lead Independent Director of the Board, to serve in such capacity until the earlier of the expiration of the Standstill Period and such time as Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi, as the case may be, no longer qualifies as an independent director in accordance with the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market;

 

(ii)                                   Mr. Kopyt shall remain Chairman of the Board and shall serve in such capacity until no later than the expiration of the Standstill Period, at which time, the Board has agreed to cause Mr. Kopyt to resign as the Chairman of the Board (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, as a member of the Board);

 

(iii)                                at the earlier of the expiration of the Standstill Period or Mr. Kopyt’s resignation as the Chairman of the Board, the Board shall appoint either Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi as the Chairman of the Board to serve in such capacity until Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi, as the case may be, no longer qualifies as an independent director in accordance with the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market;

 

(iv)                               no later than the expiration of the Standstill Period, the Board shall be expanded by one director, and the Board shall elect to fill the vacancy created by such expansion a person who qualifies as an “independent director” (as so defined under the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market), which person shall be mutually agreeable to the Stockholder Group and the Board, it being understood that the Nominating Committee may engage a nationally recognized search firm to assist in identifying candidates for election to fill such vacancy;

 

(v)                                  with respect to the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “ 2015 Annual Meeting ”), the Stockholder Group shall have the right to designate one of the three current independent directors (other than the Stockholder Group Nominees) (the “ Current Independent Directors ”) to not be nominated for re-election to the 2015 Annual Meeting, and to retire immediately prior to the 2015 Annual Meeting, upon which retirement the number of directors on the Board shall be reduced by one; provided , that if, prior to the 2015 Annual Meeting, any of the Current Independent Directors becomes unable to serve as a director, resigns as a director, or is removed as a director for any reason, then the Stockholder Group shall either:

 

(1)                                  name such Current Independent Director as the Current Independent Director it is entitled to designate pursuant to this Section 1(b)(v); or

 

(2)                                  cause each of the Stockholder Group Nominees or any Replacement Director (as defined below) to recuse himself or herself from the deliberations and votes of the Nominating Committee and the Board as to the replacement of such Current Independent Director, in which case the Stockholder Group shall not be deemed to have exercised its rights pursuant to this Section 1(b)(v);

 

(vi)                               should Mr. Kopyt be unable to serve as a director, resign as a director, or be removed as a director for any reason, and at such time Rocco Campanelli is

 

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serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Company or Kevin Miller is serving as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, then either Mr. Campanelli or Mr. Miller shall be elected by the Board to fill such vacancy, and if such event occurs prior to the 2014 Annual Meeting, then such replacement director shall be substituted for Mr. Kopyt as a “2014 Nominee” under the provisions of Sections 1(d) and 1(e); and

 

(vii)                            in the event that, prior to December 31, 2015, any director is not renominated or leaves the Board, other than as a result of being terminated for cause or a voluntary resignation not treated by the Board as a retirement, then to the extent such director then holds any equity award granted by the Company that is unvested, the Company shall take the necessary steps, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation and the provisions of the equity compensation plan and grant instrument pursuant to which award was made, to vest such equity award in full as of the departure from the Board of such director; provided, that if the equity awards cannot be vested under the equity compensation plan, the Company will, in lieu of vesting the unvested equity awards, pay cash to the departing director in an amount equal to the value of such unvested equity awards.

 

(c)                                   The Board shall (i) not remove either Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi from serving as members of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee, in the case of Mr. Ballou, or the Compensation Committee and the Nominating Committee, in the case of Mr. Vizi, during the Standstill Period as long as the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“ SEC ”) and the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, would allow for such continued service on such committee, (ii) dissolve the Executive Committee of the Board and (iii) appoint either Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi (as determined by the Nominating Committee) as a member of any other committee of the Board appointed during the Standstill Period and not remove Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi, as the case may be, from serving as a member such committee during the Standstill Period as long as the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market and the SEC and applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, would allow for such continued service on such committee.

 

(d)                                  The Company agrees that at the 2014 Annual Meeting, Messrs. Ballou, Kopyt, Snodgrass and Vizi (the “ 2014 Nominees ”) shall be nominated by the Board for re-election as directors with terms expiring at the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “ 2015 Annual Meeting ”) and that the Board will recommend, support and solicit proxies for the election of the 2014 Nominees in the same manner as the Board has supported its nominees up for election at prior annual meetings of stockholders at which the election of directors was uncontested.

 

(e)                                   As a condition to the nomination of the 2014 Nominees for election as directors of the Company at the 2014 Annual Meeting, the Parties agree that each 2014 Nominee shall provide the Company with completed director and officer questionnaires for such nominee and such other information reasonably required to be customarily disclosed for directors, candidates for directors, and their Affiliates and representatives in a proxy statement or other filings under applicable law or stock exchange rules or listing standards, information in connection with assessing eligibility, independence and other criteria applicable to directors or satisfying compliance and legal obligations, and such other information as reasonably requested

 

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by the Company from time to time.

 

(f)                                    Except as contemplated by Section 1(b), the size of the Board shall be fixed at six (6) members during the Standstill Period, unless an increase to the size of the Board is approved with the unanimous consent of all Board members.

 

(g)                                   The Company agrees that it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the 2015 Annual Meeting and the election of directors thereat shall be held on or prior to September 30, 2015, unless a quorum is not obtained, in which case as promptly thereafter as practicable.

 

(h)                                  The Company agrees that if either Mr. Ballou or Mr. Vizi, or both, is unable to serve as a director, resigns as a director, or is removed as a director during the Standstill Period, the Stockholder Group shall have the ability to recommend a substitute person(s) who (i) qualifies as “independent” pursuant to the listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, (ii) meets the disclosure conditions set forth in clause (e) above, and (iii) meets the historical standards and criteria applied by the Company in nominating and appointing directors, to fill the resulting vacancy or vacancies, subject to the approval of the Board after consideration in good faith and exercising its fiduciary duties, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld (any such replacement nominee(s) appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1(h) shall be referred to individually as the “ Replacement Director ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Stockholder Group’s right to recommend a Replacement Director shall be contingent on the amount of the Stockholder Group’s beneficial ownership, in the aggregate, of the Company’s currently outstanding Common Stock as hereinafter set forth (subject to adjustment for stock splits, reclassifications, combinations and similar adjustments). In the event that the Stockholder Group beneficially owns, in the aggregate, shares of Common Stock representing at least 10% of the Company’s currently outstanding Common Stock, at the time that a vacancy is created by the departure from the Board of one or both of the Stockholder Group Nominees, then the Stockholder Group shall have the right to recommend Replacement Directors with respect any vacancy created by the departure from the Board of one or both of the Stockholder Group Nominees. In the event that the Stockholder Group beneficially owns, in the aggregate shares of Common Stock representing at least 5% (but less than 10%) of the Company’s currently outstanding Common Stock, at the time that a vacancy is created by the departure from the Board of one or more of the Stockholder Group Nominees, then the Stockholder Group shall only have the right to recommend one Replacement Director. The Stockholder Group’s right to recommend a Replacement Director shall terminate at any point that it no longer beneficially owns, in the aggregate, shares of Common Stock representing at least 5% of the Company’s currently outstanding Common Stock.  In the event the Board does not accept a substitute person recommended by the Stockholder Group, the Stockholder Group will have the right to recommend additional substitute person(s), subject to the terms of this Section 1(h), for consideration by the Board.  Upon the acceptance of a Replacement Director nominee by the Board, the Board will appoint such Replacement Director to the Board no later than five (5) business days after the Board’s recommendation of such Replacement Director.

 

(i)                                      The Company’s obligations under this Section 1 shall terminate immediately, and Mr. Vizi shall promptly offer to resign from the Board (and, if requested by the Company, promptly deliver his written resignation to the Board, which shall provide for his

 

5



 

immediate resignation) it being understood that it shall be the Board’s sole discretion whether to accept or reject such resignation) if the members of the Stockholder Group, collectively, cease to beneficially own at least 5.0% of the Company’s currently outstanding Common Stock.  The Stockholder Group agrees to cause Mr. Vizi to resign from the Board if Mr. Vizi fails to resign if and when requested pursuant to this clause (i).

 

(j)                                     Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the provisions of Sections 1 and 2 of this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the occurrence of a “Change of Control” transaction (as defined below) involving the Company if the acquiring or counter-party to the Change of Control transaction has conditioned the closing of the transaction on the termination of either of such sections. For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Change of Control ” transaction shall be deemed to have taken place if (i) any person is or becomes a beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the equity interests and voting power of the Company’s then outstanding equity securities, or (ii) the Company enters into a stock-for-stock or stock-and-cash-for-stock transaction whereby immediately after the consummation of the transaction the Company’s stockholders retain less than 50% of the equity interests and voting power of the surviving entity’s then outstanding equity securities.

 

(k)                                  Each member of the Stockholder Group agrees to cause all shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by it or any of their respective Affiliates to be counted as present for quorum purposes, either in person or by proxy, at the 2014 Annual Meeting and to vote, or cause to be voted, all shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by it or any of their respective Affiliates at the meeting, either on the Company’s ballot or on the proxy card or voting instruction form solicited by the Board, in favor of the election of the 2014 Nominees (and not in favor of any other nominees to serve on the Board) and against the removal of any members of the Board whose removal is not recommended by the Board.  The Parties agree that the Stockholder Group shall vote in accordance with the recommendations of the Board with respect to all other proposals to be presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting, other than any proposal that (i) receives a negative recommendation from Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. or (ii) Mr. Vizi votes against in his capacity as a member of the Board.  Each member of the Stockholder Group further agrees that at any subsequent stockholders’ meeting (or adjournments or postponements thereof) during the Standstill Period, each member of the Stockholder Group shall cause all shares of Common Stock beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by it or any of its Affiliates to be counted as present for quorum purposes and to be voted, or caused to be voted, on the Company’s proxy card or voting instruction form, for each of the director nominees recommended to stockholders by the Board, as identified in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed in respect of such stockholders’ meeting (and not in favor of any other nominees to serve on the Board) and against the removal of any members of the Board whose removal is not recommended by the Board.  During the Standstill Period, no member of the Stockholder Group shall execute any proxy card or voting instruction form in respect of such stockholders’ meeting other than the proxy card and related voting instruction form being solicited by or on behalf of the Company. No member of the Stockholder Group nor any of their Affiliates or Associates nor any person under their direction or control shall take any position, make any statement or take any action inconsistent with the foregoing.

