UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 19, 2015

 

Associated Capital Group, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-37387

 

47-3965991

(State or other jurisdiction

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

of incorporation)

 

 

 

 

 

One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (914) 921-5135

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2.):

 

o             Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o             Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

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

 

On November 19, 2015, Associated Capital Group, Inc. (the “Company”) filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware its amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which, among other things, (i) effected a reclassification of the Company’s common stock so that its outstanding common stock was reclassified into an aggregate of (a) 6,247,452 shares of Class A Common Stock and (b) 19,196,792 shares of Class B Common Stock and (ii) authorized 210,000,000 shares for issuance, 100,000,000 shares of which are designated as Class A Common Stock, 100,000,000 of which are designated as Class B Common Stock and 10,000,000 of which are designated as preferred stock. The amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which became effective upon being filed on November 19, 2015 is substantially in the form included as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Registration on Form 10, Securities and Exchange Commission File No. 1-37387 (the “Form 10”), except for the inclusion of the information set forth in clause (i) above.

 

The above description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation, which is attached as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and incorporated into this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

Also on November 19, 2015, the Company amended and restated its bylaws. The amended and restated bylaws are in the form included as Exhibit 3.2 to the Form 10, are attached as Exhibit 3.2 hereto and are incorporated into this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

The Exhibit Index immediately following the signature page to this Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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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.

 

 

 

Associated Capital Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Dated: November 25, 2015

By:

/s/ Kieran Caterina

 

Name:

Kieran Caterina

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer

 

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

 

 

3.1

 

Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Associated Capital Group, Inc.

 

 

 

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of Associated Capital Group, Inc.

 

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Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

 

Associated Capital Group, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

(1)          The name of the Corporation is Associated Capital Group, Inc.

 

(2)          The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed on April 15, 2015 under the name “Gabelli Securities Group, Inc.”  On October 13, 2015, the Corporation filed a Certificate of Amendment to its original Certificate of Incorporation changing its name to “Associated Capital Group, Inc.”

 

(3)          This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation amends and restates the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.

 

(4)          This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

(5)          Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the text of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
NAME

 

The name of this Corporation is:  Associated Capital Group, Inc. (the “ Corporation ”).

 

ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19808.  The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at that address is Corporation Service Company.

 

ARTICLE III
PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “ DGCL ”).

 

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ARTICLE IV
AUTHORIZED STOCK

 

4.1                                The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall be authorized to issue is 210,000,000 shares, consisting of: (i) 100,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value of $0.001 per share (the “ Class A Common Stock ”), (ii) 100,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, par value of $0.001 per share (the “ Class B Common Stock ”), and (iii) 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, having a par value of $0.001 per share (the “ Preferred Stock ”).  The powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions of each class of stock of the Corporation are as set forth in this Article IV.

 

4.2                                Upon the filing and effectiveness (the “ Effective Time ”) of this Certificate of Incorporation pursuant to the DGCL, the 100 shares of the Corporation’s Common Stock, par value of $0.001 per share, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “ Old Common Stock ”) shall be reclassified into (i) 6,247,452 validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable shares of Class A Common Stock authorized by Section 4.1 and (ii) 19,196,792 validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable shares of Class B Common Stock authorized by Section 4.1, in each case automatically and without any action by the Corporation or the holder thereof (the “ Reclassification ”).  The certificate that prior to the Effective Time represented the Old Common Stock shall from and after the Effective Time represent 6,247,452 shares of Class A Common Stock and 19,196,792 shares of Class B Common Stock into which the shares of Old Common Stock represented by such certificate shall have been reclassified; provided, however , that the record holder of the Old Common Stock shall, upon surrender of such certificate, be entitled to receive new certificates evidencing and representing the shares issued pursuant to the Reclassification, unless such record holder elects to only have such shares registered in book-entry form.

 

4.3                                Common Stock.

 

(a)                                  Voting .