 

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(l)                                      The Stockholder Group agrees that it will cause its Affiliates and Associates to comply with the terms of this Agreement.  As used in this Agreement, the terms “ Affiliate ” and “ Associate ” shall have the respective meanings set forth in Rule 12b-2 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act and shall include all persons or entities that at any time during the term of this Agreement become Affiliates or Associates of any person or entity referred to in this Agreement.

 

(m)                              The Stockholder Group shall have the right to immediately terminate this Agreement and all of its obligations hereunder in the event (i) Mr. Kopyt fails to execute or revokes the Release or Second Release (each as defined in that certain Separation Agreement and General Release dated as of the date hereof by and between Mr. Kopyt and the Company) or (ii) the Board rehires, re-employs, recalls, hires Mr. Kopyt in the future, or returns him to active status without the unanimous consent of the Board.

 

2.                                       Standstill Provisions .

 

(a)                                  The Stockholder Group agrees that, from the date of this Agreement until the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the deadline for the submission of stockholder nominations for the 2015 Annual Meeting pursuant to the Company’s bylaws (the “ Standstill Period ”), neither it nor any of its Related Persons (as defined herein) nor any other persons acting under the control or direction of any member of the Stockholder Group will, and it will cause each of its Related Persons and such other persons not to, directly or indirectly, alone or in concert with others, in any manner to:

 

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

 

(ii)                                   acquire, offer or propose to acquire, or agree to acquire, directly or indirectly, whether by purchase, tender or exchange offer, through the acquisition of control of another person, by joining a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or other group (including any group of persons that would be treated as a single “person” under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), through swap or hedging transactions or otherwise, any securities of the Company or any rights decoupled from the underlying securities of the Company that would result in the Stockholder Group (together with all Affiliates thereof ) owning, controlling or otherwise having any beneficial or other ownership interest in more than 20.0% in the aggregate of the shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time; provided that nothing herein will require Common Stock to be sold to the extent the Stockholder Group exceeds the ownership limit under this paragraph solely as the result of a share repurchase or similar Company action that reduces the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock so long as the beneficial or other ownership interest of the Stockholder Group does not increase thereafter (except solely as a result of further corporate actions taken by the Company), unless and until such ownership interest before and after such subsequent increase does not exceed such 20.0% limitation;

 

7



 

(iii)                                sell, offer or agree to sell directly or indirectly, through swap or hedging transactions or otherwise, the securities of the Company or any rights decoupled from the underlying securities held by the Stockholder Group to any person or entity not a (A) party to this Agreement, (B) member of the Board, (C) officer of the Company, or (D) an Affiliate of a member of the Stockholder Group (any person or entity not set forth in clauses (A)-(D) shall be referred to as a “ Third Party ”) that the Stockholder Group knows would result in such Third Party, together with its affiliates and associates, owning, controlling or otherwise having any beneficial or other ownership interest of more than 9.9% in the aggregate of the shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time, except in a transaction approved by a majority of the entire Board;

 

(iv)                               engage in any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or other similar right (including, without limitation, any put or call option or “swap” transaction) with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives any significant part of its value from a decline in the market price or value of the securities of the Company;

 

(v)                                  form, join or in any way participate in any “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) with respect to the Common Stock (other than a “group” that includes all or some of the persons identified on Exhibit A , but does not include any other entities or persons not identified on Exhibit A as of the date hereof); provided, however, that nothing herein shall limit the ability of an Affiliate of the Stockholder Group to join the “group” following the execution of this Agreement, so long as any such Affiliate agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement;

 

(vi)                               take any action that would be deemed, pursuant to this Agreement, to be Acting in Concert (as defined herein) with another person relating to changing or influencing the control of the Company or in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect;

 

(vii)                            demand a copy of the Company’s list of stockholders or its other books and records, whether pursuant to Section 78.257 of the Nevada General Corporation Law or otherwise;

 

(viii)                         commence, encourage, or support any derivative action in the name of the Company, or any class action against the Company or any of its officers or directors;

 

(ix)                               deposit any Common Stock in any voting trust or subject any Common Stock to any arrangement or agreement with respect to the voting of any Common Stock, other than any such voting trust, arrangement or agreement solely among the members of the Stockholder Group and otherwise in accordance with this Agreement;

 

(x)                                  seek or encourage the removal of any director from the Board, including seeking or encouraging any person to submit nominations in furtherance of a “contested solicitation” for the election or removal of directors with respect to the Company; provided, however, that nothing herein will limit the ability of the Stockholder Group to

 

8



 

privately recommend to the Board a Replacement Director(s) in accordance with Section 1(h);

 

(xi)                               take any action in support of or make any proposal or request that constitutes: (A) advising, controlling, changing or influencing the Board or management of the Company, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any vacancies on the Board, except as set forth herein, (B) any material change in the capitalization, stock repurchase programs and practices or dividend policy of the Company, (C) any other material change in the Company’s management, business or corporate structure, (D) seeking to have the Company waive or make amendments or modifications to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, or other actions that may impede or facilitate the acquisition of control of the Company by any person, (E) causing a class of securities of the Company to be delisted from, or to cease to be authorized to be quoted on, any securities exchange; or (F) causing a class of securities of the Company to become eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Exchange Act;

 

(xii)                            (A) make any proposal for consideration by stockholders at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Company or (B) make any offer or proposal (with or without conditions) with respect to a merger, acquisition, disposition or other business combination involving the Stockholder Group and the Company, or encourage, initiate or support any other third party in any such related activity or (C) make any public communication in opposition to any Company acquisition or disposition activity approved by the Board;

 

(xiii)                         communicate with stockholders of the Company or others pursuant to Rule 14a-1(l)(2)(iv) under the Exchange Act;

 

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

 

(xv)                           otherwise publicly act to seek to influence the management, the Board or policies of the Company;

 

(xvi)                        acquire or agree, offer, seek or propose to acquire, or cause to be acquired, ownership (including beneficial ownership) of any of the assets or business of the Company or any rights or options to acquire any such assets or business from any person;

 

(xvii)                     enter into any discussions, negotiations, agreements or understandings with any Third Party with respect to any of the foregoing, or advise, assist, knowingly encourage or seek to persuade any Third Party to take any action or make any statement with respect to any of the foregoing, or otherwise take or cause any action or make any statement inconsistent with any of the foregoing;

 

(xviii)                  take any action challenging the validity or enforceability of any of the provisions of this Section 2 or publicly disclose, or cause or facilitate the public disclosure (including, without limitation, the filing of any document with the SEC or any other governmental agency or any disclosure to any journalist, member of the media or securities analyst) of, any intent, purpose, plan or proposal to take any action challenging the validity or enforceability of any provisions of this Section 2; or

 

9



 

(xix)                        take any action which could cause or require the Company or any Affiliate of the Company to make a public announcement regarding any of the foregoing, publicly seek or request permission to do any of the foregoing, publicly make any request to amend, waive or terminate any provision of this Section 2 (including, without limitation, this Section 2(a)(xix)), or make or seek permission to make any public announcement with respect to any of the foregoing, except in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(b)                                  Nothing in this Section 2 shall prevent (i) Stockholder Group from freely voting its shares of Common Stock (except as otherwise provided in Section 1 hereto), (ii) Stockholder Group from taking any actions as specifically contemplated in Section 1 in furtherance of reconstituting the Board in a manner consistent with the composition of the Board as set forth in Sections 1(a) and (b), or (iii) Mr. Vizi, or any Replacement Director, as applicable, from taking any action solely in their capacity as directors of the Company in accordance with their respective fiduciary duties as directors of the Company (it being understood and agreed that neither the Stockholder Group nor any of its Affiliates shall seek to do indirectly through the Stockholder Group Nominees anything that would be prohibited if done by the Stockholder Group or its Affiliates).

 

(c)                                   As used in this Agreement, the terms “ beneficial owner ” and “ beneficial ownership ” shall have the same meanings as set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act; the terms “ economic owner ” and “ economically own ” shall have the same meanings as “ beneficial owner ” and “ beneficially ownership ,” except that a person will also be deemed to economically own and to be the economic owner of (i) all shares of Common Stock which such person has the right to acquire pursuant to the exercise of any rights in connection with any securities or any agreement, regardless of when such rights may be exercised and whether they are conditional, and (ii) all shares of Common Stock in which such person has any economic interest, including, without limitation, pursuant to a cash settled call option or other derivative security, contract or instrument in any way related to the price of shares of Common Stock; the terms “ person ” or “ persons ” shall mean any individual, corporation (including not-for-profit), general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization or other entity of any kind or nature; and the term “Related Person” shall mean, as to any person, any Affiliates or Associates of such person, and any other person with whom such person or such person’s Affiliates or Associates is Acting in Concert (as herein defined) or any Affiliate or Associate of such other person.

 

(d)                                  For purposes of this Agreement, a person shall be deemed to be “ Acting in Concert ” with another person if such persons would be deemed a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

 

(e)                                   As of the date of this Agreement, the members of the Stockholder Group are not engaged in any discussions or negotiations and do not have any agreements or understandings, whether or not legally enforceable, concerning the acquisition of beneficial or economic ownership of any securities of the Company, and have no actual knowledge that any other stockholders of the Company have any present or future intention of taking any actions that if taken by any member of the Stockholder Group would violate any of the terms of this Agreement. Each of the members of the Stockholder Group agrees during the Standstill Period to refrain from taking any actions which could have the effect of encouraging other stockholders to

 

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engage in the actions referred to in the previous sentence.

 

3.                                       Corporate Governance and Other Matters .

 

(a)                                  Effective upon execution of this Agreement, the Board shall approve amendments to the Bylaws, as reflected on Exhibit B hereto, in order to, among other things, (i) reduce the percentage set forth in Sections 3.03(a) and 3.03(e) thereof from eighty percent (80%) to twenty (20%), (ii) revise Section 3.18(a) thereof to allow the stockholders to take action without a meeting, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of record of the outstanding shares of the Company having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and (iii) amend the definition of “ Acting in Concert ” contained in Section 3.13(c) of the Bylaws to be consistent with the definition of “Acting in Concert” as defined in Section 2(d) of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                  The Board shall not, during the Standstill Period, adopt any amendment to the Bylaws or any policy, procedure, process, code, rule, standard or guideline applicable to Board members, unless approved by the unanimous consent of all Board members, that would affect (i) the process by which stockholders may make proposals or nominations at meetings of stockholder, (ii) the provisions referenced in Sections 3(a) of this Agreement, (iii) Section 7.02 of the Bylaws or (iv) reinstate directly or indirectly the effective provisions of any section of the Bylaws that has been removed as part of this Agreement.

 

4.                                       Dismissal of Litigation .  Effective upon execution of this Agreement, the Parties shall enter into a Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto, with respect to all claims and counterclaims included in Civil Action No.  1:13-cv-06809-RBK-KMW.

 

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

 

6.                                       Representations and Warranties of Stockholder Group . The Stockholder Group, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the Company that (a) the authorized signatory of each member of the Stockholder Group set forth on the signature page hereto has the power and

 

11



 

authority to execute this Agreement and any other documents or agreements to be entered into in connection with this Agreement and to bind it thereto, (b) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Stockholder Group, and is a valid and binding obligation of the Stockholder Group, enforceable against the Stockholder Group in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws generally affecting the rights of creditors and subject to general equity principles, (c) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each member of the Stockholder Group does not and will not violate or conflict with (i) any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to it, or (ii) result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both could become a default) under or pursuant to, or result in the loss of a material benefit under, or give any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any organizational document, agreement, contract, commitment, understanding or arrangement to which such member is a party or by which it is bound, (d)  Exhibit A includes all Affiliates and Associates of any members of the Stockholder Group that own any shares of Common Stock, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, and (e) as of the date of this Agreement, (i) the Stockholder Group is deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, 1,641,849 shares of Common Stock and (ii) the Stockholder Group does not currently have, and does not currently have any right to acquire, whether through derivative securities, voting agreements or otherwise, any interest in any other securities of the Company.

 

7.                                       Press Release . Promptly following the execution of this Agreement, but in no event later than one (1) business day following the execution of this Agreement, the Company and the Stockholder Group shall jointly issue a mutually agreeable press release (the “ Mutual Press Release ”) announcing certain terms of this Agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D .  Prior to the issuance of the Mutual Press Release, neither the Company nor Stockholder Group shall issue any press release or public announcement regarding this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Party.  During the Standstill Period, neither the Company nor Stockholder Group or any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives shall, directly or indirectly, make any public announcement or statement that is inconsistent with or contrary to the statements made in the Mutual Press Release, except as required by applicable law or pursuant to the rules of any stock exchange or with the prior written consent of the other Party.

 

8.                                       SEC Filings .

 

(a)                                  No later than two (2) business days following the execution of this Agreement, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC reporting its entry into this Agreement and certain other matters included herein that are required to be reported on Form 8-K and appending or incorporating by reference this Agreement as an exhibit thereto.

 

(b)                                  No later than two (2) business days following the execution of this Agreement, the Stockholder Group shall file an amendment to its Schedule 13D with respect to the Company that has been filed with the SEC, reporting its entry into this Agreement, amending applicable items to conform to its obligations hereunder and appending or incorporating by reference this Agreement as an exhibit thereto.

 

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9.                                       Confidential Information . Each member of the Stockholder Group acknowledges that information concerning the business and affairs of the Company (“ Confidential Information ”) may be disclosed to the Stockholder Group Nominees by the Company or its subsidiaries, or by the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants, advisors or other representatives, including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors (collectively, “ Representatives ”). Each member of the Stockholder Group agrees that the Confidential Information will be kept confidential by the Stockholder Group Nominees and that the Stockholder Group Nominees will not disclose any of the Confidential Information in any manner whatsoever, including without limitation to other members of the Stockholder Group, without the prior written agreement of the Company unless disclosure is required by applicable laws or regulations or in connection with any judicial or regulatory proceedings (including by oral questions, interrogatories, requests for information or documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process). For purposes of this Agreement, the phrase “Confidential Information” shall not include information which (i) becomes lawfully available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by a member of the Stockholder Group or his or its representatives, (ii) was lawfully available to the Stockholder Group on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure to the Stockholder Group or their representatives by the Company or on its behalf, or (iii) becomes lawfully available to the Stockholder Group on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or the Company’s representatives or agents, provided that such source is not bound by a confidentiality agreement with the Company of which the Stockholder Group have been made aware. The Company has no obligation to furnish Confidential Information to the Stockholder Group or their representatives by virtue of this Agreement. Each member of the Stockholder Group agrees to undertake reasonable precautions to safeguard and protect the confidentiality of the Confidential Information. Each member of the Stockholder Group acknowledges that the U.S. securities laws prohibit any person who has received from an issuer material, non-public information concerning such issuer from purchasing or selling securities of such issuer or from communicating such information to any other person under circumstances in which it is reasonably foreseeable that such person is likely to purchase or sell such securities.

 

10.                                Specific Performance . Each of the members of the Stockholder Group, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, acknowledges and agrees that irreparable injury to the other party hereto would occur in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and that such injury would not be adequately compensable by the remedies available at law (including the payment of monetary damages).  It is accordingly agreed that the Stockholder Group (or any of the entities and natural persons listed on Exhibit A ), on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand (the “ Moving Party ”), shall each be entitled to specific enforcement of, and injunctive relief, without proof of actual damages, to prevent any violation of, the terms hereof, and the other party hereto will not take action, directly or indirectly, in opposition to the Moving Party seeking such relief on the grounds that any other remedy or relief is available at law or in equity. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are hereby waived.

 

11.                                Expenses .  Within thirty (30) business days following the Company’s receipt of reasonably satisfactory documentation thereof, the Company shall reimburse the Stockholder Group for its reasonable, documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including legal expenses incurred but excluding any contingency, incentive or success fee triggered by the execution of

 

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this Agreement or any of the actions contemplated hereby) incurred in connection with the matters related to the 2013 Annual Meeting as well as the negotiation and execution of this Agreement, provided that such reimbursement shall not exceed Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000) in the aggregate.

 

12.                                Stockholder Group Representative .  Each member of the Stockholder Group hereby irrevocably appoints Bradley S. Vizi, as such member’s attorney-in-fact and representative (the “ Stockholder Group Representative ”), in such member’s place and stead, to do any and all things and to execute any and all documents and give and receive any and all notices or instructions in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall be entitled to rely, as being binding on each member of the Stockholder Group, upon any action taken by the Stockholder Group Representative or upon any document, notice, instruction or other writing given or executed by the Stockholder Group Representative.

 

13.                                Severability . If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.  It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the Parties that the Parties would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such which may be hereafter declared invalid, void or unenforceable.  In addition, the Parties agree to use their best efforts to agree upon and substitute a valid and enforceable term, provision, covenant or restriction for any of such that is held invalid, void or enforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

14.                                Notices . Any notices, consents, determinations, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by email or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next business day (of the recipient) if sent after normal business hours of the recipient (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one business day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same.  The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:

 

RCM Technologies, Inc.
2500 McClellan Avenue, Suite 350
Pennsauken, New Jersey 08109-4613
Attention: Kevin D. Miller, Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile: (856) 356-4546
Telephone: (856) 356-4545
Email: Kevin.Miller@rcmt.com

 

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with copies (which shall not
constitute notice) to:

 

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1701 Market Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103-2921
Attention: Justin W. Chairman, Esq.
Facsimile: (215) 963-5001
Telephone: (215) 963-5061
Email: jchairman@morganlewis.com

 

 

 

If to Stockholder Group:

 

Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC
Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 705
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Attention: Bradley S. Vizi
Telephone: (424) 253-1775
Facsimile: (424) 253-5123
Email: bvizi@legionpartners.com

 

 

 

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

 

Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
Park Avenue Tower
65 East 55th Street
New York, New York 10022
Attention: Steve Wolosky
Telephone: (212) 451-2333
Facsimile: (212) 451-2222
Email: swolosky@olshanlaw.com

 

15.                                Applicable Law .  This Agreement shall be governed in all respects, including validity, interpretation and effect, by the laws of the State of Nevada applicable to contracts executed and to be performed wholly within such state, without giving effect to the choice of law principles of such state or of any other jurisdiction to the extent that such principles would require or permit the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

 

16.                                Jurisdiction .  Each party hereto agrees, on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, that any actions, suits or proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby will be brought solely and exclusively in any state or federal court in the State of Nevada (and the parties agree on behalf of themselves and their respective Affiliates not to commence any action, suit or proceeding relating thereto except in such courts), and further agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to the respective addresses set forth in Section 14 of this Agreement will be effective service of process for any such action, suit or proceeding brought against any party in any such court. Each party, on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action, suit or other legal proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts for any reason, (b) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment before judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise), and (c) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, that (i) such action, suit or

 

15



 

other legal proceeding in any such court is brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such action, suit or other legal proceeding is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such court.