 

(1)                                  At each annual or special meeting of stockholders, in the case of any written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting and for all other purposes, each holder of record of shares of Class A Common Stock on the relevant record date shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Class A Common Stock standing in such Person’s (as defined below) name on the stock transfer records of the Corporation, and each holder of record of Class B Common Stock on the relevant record date shall be entitled to ten (10) votes for each share of Class B Common Stock standing in such Person’s name on the stock transfer records of the Corporation.  Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation that may be issued from time to time, the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and of shares of Class B Common Stock shall vote as a single class on all matters with respect to which a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation is required under applicable law, this Certificate of Incorporation, or the Bylaws of the Corporation, or on which a vote of stockholders is otherwise duly called for by the Corporation, including, but not limited to, the election of directors, matters concerning the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation, mergers or consolidations with another entity or entities, dissolution of the Corporation and amendments to

 

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this Certificate of Incorporation.  Except as otherwise provided in this Article IV or required by applicable law, whenever applicable law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation provide for the necessity of an affirmative vote of the stockholders entitled to cast at least a “majority (or any other greater percentage) of the votes which all stockholders are entitled to cast thereon,” or a “majority (or any other greater percentage) of the Voting Stock” (as defined below), or language of similar effect, any and all such language shall mean that the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall vote as one class and that such majority (or any other greater percentage) consists of a majority (or such other greater percentage) of the total number of votes entitled to be cast in accordance with the provisions of this Article IV.  For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, (i) “ Voting Stock ” shall mean all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, considered as a single class and (ii) “ Person ”  shall mean a natural person, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated association or other legal entity.

 

(2)                                  Neither the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock nor the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall have cumulative voting rights.

 

(b)                                  Dividends; Stock Splits .  Subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, and subject to any other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property of the Corporation as may be declared thereon by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board of Directors ”) from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor.  If at any time a dividend or other distribution in cash or other property (other than dividends or other distributions payable in shares of common stock or other voting securities or options or warrants to purchase shares of common stock or other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock or other voting securities) is paid on the shares of Class A Common Stock or shares of Class B Common Stock, a like dividend or other distribution in cash or other property shall also be paid on shares of Class B Common Stock or shares of Class A Common Stock, as the case may be, in an equal amount per share.  If at any time a dividend or other distribution payable in shares of common stock or options or warrants to purchase shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock is paid on shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, a like dividend or other distribution shall also be paid on shares of Class B Common Stock or Class A Common Stock, as the case may be, in an equal amount per share; provided that, for this purpose, if shares of Class A Common Stock or other voting securities, or options or warrants to purchase shares of Class A Common Stock or other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Class A Common Stock or other voting securities, are paid on shares of Class A Common Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock or voting securities identical to the other securities paid on the shares of Class A Common Stock (except that the voting securities paid on the Class B Common Stock may have up to ten (10) times the number of votes per share as the other voting securities to be received by the holders of the Class A Common Stock) or options or warrants to purchase shares of Class B Common Stock or such other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Class B Common Stock or such other voting securities, are paid on shares of Class B Common Stock, in an equal amount per share of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common

 

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Stock, such dividend or other distribution shall be deemed to be a like dividend or other distribution.  In the case of any split, subdivision, combination or reclassification of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, the shares of Class B Common Stock or Class A Common Stock, as the case may be, shall also be split, subdivided, combined or reclassified so that the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately following such split, subdivision, combination or reclassification shall bear the same relationship to each other as did the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such split, subdivision, combination or reclassification.

 

(c)                                   Liquidation, Dissolution, etc .  In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up (either voluntary or involuntary) of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders, subject to the rights of the holders of any Preferred Stock of the Corporation that may at the time be outstanding, in proportion to the number of shares held by them, respectively, without regard to class.

 

(d)                                  Mergers, etc .  In the event of any corporate merger, consolidation, purchase, or acquisition of property or stock, or other reorganization in which any consideration is to be received by the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock or the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock, the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall receive the same consideration on a per share basis; provided that, if such consideration shall consist in any part of voting securities (or of options or warrants to purchase, or of securities convertible into or exchangeable for, voting securities), the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock may receive, on a per share basis, voting securities with up to ten (10) times the number of votes per share as those voting securities to be received by the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock (or options or warrants to purchase, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, voting securities with up to ten (10) times the number of votes per share as the voting securities issuable upon exercise of the options or warrants to be received by the holders of the shares of Class A Common Stock, or into which the convertible or exchangeable securities to be received by the holders of the shares of Class A Common Stock may be converted or exchanged).