 

17.                                Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed and delivered in two or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to the other Parties (including by means of electronic delivery or facsimile), it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature to this Agreement or any amendment hereto is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a portable document format (.pdf or similar format) data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the Party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

 

18.                                Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with all exhibits hereto, contains the entire understanding of the Parties hereto with respect to its subject matter, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings and representations, whether oral or written, of the parties in connection herewith.  There are no restrictions, agreements, promises, representations, warranties, covenants or undertakings between the Parties other than those expressly set forth herein.

 

19.                                Amendment and Waiver. No modifications of this Agreement can be made except in writing signed by an authorized representative of the Company (with such writing specifically authorized in a written resolution adopted by a majority vote of the entire Board) and, in the case of the Stockholder Group, the Stockholder Group Representative.  No failure on the part of any Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of such right, power or remedy by such Party preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy.

 

20.                                Remedies. All remedies hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.  In the event of litigation relating to this Agreement, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final, non-appealable order that any material provision of this Agreement has been breached by either Party, and such breach, if curable, remains uncured after thirty (30) days’ written notice from the party seeking to enforce such provision, then the breaching Party shall reimburse the other Party for its costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and expenses) incurred in connection with all such litigation, including any appeal therefrom.

 

21.                                Successors and Assigns. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs, executors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns.  No Party shall assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without, with respect to any member of Stockholder Group, the express prior written consent of the Company (with such consent specifically authorized in a written resolution

 

16



 

adopted by a majority vote of the entire Board), and with respect to the Company, the express prior written consent of the Stockholder Group Representative.

 

22.                                No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except for Sections 23, 25 and 26 hereof, this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the Parties hereto, is not enforceable by any other persons, confers no rights hereunder, whether legal or equitable, in any other person or entity, and no other person or entity shall be entitled to rely hereon.

 

23.                                Mutual Releases .

 

(a)                                  Release by the Stockholder Group . Each member of the Stockholder Group, on behalf of itself and its respective heirs, estates, agents, officers, directors, partners, trustees, beneficiaries, successors, predecessors, subsidiaries, principals and affiliates (the “ Stockholder Group Releasors ”), hereby do remise, release and forever discharge, and covenant not to sue or take any steps to further any claim, action or proceeding against the Company and its successors, affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, partners, employees, agents, representatives, attorneys and any other advisors or consultants (the “ Company Releasees ”), and each of them, from and in respect of any and all claims and causes of action, whether based on any federal, state or foreign law or right of action, direct, indirect or representative in nature, foreseen or unforeseen, matured or unmatured, known or unknown, which all or any of the Stockholder Group Releasors have, had or may have against the Company Releasees, or any of them, of any kind, nature or type whatsoever, up to the date of this Agreement, except that the foregoing release does not release any rights and duties under this Agreement or any claims the Stockholder Group Releasors may have for the breach of any provisions of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                  Release by the Company . The Company, on behalf of itself and its successors, affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, partners, employees, agents, representatives, attorneys and any other advisors or consultants (the “ Company Releasors ”), hereby do remise, release and forever discharge, and covenant not to sue or take any steps to further any claim, action or proceeding against, any member of the Stockholder Group and their respective successors, affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, partners, trustees, beneficiaries, employees, agents, representatives, attorneys and any other advisors or consultants (the “ Stockholder Group Releasees ”), and each of them, from and in respect of any and all claims and causes of action, whether based on any federal, state or foreign law or right of action, direct, indirect or representative in nature, foreseen or unforeseen, matured or unmatured, known or unknown, which all or any of the Company Releasors have, had or may have against the Stockholder Group Releasees, or any of them, of any kind, nature or type whatsoever, up to the date of this Agreement, except that the foregoing release does not release any rights and duties under this Agreement or any claims the Company Releasors may have for the breach of any provisions of this Agreement.

 

(c)                                   Transfer and Assignment .  Each of the Parties represents and warrants that it has not heretofore transferred or assigned, or purported to transfer or assign, to any person, firm, or corporation any claims, demands, obligations, losses, causes of action, damages, penalties, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, liabilities or indemnities herein released. Each of the parties represents and warrants that neither it nor any assignee has filed any lawsuit against the other.

 

17



 

(d)                                  No Limitations on Releases .  The Parties waive any and all rights (to the extent permitted by state law, federal law, principles of common law or any other law) which may have the effect of limiting the releases as set forth in this Section 23. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Parties acknowledge that there is a risk that the damages which they believe they have suffered or will suffer may turn out to be other than or greater than those now known, suspected, or believed to be true. In addition, the cost and damages they have incurred or have suffered may be greater than or other than those now known.  Facts on which they have been relying in entering into this Agreement may later turn out to be other than or different from those now known, suspected or believed to be true.  The Parties acknowledge that in entering into this Agreement, they have expressed that they agree to accept the risk of any such possible unknown damages, claims, facts, demands, actions, and causes of action.

 

(e)                                   Releases Binding, Unconditional and Final . The parties hereby acknowledge and agree that the releases and covenants provided for in this Section 23 are binding, unconditional and final as of the date hereof.

 

(f)                                    Inclusion of Roger H. Ballou .  For the purposes of this Section 23, Roger H. Ballou shall be deemed to be a member of the Stockholder Group.

 

24.                                No Concession or Admission of Liability . This Agreement is being entered into for the purpose of avoiding litigation, uncertainty, controversy and legal expense, constitutes a compromise and settlement entered into by each party hereto, and shall not in any event constitute, be construed or deemed a concession or admission of any liability or wrongdoing of any of the parties.

 

25.                                No Litigation .

 

(a)                                  No Litigation by the Stockholder Group . Each member of the Stockholder Group covenants and agrees (on behalf of themselves and on behalf of each of their respective Affiliates, Associates and other Representatives), from and after the date of this Agreement until the conclusion of the Standstill Period, not to, directly or indirectly, alone or in concert with others, in any manner pursue, directly or indirectly (or assist any other person or entity to initiate or pursue, directly or indirectly) any litigation, arbitration, suit, claim, or complaint against the Company, its officers, directors, employees or other Representatives of the Company, excluding, however, any litigation, arbitration, suit, claim, or complaint filed solely to remedy a breach of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                  No Litigation by the Company . The Company hereby covenants and agrees (on behalf of itself and on behalf of its Affiliates, Associates and other Representatives), from and after the date of this Agreement until the conclusion of the Standstill Period, not to, directly or indirectly, alone or in concert with others, in any manner pursue, directly or indirectly (or assist any other person or entity to initiate or pursue, directly or indirectly) any litigation, arbitration, suit, claim, or complaint against any member of the Stockholder Group or their respective Representatives, excluding, however, any litigation, suit, claim, or complaint filed solely to remedy a breach of this Agreement.

 

(c)                                   Exceptions . Notwithstanding Sections 23(a) and 23(b) of this Agreement,

 

18



 

nothing contained herein shall limit the ability of any Party to this Agreement to provide documents or information responsive to legal process or legal proceedings, or requests from any government or regulatory agency or authority in connection with any formal or informal inquiry, investigation or proceeding (a “ Request ”) where such legal process or proceeding has not been initiated by, or on behalf of, or at the suggestion of, a Party to this Agreement or their agent or representative. If any Party to this Agreement receives such a Request, it shall give prompt written notice, in accordance with Section 14 hereof, of such Request to the other parties to this Agreement.

 

(d)                                  Inclusion of Roger H. Ballou .  For the purposes of this Section 25, Roger H. Ballou shall be deemed to be a member of the Stockholder Group.

 

26.                                Mutual Non-Disparagement . Each of the Parties covenants and agrees that, during the Standstill Period, neither it nor any of its respective agents, subsidiaries, Affiliates, successors, assigns, officers, key employees or directors, shall in any way, directly or indirectly, alone or in concert with others, cause, express or cause to be expressed, orally or in writing, any remarks, statements, comments or criticisms that disparage, call into disrepute, defame, slander or which can be reasonably be construed to be derogatory or critical of, or negative towardthe other Parties or such other Parties’ subsidiaries, Affiliates, successors, assigns, officers (including any current officer of a Party or a Parties’ subsidiaries who no longer serves in such capacity following the execution of this Agreement), directors (including any current director of a Party or a Parties’ subsidiaries who no longer serves in such capacity following the execution of this Agreement), employees, stockholders, agents, attorneys or representatives, or any of their products or services.

 

27.                                Waiver of Jury Trial .  EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LEGAL ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT.  EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (A) NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER IN THE EVENT OF A LEGAL ACTION, (B) SUCH PARTY HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WAIVER, (C) SUCH PARTY MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (D) SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 27.

 

28.                                Construction .  When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement, unless otherwise indicated. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words “include,” “includes” and “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The words “hereof, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import

 

19



 

when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning as the word “shall.” The words “dates hereof” will refer to the date of this Agreement. The word “or” is not exclusive. The definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the plural forms of such terms. Any agreement, instrument, law, rule or statute defined or referred to herein means, unless otherwise indicated, such agreement, instrument, law, rule or statute as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented. Each of the Parties hereto acknowledges that it has been represented by counsel of its choice throughout all negotiations that have preceded the execution of this Agreement, and that it has executed the same with the advice of said independent counsel. Each Party cooperated and participated in the drafting and preparation of this Agreement and the documents referred to herein, and any and all drafts relating thereto exchanged among the parties shall be deemed the work product of all of the parties and may not be construed against any Party by reason of its drafting or preparation. Accordingly, any rule of law or any legal decision that would require interpretation of any ambiguities in this Agreement against any Party that drafted or prepared it is of no application and is hereby expressly waived by each of the Parties hereto, and any controversy over interpretations of this Agreement shall be decided without regards to events of drafting or preparation.

 

[Signature page on next page]

 

20



 

Execution Copy

 

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

 

 

THE COMPANY:

 

 

 

 

 

RCM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Kevin Miller

 

 

Name:

Kevin Miller

 

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDER GROUP:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IRS PARTNERS NO. 19, L.P.

 

 

 

By:

M2O, Inc., its General Partner

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael O’Connell

 

 

Name:

Michael O’Connell

 

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE LEONETTI/O’CONNELL FAMILY FOUNDATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael O’Connell

 

 

Name:

Michael O’Connell

 

 

Title:

Secretary, Chief Financial Officer and Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M2O, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael O’Connell

 

 

Name:

Michael O’Connell

 

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 



 

 

THE MICHAEL F. O’CONNELL AND MARGO L. O’CONNELL REVOCABLE TRUST

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael O’Connell

 

 

Name:

Michael O’Connell

 

 

Title:

Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael O’Connell

 

MICHAEL O’CONNELL

 

 

 

 

 

LEGION PARTNERS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Bradley S. Vizi

 

 

Name:

Bradley S. Vizi

 

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Christopher Kiper

 

CHRISTOPHER KIPER

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Bradley S. Vizi

 

BRADLEY S. VIZI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Roger H. Ballou

 

ROGER H. BALLOU (solely for the purposes of Sections 23 and 25 of this Agreement)

 

2



 

EXHIBIT A

 

The Stockholder Group

 

IRS Partnership No. 19, L.P.

Leonetti/O’Connell Family Foundation

M2O, Inc.

Michael F. O’Connell and Margo L. O’Connell Revocable Trust

Michael O’Connell

Legion Partners Asset Management LLC

Christopher S. Kiper

Bradley S. Vizi

Roger H. Ballou (solely for the purposes of Sections 23 and 25 of this Agreement)

 

3



 

EXHIBIT B

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws

 

Each of the following sections appear in the form in which it is to be amended and restated:

 

Section 3.03(a) :

 

Call of Special Meetings . Special meetings of the stockholders may be called by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption); or unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, upon the written request of stockholders following the receipt by the Secretary of the Company of one or more written requests to call a special meeting of the stockholders in accordance with, and subject to, this Section 3.03 from stockholders of record as of the record date fixed in accordance with Section 3.03(d) who hold, in the aggregate, not less than twenty percent (20%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the Company. The notice of a special meeting shall state the purpose or purposes of the special meeting and the business to be conducted at the special meeting shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice.  Except in accordance with this Section 3.03, stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders.

 

Section 3.03(e) :

 

Without qualification, a special meeting of the stockholders shall not be called pursuant to Section 3.03(a) unless stockholders of record as of the record date fixed in accordance with Section 3.03(d) who hold, in the aggregate not less than twenty percent (20%) of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the Company (the “Requisite Percentage”) timely provide one or more requests to call such special meeting in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive offices of the Company. Only stockholders of record on the record date shall be entitled to request that the Board of Directors call a special meeting of the stockholders pursuant to Section 3.03(a). To be timely, a stockholder’s request to call a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Company not later than the sixtieth (60th) day following the record date fixed in accordance with Section 3.03(d). To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 3.03, a request to call a special meeting shall set forth (i) the business proposed to be conducted at the special meeting, (ii) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), and (iii) with respect to any stockholder or stockholders submitting a request to call a special meeting (except for any stockholder that has provided such request in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A) (a “Solicited Stockholder”) the information required to be provided pursuant to this Section 3.03 of a Requesting Person. A stockholder may revoke a request to call a special meeting by written revocation delivered to the Secretary at any time prior to the special meeting. If any such revocation(s) are received by the Secretary after the Secretary’s receipt of written requests from the holders of the Requisite Percentage of stockholders, and as a result of such revocation(s), there no longer are unrevoked requests from the Requisite Percentage of stockholders to call a special meeting, the Board of Directors shall

 

4



 

have the discretion to determine whether or not to proceed with the special meeting.

 

Section 3.13(c) :

 

A person shall be deemed to be “Acting in Concert” with another person for purposes of these bylaws if such persons would be deemed a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Section 3.18 :

 

(a)                                  Subject to the requirements of this Section 3.18, any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the stockholders or of a class of stockholders may be taken without a meeting only if, prior or subsequent to the action, a consent or consents thereto, setting forth the action so taken are (i) signed by the holders of record of the outstanding shares of the Company having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted; and (ii) delivered to the Company by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to its registered office in the State of Nevada, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Company having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated valid consent so delivered to the Company.

 

5



 

EXHIBIT C

 

Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice

 

John McGahren

Stephanie R. Feingold

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

(A Pennsylvania Limited Liability Partnership)

502 Carnegie Center

Princeton, NJ 08540-6289

Tel.:  609.919.6600

Fax:   609.919.6701

 

Elizabeth Hoop Fay (Admitted pro hac vice )

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

(A Pennsylvania Limited Liability Partnership)

1701 Market St.

Philadelphia, PA 19103-2921

Tel.:  215.963.5712

Fax:  215.963.5001

 

Charles W. Cox (Admitted pro hac vice )

Alston & Bird LLP

333 South Hope Street, 16th Floor

Los Angeles, CA  90071-1410

Tel.:  213.576.1000

Fax:  213.576.2878

 

Attorneys for Plaintiff RCM Technologies, Inc. 

 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

 

RCM Technologies, Inc.,

 

Plaintiff,

 

v.

 

Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC, Bradley Vizi, Christopher Kiper, Roger Ballou, Michael O’Connell, IRS Partners No. 19, L.P., The Leonetti/O’Connell Family Foundation, M2O, Inc., The Michael F. O’Connell and Margo L. O’Connell Revocable Trust,

 

Defendants.

 

Civil Action No.  1:13-cv-06809-RBK-KMW

 

 

 

STIPULATION OF VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE PURSUANT TO FED.R.CIV.P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii)

 

6



 

Plaintiff RCM Technologies, Inc. (“RCM”), and Defendants Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC, Bradley Vizi, Christopher Kiper, Roger Ballou, Michael O’Connell, IRS Partners No. 19, L.P., The Leonetti/O’Connell Family Foundation, M2O, Inc., The Michael F. O’Connell and Margo L. O’Connell Revocable Trust (collectively, “the Legion Defendants”), by their undersigned counsel, hereby stipulate and agree, in accordance with Fed.R.Civ.P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii), that:

 

1.               This Action and all claims asserted by RCM in the Verified Complaint against the Legion Defendants are hereby dismissed in their entirety, with prejudice, and without fees or costs.

2.               The Counterclaims asserted in this Action by Defendants Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC, Bradley Vizi, Roger Ballou, and IRS Partners No. 19, L.P. against RCM are hereby dismissed in their entirety, with prejudice, and without fees or costs.

 

7



 

s/ Nicholas Centrella

 

s/ John McGahren

Nicholas M. Centrella

Conrad O’Brien PC

Centre Square, West Tower

1500 Market Street, Ste. 3900

Philadelphia, PA 19102-1920

Tel: 215.864.8098

Fax: 215.864.0798

 

Joshua J. Voss

Conrad O’Brien PC

The Payne Shoemaker Building

240 North Third Street, 5th Floor

Harrisburg, PA 17102

Tel: 215.864.8081

Fax: 215.864.7401

 

John McGahren

Stephanie R. Feingold

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

502 Carnegie Center
Princeton, NJ 08540-6289
Tel.: 609.919.6600
Fax: 609.919.6701

 

Elizabeth Hoop Fay (Admitted pro hac vice )

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

1701 Market St.

Philadelphia, PA 19103-2921

Tel.: 215.963.5712
Fax: 215.963.5001

 

 

Thomas J. Fleming (Admitted pro hac vice )
Jeffrey A. Udell (Admitted pro hac vice )
Nicole C. Barna
Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
Park Avenue Tower
65 East 55th Street
New York, New York 10022
Tel: 212.451.2300
Fax: 212.451.2222

 

Charles W. Cox (Admitted pro hac vice )

Alston & Bird LLP

333 South Hope Street, 16th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071-1410

Tel.: 213.576.1000

Fax: 213.576.2878

 

Counsel for Plaintiff RCM Technologies, Inc.

 

Attorneys for Defendants Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC, Bradley Vizi, Christopher Kiper, Roger Ballou, Michael O’Connell, IRS Partners No. 19, L.P., The Leonetti/O’Connell Family Foundation, M2O, Inc., The Michael F. O’Connell and Margo L. O’Connell Revocable Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated: January     , 2014

 

Dated: January     , 2014

 

8



 

CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE

 

I, John McGahren, hereby certify that on this      day of January, 2014, I caused to be served via ECF to counsel for the Defendants, Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii).

 

 

 

s/ John McGahren

 

John McGahren

 Dated: January     , 2014

 

 



 

EXHIBIT D

 

Press Release

 

RCM TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AS CEO OF LEON KOPYT

 

Long-time RCM Executive Rocco Campanelli Elected CEO

 

Mr. Kopyt Will Remain Chairman of Board of Directors

RCM Reaches Settlement with Legion Group

 

Pennsauken, NJ — January 23, 2014— RCM Technologies, Inc. (NasdaqGM: RCMT), a premier provider of business and technology solutions designed to enhance and maximize the operational performance of its customers through the adaptation and deployment of advanced information technology, engineering and specialty healthcare services, today announced that Leon Kopyt, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer since 1992, will retire from those positions effective February 28, 2014.  Mr. Kopyt will continue to serve as the Chairman of RCM’s Board of Directors.

 

Rocco Campanelli, who has worked with RCM and Mr. Kopyt for 18 years and has served as an Executive Vice President of RCM since 1999, will assume the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer upon Mr. Kopyt’s retirement.