 

(e)                                   Power to Sell and Purchase Shares .  Subject to applicable law, the Corporation shall have the power to issue and sell all or any part of any shares of any class of stock herein or hereafter authorized to such Persons, and for such consideration, as the Board of Directors shall from time to time, in its discretion, determine, whether or not greater consideration could be received upon the issue or sale of the same number of shares of another class, and as otherwise permitted by law.  Subject to the requirements of applicable law, the Corporation shall have the power to purchase any shares of any class of stock herein or hereafter authorized from such Persons, and for such consideration, as the Board of Directors shall from time to time, in its discretion, determine, whether or not less consideration could be paid upon the purchase of the same number of shares of another class, and as otherwise permitted by law.

 

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(f)                                    Rights Otherwise Identical .  Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Article IV, the rights of the holders of Class A Common Stock and the rights of the holders of Class B Common Stock shall be in all respects identical.

 

(g)                                   Preemptive Rights .  The holders of the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock shall have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation whether now or hereafter authorized.

 

(h)                                  Conversion of Class B Common Stock .

 

(1)                                  Voluntary Conversion .  Each share of Class B Common Stock shall be convertible into one (1) fully paid and non-assessable share of Class A Common Stock at the option of the holder thereof at any time upon written notice to the Corporation.  Before any holder of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to voluntarily convert any shares of such Class B Common Stock, such holder shall surrender the certificate or certificates therefor (if any), duly endorsed, at the principal corporate office of the Corporation or of any transfer agent for the Class B Common Stock, and shall give written notice to the Corporation at its principal corporate office, of the election to convert the same and shall state therein the name or names (i) in which the certificate or certificates representing the shares of Class A Common Stock into which the shares of Class B Common Stock are so converted are to be issued if such shares are certificated or (ii) in which such shares are to be registered in book-entry form if such shares are uncertificated.  The Corporation shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, issue and deliver at such office to such holder of Class B Common Stock, or to the nominee or nominees of such holder, a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of Class A Common Stock to which such holder shall be entitled as aforesaid (if such shares are certificated) or, if such shares are uncertificated, register such shares in book-entry form. Such conversion shall be deemed to have been made immediately prior to the close of business on (i) if the Shares of Class B Common Stock are certificated, the date of such surrender of the shares of Class B Common Stock to be converted following or contemporaneously with the written notice of such holder’s election to convert required by this Section 4.3(h)(1) or (ii) if the shares of Class B Common Stock are uncertificated, the date of the Corporation’s receipt of the written notice of such holder’s election to convert required by this Section 4.3(h)(1), and the person or persons entitled to receive the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such shares of Class A Common Stock as of such date.  Each share of Class B Common Stock that is converted pursuant to this Section 4.3(h)(1) shall be retired by the Corporation and shall not be available for reissuance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a conversion election under this Section 4.3(h) is made in connection with an underwritten offering of the Corporation’s securities pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the conversion may, at the option of the holder tendering shares of Class B Common Stock for conversion, be conditioned upon the closing by the underwriters of the sale of the Corporation’s securities pursuant to such offering, in which event the holders making such elections who are entitled to receive Class A Common Stock upon conversion of their Class B Common Stock shall not be deemed to have converted such shares of Class B Common Stock until immediately prior to the closing of such sale of the Corporation’s securities in the offering.

 

(2)                                  Policies and Procedures Relating to Conversions .  The Corporation may, from time to time, establish such policies and procedures, not in violation of applicable law

 

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or the other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation, to ensure compliance with applicable securities laws in connection with the conversion of Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock.

 

(3)                                  Reservation of Stock . The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the shares of Class B Common Stock, such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock into shares of Class A Common Stock; provided , that nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude the Corporation from satisfying its obligations in respect of the conversion of the outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock by delivery of shares of Class A Common Stock that are held in the treasury of the Corporation.

 

(4)                                  Protective Provision .  The Corporation shall not, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, amend, alter, repeal or waive this Section 4.3(h) (or adopt any provision inconsistent therewith), without first obtaining the affirmative vote (or written consent if action by written consent of stockholders is permitted at such time under this Certificate of Incorporation) of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock, voting as a separate class, in addition to any other vote required by applicable law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

4.4                                Preferred Stock.

 

(a)                                  The holders of the Preferred Stock shall have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation whether now or hereafter authorized.