 

Mr. Kopyt said, “I’m extremely proud of our success at RCM.  We have achieved a great many significant accomplishments and have built a strong team throughout our organization.  I am grateful to and appreciative of my many colleagues over the years, and I also am thankful for the support we have received, and continue to enjoy, from our customers.  I am confident that RCM will continue to grow and gain market share under Rocco’s leadership, and I look forward to working with him and the other members of the Board to support RCM in its next stages of growth and development.”

 

Mr. Campanelli added, “I first want to thank Leon for his mentoring and friendship over the past 18 years.  I look forward to continuing to benefit from his expertise as we move forward.”  Mr Campanelli continued, “RCM is a great company and I am excited to take on this new role.  I am energized by the opportunities that I believe we have to grow our company and look forward to working with the Board of Directors to bring value to our stockholders, employees and clients.”

 

Lead independent director S. Gary Snodgrass commented “We’re very grateful to Leon for his longtime leadership of RCM.  He has been an outstanding executive and we owe him much gratitude for his long-time stewardship of our company.”  Mr. Snodgrass added, “With Rocco taking over, we will enjoy the continuity of leadership that he will bring as a long-time member of the RCM team, but will at the same time reap the benefits of a fresh perspective in our CEO position.  Rocco has a proven track record and of course enjoys great familiarity with our company’s strategy and operations.  We believe RCM is poised for growth and substantial accomplishments as we move to the next level under Rocco’s leadership.”

 



 

In connection with his retirement, Mr. Kopyt and the Company entered into a Separation Agreement, pursuant to which Mr. Kopyt will receive various severance benefits.  The Company will file the Separation Agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to an upcoming Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

The Company also announced that it has reached a Settlement Agreement with Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC and the other members of its stockholder group, or the Legion Group, which, as the beneficial holder of 13.3% of RCM’s common stock, is RCM’s largest stockholder. The Settlement Agreement, which follows the contested director election at the Company’s 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, contains various provisions, including a standstill provision designed to prevent any similar contested election at the Company’s 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  It further provides that both of the nominees of the Legion Group elected to the Board in December 2013, Bradley S. Vizi and Roger H. Ballou, as well as Messrs. Kopyt and Snodgrass, will be nominated by the Company for reelection at the Company’s 2014 annual meeting of stockholders.  The Settlement Agreement, which the Company will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to an upcoming Current Report on Form 8-K, also contains various provisions regarding corporate governance, and provides for a dismissal of the ongoing legal action between the Company and the Legion Group.

 

“We are pleased to be able to settle the litigation that resulted from the contested election, allowing the Company to focus fully on long-term growth, sustainable profitability, market leadership and enhanced value for stockholders.  We also look forward to working together with our new Board members, Brad Vizi and Roger Ballou,” said Mr. Kopyt.

 

“The Legion Group is also glad to put the litigation behind us.  Roger and I look forward to participating in RCM’s ongoing efforts to enhance stockholder value,” said Mr. Vizi. “Together, the Board and management expect to work together constructively and cooperatively to achieve strong progress at RCM.”

 

About RCM

 

RCM Technologies, Inc. is a premier provider of business and technology solutions designed to enhance and maximize the operational performance of its customers through the adaptation and deployment of advanced information technology and engineering services. RCM is an innovative leader in the delivery of these solutions to commercial and government sectors. RCM is also a provider of specialty healthcare services to major health care institutions and educational facilities. RCM’s offices are located in major metropolitan centers throughout North America. Additional information can be found at www.rcmt.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

The Statements contained in this release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  These statements often include words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,”

 



 

“continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “plan,” “seek,” “could,” “can,” “should” or similar expressions.  In addition, statements that are not historical should also be considered forward-looking statements.  These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate in these circumstances.  Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to demand for the Company’s services, the Company’s opportunities for growth, the roles of various individuals in the Company’s management structure and other matters relating to the settlement agreement discussed herein.  Such statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements.  Risk, uncertainties and other factors may emerge from time to time that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those indicated by the forward-looking statements.  Investors are directed to consider such risks, uncertainties and other factors described in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The Company assumes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information or future events or developments, except as may be required by law.

 


Exhibit 99.2

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE

 

This Separation Agreement and General Release (the “ Release ”) is by and between Leon Kopyt (“ Executive ”) and RCM Technologies, Inc. (the “ Company ”) and shall be effective as of the date on which Executive executes and does not revoke this Release as set forth below.

 

WHEREAS, Executive serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, Executive and the Company previously entered into (i) the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of November 30, 1996, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of December 12, 2007, (the “ Employment Agreement ”); (ii) the Second Amended and Restated Termination Benefits Agreement, dated as of March 18, 1997, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of December 12, 2007, (the “ Termination Benefits Agreement ”); and (iii) the Severance Agreement, dated as of June 10, 2002, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of December 12, 2007, (the “ Severance Agreement ” and, collectively with the Employment Agreement and the Termination Benefits Agreement, the “ Agreements ”), which collectively set forth the terms and conditions of Executive’s employment with the Company and provide certain severance benefits to Executive, depending on the reason and the timing of his termination of employment with the Company;

 

WHEREAS, Executive desires to retire as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and from all other officer and employment positions with the Company, effective as of February 28, 2014 (the “ Retirement Date ”), and the Company has accepted Executive’s retirement and agrees that Executive’s last day of employment with the Company is the Retirement Date;

 

WHEREAS, as a result of Executive’s retirement, Executive is entitled to certain payments and benefits under Section 2 of the Severance Agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, Executive and the Company have mutually agreed that the only amounts payable to Executive as severance pursuant to his retirement are those amounts set forth in this Release.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, intending to be legally bound, the parties agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Severance Payment .  The Company shall provide Executive with the following, provided that, for the purposes of subsections (a) and (b) below, (i) Executive executes and does not revoke this Release and (ii) Executive executes and does not revoke the additional Separation Agreement and General Release (the “ Second Release ”), as set forth on the attached Exhibit A , within the time period set forth in the Second Release following Executive’s Retirement Date:

 

a.               Cash Severance Benefit .  A cash severance benefit equal to $2,568,932, less

 



 

applicable deductions and withholdings, (the “ Severance Payment ”), which Severance Payment is the amount that the Company and Executive have mutually agreed is payable to Executive pursuant to Subsections 2.b, 2.d. and 2.e of the Severance Agreement.  The Severance Payment shall be paid to Executive in a single lump sum within five (5) days following the end of the six (6) month period from Executive’s Retirement Date ( i.e. , August 28, 2014).  Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if Executive dies during the initial six (6) month period, Executive’s estate will receive the Severance Payment, within five (5) days of Executive’s death.

 

b.               Rabbi Trust .  Within five (5) days following the Retirement Date, the Company shall establish an irrevocable rabbi trust based on the Internal Revenue Service model rabbi trust as provided in Revenue Procedure 92-64 and contribute to such rabbi trust an amount sufficient to cover the Severance Payment, plus an additional amount to cover interest that is to be paid on such amount for the period between the Retirement Date and the payment date, calculated using an annual rate equal to the prime rate listed in The Wall Street Journal as of the Retirement Date.  The interest referenced in the immediately preceding sentence shall be paid to Executive at the same time that the corresponding amount held in the rabbi trust is paid to Executive.

 

c.                Accrued Benefits .  In addition to the foregoing, Executive shall receive any other amounts earned, accrued or owing but not yet paid to Executive prior to his Retirement Date ( e.g. , accrued salary, bonus and reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket business expenses properly incurred, but not yet reimbursed by the Company), and any other vested benefits in accordance with the terms of any applicable plans and programs of the Company.  The amounts payable to Executive pursuant to this subsection shall be paid to Executive within thirty (30) days of his Retirement Date or such later date as provided in the applicable plans and programs.

 

2.                                       Release of Claims by Executive .  In exchange for, and in consideration of, the payments provided by the Company as set forth in Section 1 of this Release and other good and valuable consideration set forth herein, Executive hereby releases the Company, its shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, benefit plans, attorneys, affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, predecessors, successors, assigns, and all persons acting by, through, under or in concert with any of them (but with respect to any entity, individual, agent, attorney or their affiliates, including any one acting by, through, under or in concert with any of them, only in its or his official capacity relating to the Company and not in its or his individual capacity unrelated to the Company) (collectively, “ Released Parties ”), from any and all rights and claims, known or unknown, that he may have now or in the future may arise based on, arising out of or relating to his employment with the Company or the termination thereof for any and all reasons.  Said release includes but is not limited to, any rights or claims which Executive may have against any of the Released Parties based upon Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay

 

2



 

Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (save for claims for vested pension benefits which are expressly exempted from this release of claims), the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and any other federal, state or local law or regulation which prohibits employment discrimination or which otherwise regulates employment terms and conditions.  Executive also releases each of the Released Parties from any claim for wrongful discharge, unfair treatment, breach of public policy, breach of express or implied contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence, misrepresentation, fraud, detrimental reliance, promissory estoppel, defamation, invasion of privacy, sexual harassment, breach of laws governing safety in the workplace, or any other claims arising under common law that relate in any way to Executive’s employment or the termination thereof.  This release of claims covers claims that Executive knows about and those that he may not know about up through the date on which Executive countersigns this Release.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive is not releasing any claims hereunder with respect to (a) Executive’s right to be indemnified and/or advanced or reimbursed expenses pursuant to any corporate document of the Company, applicable law, or Executive’s right to be covered under any applicable directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies, (b) any rights that Executive has with respect to the severance payment set forth in Section 1 of this Release that is payable to Executive after the date of the Second Release, (c) any rights that Executive has to vested equity awards as of his Retirement Date and any rights Executive has under any benefit plans (other than severance) of the Company under which Executive has a vested benefit as of his Retirement Date and for which amounts are payable after the Retirement Date, (d) any rights as a shareholder of the Company, (e) any rights to receive a gross-up payment as provided in Section 4 of the Severance Agreement, (f) any rights for reimbursement or payment of legal fees pursuant to Section 15 of the Employment Agreement, Section 10 of the Severance Agreement, and Section 9 of this Release (and the foregoing Section 15 of the Employment Agreement, Section 10 of the Severance Agreement and Section 9 of this Release shall remain in full force and effect), or (g) any rights which arise after the date on which Executive countersigns this Release with respect to matters that occurred after such date.

 

3.                                       Release of Claims by the Company .  In full and complete settlement of any claims that the Company may have against Executive, other than the fulfillment of Executive’s obligations hereunder and his non-competition and non-solicitation obligations under Section 9(b) of the Employment Agreement and his obligation not to disclose certain information described in Section 9(a) of the Employment Agreement, and for and in consideration of the undertakings of Executive described herein, the Company does hereby REMISE, RELEASE, AND FOREVER DISCHARGE Executive and his heirs, executors and administrators (for the purpose of this Section 3 all included within the term “Executive”), of and from any and all manner of actions and causes of actions, suits, debts, claims and demands whatsoever in law or in equity, which the Company ever had, now has, or hereafter may have, by reason of any matter, cause or thing based on, arising out of or relating to Executive’s employment by the Company from the beginning of Executive’s employment with the Company to the date of this Release; and particularly,

 

3



 

but without limitation of the foregoing general terms, any claims arising from or relating in any way to actions taken by Executive during the time of his employment relationship and the termination of that employment relationship with the Company.

 

4.                                       Maintenance of Indemnification, Exculpation and Advancement of Legal Fees Provisions in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company .  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not modify, amend or terminate any provision in the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, as currently in effect, to reduce or eliminate any provisions for indemnification, exculpation or advancement of legal expenses that cover or inure to the benefit of Executive in his capacity as a current or former officer, employee, director and/or agent of the Company and/or the subsidiaries of the Company.

 

5.                                       No Litigation of Claims .  Executive acknowledges that he has not caused or permitted any charge, complaint, lawsuit or any other action or proceeding whatsoever to be filed against the Company or any of the other Released Parties in connection with his employment or the separation of that employment to date.  However, nothing in this Release is intended to interfere with Executive’s right to file a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “ EEOC ”) or other state or local human rights agency responsible for investigating unlawful discrimination in the workplace in connection with any claim he reasonably believes he may have against the Company, or from participating in any investigation being conducted by such agencies.  However, by executing this Release, Executive hereby waives the right to recover in any proceeding Executive may bring before the EEOC or any state or local human rights agency or in any proceeding brought by such agencies or any other third parties on Executive’s behalf.  He further agrees he may not file or be a party to any lawsuit asserting claims or causes of action waived and released by him pursuant to this Release.

 

6.                                       Non-Disclosure/Non-Competition .  The non-disclosure/non-competition/non-solicitation restrictions contained in Section 9 of the Employment Agreement are incorporated by reference as if set forth herein at length.

 

7.                                       No Right to Re-employment .  Executive hereby agrees and recognizes that his employment relationship with the Company or its affiliates is being permanently and irrevocably severed and that the Company has no obligation, contractual or otherwise, to rehire, re-employ, recall or to hire him in the future, or return him to active status.

 

8.                                       Tax Withholdings .  All amounts payable pursuant to this Release are subject to applicable tax withholdings.  In addition, Executive is solely responsible for all taxes that may result from his receipt of the amounts payable to him under this Release, and neither the Company nor any of its affiliates makes or has made any representation, warranty or guarantee of any federal, state or local tax consequences to Executive of his receipt of any payment or benefit hereunder, including, but not limited to, under section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

4



 

9.                                       Attorney Consultation Advised/Payment of Attorney’s Fees in Connection with Review .  The Company hereby advises Executive to consult with any attorney of his choosing prior to signing this Release and the Second Release.  By signing below, Executive acknowledges and agrees that he has been encouraged to do so by the Company and that it is entirely his decision whether or not to consult with counsel.  Without limiting the generality of clause (f) of the last sentence of Section 2 of this Release, the Company will pay for the reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by Executive in connection with Executive’s consultation with an attorney prior to signing this Release and the Second Release.

 

10.                                Review Period .  Executive shall have a period of not less than twenty-one (21) calendar days from the effective date of his termination to consider this Release before signing and returning it to the Company.  It is exclusively Executive’s decision whether to use all or part of this 21-day period.  To the extent Executive elects to execute this Release sooner than the conclusion of the 21-day period, Executive acknowledges and agrees that it has been exclusively his decision as to when to sign and return this Release to the Company.  Upon execution, this Release should be returned to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

 

11.                                Revocation Period .  Executive shall have a period of seven (7) calendar days after signing this Release and returning it to the Company in which he may revoke this Release should he change his mind.  In order for this revocation to be effective, it must be by written notice provided to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and received by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company no later than the close of business on the seventh (7th) day after Executive signs and returns the Release to the Company.

 

12.                                Effective Date/Payments .  This Release shall not become effective until the eighth (8th) day after Executive’s execution of this Release.  No payment under Section 1(a) of this Release shall be made if Executive does not execute this Release or the Second Release within the time periods set forth in such releases or revokes this Release or the Second Release.

 

13.                                No Admission of Liability .  By entering into this Release, the Company does not admit and expressly denies that it has violated any contract, rule, law or regulation, including, but not limited to, any federal, state or local law or regulation relating to employment, employment discrimination or retaliation.

 

14.                                Enforceability of Release .  Executive and the Company acknowledge that this Release is contractual and not a mere recital.  Executive agrees that this Release shall be given full force and effect and that it shall be binding upon Executive’s heirs, executors, successors, administrators and assigns.  The Company agrees that this Release shall be given full force and effect and that it shall be binding upon its successors and assigns.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Release, whether in whole or in part, shall not in any way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision contained herein.

 

15.                                Applicable Law . This Release shall be construed and enforced under and in

 

5



 

accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

Executive represents and certifies that he has carefully read and fully understands all of the provisions of this Release and that he is signing this Release voluntarily, of his own free will and without duress; and that the Company, its agents, representatives or attorneys have made no representations concerning the terms or effects of this Release other than contained herein.

 

[ SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS ]

 

6



 

IN WITNESS THEREOF , the Executive has duly executed this Release on this 22nd day of January, 2014.

 

 

/s/ Leon Kopyt

 

January 22, 2014

Leon Kopyt

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

For RCM Technologies, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Kevin Miller

 

January 22, 2014

Kevin Miller, CFO

 

Date

 

 

WAIVER OF 21 DAY PERIOD

 

I, Leon Kopyt, hereby acknowledge that I have been notified and am fully aware of my right to consider for a period of twenty-one (21) days my decision to enter into the foregoing Release, and that, having had a sufficient opportunity to review the Release and consult with counsel of my choice, I freely and voluntarily enter into this Release prior to the end of such period.

 

 

/s/ Leon Kopyt

 

January 22, 2014

Leon Kopyt

 

Date

 

7



 

EXHIBIT A

 

SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE

 

In further consideration of the severance benefits to be provided to Leon Kopyt (“ Executive ”) pursuant to the Separation Agreement and General Release, dated as of January 22, 2014, between Executive and RCM Technologies, Inc. (the “ First Release ”) in contemplation of Executive’s retirement from the Company (for purposes of this Second Release, the term “ Company ” refers to RCM Technologies, Inc.), effective as of February 28, 2014 (the “ Retirement Date ”), Executive (on Executive’s own behalf and on behalf of Employee’s heirs, administrators, executors, and assigns) hereby executes this Separation Agreement and General Release (the “ Second Release ”) as follows:

 

1.                                       Release of Claims by Executive .  In exchange for, and in consideration of, the payments provided by the Company as set forth in Section 1 of the First Release and other good and valuable consideration set forth therein, Executive hereby releases the Company, its shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, benefit plans, attorneys, affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, predecessors, successors, assigns, and all persons acting by, through, under or in concert with any of them (but with respect to any entity, individual, agent, attorney or their affiliates, including any one acting by, through, under or in concert with any of them, only in its or his official capacity relating to the Company and not in its or his individual capacity unrelated to the Company) (collectively, “ Released Parties ”), from any and all rights and claims, known or unknown, that he may have now or in the future may arise based on, arising out of or relating to his employment with the Company or the termination thereof for any and all reasons.  Said release includes but is not limited to, any rights or claims which Executive may have against any of the Released Parties based upon Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (save for claims for vested pension benefits which are expressly exempted from this release of claims), the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and any other federal, state or local law or regulation which prohibits employment discrimination or which otherwise regulates employment terms and conditions.  Executive also releases each of the Released Parties from any claim for wrongful discharge, unfair treatment, breach of public policy, breach of express or implied contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence, misrepresentation, fraud, detrimental reliance, promissory estoppel, defamation, invasion of privacy, sexual harassment, breach of laws governing safety in the workplace, or any other claims arising under common law that relate in any way to Executive’s employment or the termination thereof.  This release of claims covers claims that Executive knows about and those that he may not know about up through the date on which Executive countersigns this Second Release.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive is not releasing any claims hereunder with respect to (a) Executive’s right to be indemnified and/or advanced or reimbursed expenses pursuant to any corporate document of the Company, applicable law, or Executive’s right to be covered under any applicable directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies, (b) any rights that Executive has with respect to the severance payment set forth in Section 1 of the First Release that is payable to Executive after the

 

8



 

date of this Second Release, (c) any rights that Executive has to vested equity awards as of his Retirement Date and any rights Executive has under any benefit plans (other than severance) of the Company under which Executive has a vested benefit as of his Retirement Date and for which amounts are payable after the Retirement Date, (d) any rights as a shareholder of the Company, (e) any rights to receive a gross-up payment as provided in Section 4 of the Severance Agreement, (f) any rights for reimbursement or payment of legal fees pursuant to Section 15 of the Employment Agreement, Section 10 of the Severance Agreement, and Section 9 of the First Release (and the foregoing Section 15 of the Employment Agreement, Section 10 of the Severance Agreement and Section 9 of the First Release shall remain in full force and effect), or (g) any rights which arise after the date on which Executive countersigns this Second Release with respect to matters that occurred after such date.