 

(b)                                  The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series.  The Board of Directors is authorized to establish and designate one or more series of the Preferred Stock, to issue shares of the Preferred Stock in such series and to fix the number of shares in a series, the rights, designations, powers and preferences, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of each series and the relative rights, preferences and limitations as between series.  The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

 

(1)                                  the number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series;

 

(2)                                  the dividend rate on the shares of that series, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the rights of priority, if any, of payments of dividends on shares of that series relative to shares of other classes or series;

 

(3)                                  whether that series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights;

 

(4)                                  whether that series shall have conversion or exchange privileges or be subject to conversion or exchange obligations, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such

 

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conversion or exchange, including provision for adjustment of the conversion or exchange rate in such events as the Board of Directors shall determine;

 

(5)                                  whether or not the shares of that series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the manner of selecting shares for redemption if less than all shares are to be redeemed, the date or dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates;

 

(6)                                  whether that series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund;

 

(7)                                  the right of the shares of that series to the benefit of conditions and restrictions upon the creation of indebtedness of the Corporation or any subsidiary, upon the issue of any additional shares (including additional shares of such series or any other series) and upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Corporation or any subsidiary of any outstanding shares of the Corporation;

 

(8)                                  the rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and the rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series relative to shares of other classes or series;

 

(9)                                  any restrictions on transfers of shares of that series; and

 

(10)                           any other relative, participating, optional or other special rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions of that series.

 

ARTICLE V
MANAGEMENT OF THE CORPORATION; BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

5.1                                The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its Board of Directors and stockholders:

 

(a)                                  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

 

(b)                                  The Board of Directors shall have the power to make, adopt, alter, amend and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation without the assent or vote of the stockholders, including, without limitation, the power to fix, from time to time, the number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors, subject to the right of the stockholders to alter, amend and repeal the Bylaws made by the Board of Directors.

 

(c)                                   The number of directors of the Corporation shall consist of one or more members and shall be from time to time fixed by, or in the manner provided in, the Bylaws of the Corporation.  Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation so provide.

 

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(d)                                  In addition to the powers and authority hereinbefore or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the Board of Directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation, and any Bylaws adopted by the stockholders; provided, however , that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board of Directors which would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

(e)                                   Subject to any rights of holders of Preferred Stock or any other series or class of stock, any member of the Board of Directors or the entire Board of Directors may be removed, with or without cause, at any time prior to the expiration of his term by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors.

 

(f)                                    Subject to any rights of holders of Preferred Stock or any other series or class of stock, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, any vacancies will be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum.

 

ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION ON LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

 

6.1                                To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it exists on the date hereof or as it may hereafter be amended, a director of this Corporation shall not be personally liable to this Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL; or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper personal benefit.  If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

 

6.2                                The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless and advance expenses to any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he, his testator or intestate is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation, or serves or served at any other enterprise as a director or officer at the request of the Corporation, any predecessor to the Corporation or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation.  The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VI and applicable law shall not be deemed to be exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

6.3                                Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VI, nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VI, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VI in respect of any matter occurring, or any action or

 

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proceeding accruing or arising or that, but for this Article VI, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.

 

ARTICLE VII
SECTION 203 OF THE DGCL NOT APPLICABLE

 

The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by or subject to Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE VIII
CERTAIN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES; CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

 

8.1                                Certain Definitions for Article VIII.  For purposes of this Article VIII, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person.

 

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement, or otherwise. The terms “Controls”, “Controlled” and “Controlling” will have corresponding meanings.

 

a “ Disinterested Director ” shall mean a director that is not a Gabelli and who does not have a financial interest in the Transaction and interests in an entity that are not equity or ownership interests or that constitute less than 10% of the equity or ownership interests of such entity will not be considered to confer a financial interest on any Person who beneficially owns such interests.

 

a “ Gabelli ” includes (i) Mr. Gabelli (as hereinafter defined), so long as he is an officer or director of the Corporation or beneficially owns a controlling interest in the Corporation, (ii) any member of his “immediate family” (which shall include Mr. Gabelli’s spouse, parents, children and siblings) who is at the time an officer or director of the Corporation and (iii) any entity in which Persons qualifying as Gabellis pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above beneficially own in the aggregate a controlling interest of the outstanding voting securities or comparable interests.

 

Mr. Gabelli ” means Mr. Mario J. Gabelli.

 

Subsidiary ” when used with respect to any Person, means any other Person (1) of which (x) in the case of a corporation, at least (A) 50% of the equity or (B) 50% of the voting interests are owned or Controlled, directly or indirectly, by such first Person, by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries or (y) in the case of any Person other than a corporation, such first Person, one or more of its Subsidiaries, or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (A) owns at least 50% of the equity interests thereof or (B) has the power to elect or direct the election of at least 50% of the members of the governing body thereof or otherwise has Control over such organization or entity; or (2) that is

 

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required to be consolidated with such first Person for financial reporting purposes under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, as in effect from to time.