 

2.                                       Release of Claims by the Company .  In full and complete settlement of any claims that the Company may have against Executive, other than the fulfillment of Executive’s obligations hereunder and his non-competition and non-solicitation obligations under Section 9(b) of the Employment Agreement and his obligation not to disclose certain information described in Section 9(a) of the Employment Agreement, and for and in consideration of the undertakings of Executive described herein, the Company does hereby REMISE, RELEASE, AND FOREVER DISCHARGE Executive and his heirs, executors and administrators (for the purpose of this Section 2 all included within the term “Executive”), of and from any and all manner of actions and causes of actions, suits, debts, claims and demands whatsoever in law or in equity, which the Company ever had, now has, or hereafter may have, by reason of any matter, cause or thing based on, arising out of or relating to Executive’s employment by the Company from the beginning of Executive’s employment with the Company to the date of this Second Release; and particularly, but without limitation of the foregoing general terms, any claims arising from or relating in any way to actions taken by Executive during the time of his employment relationship and the termination of that employment relationship with the Company.

 

3.                                       No Litigation of Claims .  Executive acknowledges that he has not caused or permitted any charge, complaint, lawsuit or any other action or proceeding whatsoever to be filed against the Company or any of the other Released Parties in connection with his employment or the separation of that employment to date.  However, nothing in the First Release or Second Release is intended to interfere with Executive’s right to file a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “ EEOC ”) or other state or local human rights agency responsible for investigating unlawful discrimination in the workplace in connection with any claim he reasonably believes he may have against the Company, or from participating in any investigation being conducted by such agencies.  However, by executing this Second Release, Executive hereby waives the right to recover in any proceeding Executive may bring before the EEOC or any state or local human rights agency or in any proceeding brought by such agencies or any other third parties on Executive’s behalf.  He further agrees he may not file or be a party to any lawsuit asserting claims or causes of action waived and released by him pursuant to this Second Release.

 

9



 

4.                                       Attorney Consultation Advised .  The Company hereby advises Executive to consult with any attorney of his choosing prior to signing this Second Release.  By signing below, Executive acknowledges and agrees that he has been encouraged to do so by the Company and that it is entirely his decision whether or not to consult with counsel.

 

5.                                       Review Period .  Executive shall have a period of not less than twenty-one (21) calendar days from the effective date of his termination to consider this Second Release before signing and returning it to the Company.  It is exclusively Executive’s decision whether to use all or part of this 21-day period.  To the extent Executive elects to execute this Second Release sooner than the conclusion of the 21-day period, Executive acknowledges and agrees that it has been exclusively his decision as to when to sign and return this Second Release to the Company.  Upon execution, this Second Release should be returned to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

 

6.                                       Revocation Period .  Executive shall have a period of seven (7) calendar days after signing this Second Release and returning it to the Company in which he may revoke this Second Release should he change his mind.  In order for this revocation to be effective, it must be by written notice provided to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and received by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company no later than the close of business on the seventh (7th) day after Executive signs and returns the Second Release to the Company.

 

7.                                       Effective Date/Payments .  This Second Release shall not become effective until the eighth (8th) day after Executive’s execution of this Second Release.  No payments under Section 1(a) of the First Release shall be made if Executive does not execute this Second Release or revokes this Second Release.

 

8.                                       Incorporation from First Release .  Executive acknowledges and agrees that the provisions of the First Release which are not covered by this Second Release are specifically hereby incorporated herein.

 

Executive represents and certifies that he has carefully read and fully understands all of the provisions of this Second Release and that he is signing this Second Release voluntarily, of his own free will and without duress; and that the Company, its agents, representatives or attorneys have made no representations concerning the terms or effects of this Second Release other than contained herein.

 

[ SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS ]

 

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IN WITNESS THEREOF , the Executive has duly executed this Second Release on this        day of               , 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

Leon Kopyt

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

For RCM Technologies, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date

 

 

WAIVER OF 21 DAY PERIOD

 

I, Leon Kopyt, hereby acknowledge that I have been notified and am fully aware of my right to consider for a period of twenty-one (21) days my decision to enter into the foregoing Second Release, and that, having had a sufficient opportunity to review the Second Release and consult with counsel of my choice, I freely and voluntarily enter into this Second Release prior to the end of such period.

 

 

 

 

 

Leon Kopyt

 

Date

 

11


Exhibit 99.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

RCM Technologies, Inc.

Tel: 856.356.4500

Corporate Contacts:

2500 McClellan Avenue

Fax: 856.356.4600

Leon Kopyt

Pennsauken, NJ 08109

info@rcmt.com

Chairman, President & CEO

 

www.rcmt.com

Kevin D. Miller

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

RCM TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AS CEO OF LEON KOPYT

 

Long-time RCM Executive Rocco Campanelli Elected CEO

 

Mr. Kopyt Will Remain Chairman of Board of Directors

RCM Reaches Settlement with Legion Group

 

Pennsauken, NJ — January 23, 2014 — RCM Technologies, Inc. (NasdaqGM: RCMT), a premier provider of business and technology solutions designed to enhance and maximize the operational performance of its customers through the adaptation and deployment of advanced information technology, engineering and specialty healthcare services, today announced that Leon Kopyt, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer since 1992, will retire from those positions effective February 28, 2014.  Mr. Kopyt will continue to serve as the Chairman of RCM’s Board of Directors.

 

Rocco Campanelli, who has worked with RCM and Mr. Kopyt for 18 years and has served as an Executive Vice President of RCM since 1999, will assume the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer upon Mr. Kopyt’s retirement.

 

Mr. Kopyt said, “I’m extremely proud of our success at RCM.  We have achieved a great many significant accomplishments and have built a strong team throughout our organization.  I am grateful to and appreciative of my many colleagues over the years, and I also am thankful for the support we have received, and continue to enjoy, from our customers.  I am confident that RCM will continue to grow and gain market share under Rocco’s leadership, and I look forward to working with him and the other members of the Board to support RCM in its next stages of growth and development.”

 

Mr. Campanelli added, “I first want to thank Leon for his mentoring and friendship over the past 18 years.  I look forward to continuing to benefit from his expertise as we move forward.”  Mr. Campanelli continued, “RCM is a great company and I am excited to take on this new role.  I am energized by the opportunities that I believe we have to grow our company and look forward to working with the Board of Directors to bring value to our stockholders, employees and clients.”

 

Lead independent director S. Gary Snodgrass commented “We’re very grateful to Leon for his longtime leadership of RCM.  He has been an outstanding executive and we owe him much gratitude for his long-time stewardship of our company.”  Mr. Snodgrass added, “With Rocco taking over, we will enjoy the continuity of leadership that he will bring as a long-time member of the RCM team, but will at the same time reap the benefits of a fresh perspective in our CEO position.  Rocco has a proven track record and of course enjoys great familiarity with our company’s strategy and operations.  We believe RCM is poised for growth and substantial accomplishments as we move to the next level under Rocco’s leadership.”

 



 

In connection with his retirement, Mr. Kopyt and the Company entered into a Separation Agreement, pursuant to which Mr. Kopyt will receive various severance benefits.  The Company will file the Separation Agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to an upcoming Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

The Company also announced that it has reached a Settlement Agreement with Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC and the other members of its stockholder group, or the Legion Group, which, as the beneficial holder of 13.3% of RCM’s common stock, is RCM’s largest stockholder. The Settlement Agreement, which follows the contested director election at the Company’s 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, contains various provisions, including a standstill provision designed to prevent any similar contested election at the Company’s 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  It further provides that both of the nominees of the Legion Group elected to the Board in December 2013, Bradley S. Vizi and Roger H. Ballou, as well as Messrs. Kopyt and Snodgrass, will be nominated by the Company for reelection at the Company’s 2014 annual meeting of stockholders.  The Settlement Agreement, which the Company will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to an upcoming Current Report on Form 8-K, also contains various provisions regarding corporate governance, and provides for a dismissal of the ongoing legal action between the Company and the Legion Group.

 

“We are pleased to be able to settle the litigation that resulted from the contested election, allowing the Company to focus fully on long-term growth, sustainable profitability, market leadership and enhanced value for stockholders.  We also look forward to working together with our new Board members, Brad Vizi and Roger Ballou,” said Mr. Kopyt.

 

“The Legion Group is also glad to put the litigation behind us.  Roger and I look forward to participating in RCM’s ongoing efforts to enhance stockholder value,” said Mr. Vizi. “Together, the Board and management expect to work together constructively and cooperatively to achieve strong progress at RCM.”

 

About RCM

 

RCM Technologies, Inc. is a premier provider of business and technology solutions designed to enhance and maximize the operational performance of its customers through the adaptation and deployment of advanced information technology and engineering services. RCM is an innovative leader in the delivery of these solutions to commercial and government sectors. RCM is also a provider of specialty healthcare services to major health care institutions and educational facilities. RCM’s offices are located in major metropolitan centers throughout North America. Additional information can be found at www.rcmt.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

The Statements contained in this release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  These statements often include words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “plan,” “seek,” “could,” “can,” “should” or similar expressions.  In addition, statements that are not historical should also be considered forward-looking statements.  These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future

 



 

developments and other factors we believe are appropriate in these circumstances.  Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to demand for the Company’s services, the Company’s opportunities for growth, the roles of various individuals in the Company’s management structure and other matters relating to the settlement agreement discussed herein.  Such statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements.  Risk, uncertainties and other factors may emerge from time to time that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those indicated by the forward-looking statements.  Investors are directed to consider such risks, uncertainties and other factors described in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The Company assumes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information or future events or developments, except as may be required by law.