 

Trigger Date ” means the date on which Mr. Gabelli “beneficially” owns (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as in effect on the effective date of this Certificate of Incorporation) less than a majority of the voting power of our Voting Stock.

 

8.2                                Certain Acknowledgements .  In recognition and anticipation that:

 

(a)                                  directors and officers of the Corporation may serve as directors, officers, employees and agents of, or have a controlling interest in, any other corporation, company, partnership, association, firm or other entity, including, without limitation, Subsidiaries and Affiliates of the Corporation (each an “ Other Entity ”),

 

(b)                                  the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage in the same, similar or related lines of business as those engaged in by any Other Entity and other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which such Other Entity may engage,

 

(c)                                   the Corporation may have an interest in the same areas of business opportunity as any Other Entity, and

 

(d)                                  the Corporation may engage in material business transactions with any Other Entity and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, receiving services from, providing services to or being a significant customer or supplier to such Other Entity and its Affiliates, and that the Corporation and such Other Entity or one or more of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates may benefit from such transactions,

 

and as a consequence of the foregoing, it is in the best interests of the Corporation that the rights of the Corporation, and the duties of any directors or officers of the Corporation (including any such persons who are also directors, officers or employees of any Other Entity), be determined and delineated, as set forth herein, in respect of (x) any transactions between the Corporation and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, on the one hand, and such Other Entity and its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, on the other hand, and (y) any potential transactions or matters that may be presented to officers or directors of the Corporation, or of which such officers or directors may otherwise become aware, which potential transactions or matters may constitute business opportunities of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.

 

In recognition of the benefits to be derived by the Corporation through its continued contractual, corporate and business relations with any Other Entity and of the benefits to be derived by the Corporation by the possible service as directors or officers of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries of persons who may also serve from time to time as directors, officers or employees of any Other Entity, the provisions of this Article VIII will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, regulate and define the conduct of the business and affairs of the Corporation in relation to such Other Entity and its Affiliates, and as such conduct and affairs may involve such Other Entity’s respective directors, officers or employees, and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its officers and directors in connection therewith and in connection with any potential business opportunities of the Corporation.

 

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Any Person purchasing, receiving or otherwise becoming the owner of any shares of capital stock of the Corporation, or any interest therein, will be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article VIII. References in this Article VIII to “directors,” “officers” or “employees” of any Person will be deemed to include those Persons who hold similar positions or exercise similar powers and authority with respect to any Other Entity that is a limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or other non-corporate entity.

 

8.3                                Duties of Directors and Officers Regarding Potential Business Opportunities; No Liability for Certain Acts or Omissions .

 

If a director or officer of the Corporation is offered, or otherwise acquires knowledge of, a potential transaction or matter that may constitute or present a business opportunity for the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, in which the Corporation could, but for the provisions of this Article VIII, have an interest or expectancy (any such transaction or matter, and any such actual or potential business opportunity, a “ Potential Business Opportunity ”):

 

(a)                                  such director or officer will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty or obligation to refer such Potential Business Opportunity to the Corporation, or to refrain from referring such Potential Business Opportunity to any Other Entity, or to give any notice to the Corporation regarding such Potential Business Opportunity (or any matter related thereto),

 

(b)                                  such director or officer will not be liable to the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or any of its stockholders, as a director, officer, stockholder or otherwise, for any failure to refer such Potential Business Opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, or for referring such Potential Business Opportunity to any Other Entity, or for any failure to give any notice to or otherwise inform the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries regarding such Potential Business Opportunity or any matter relating thereto,

 

(c)                                   any Other Entity may engage or invest in, independently or with others, any such Potential Business Opportunity,

 

(d)                                  the Corporation shall not have any right in or to such Potential Business Opportunity or to receive any income or proceeds derived therefrom, and

 

(e)                                   the Corporation shall have no interest or expectancy, and hereby specifically renounces any interest or expectancy, in any such Potential Business Opportunity,

 

unless both of the following conditions are satisfied: (A) such Potential Business Opportunity was expressly offered to a director or officer of the Corporation solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation or as a director or officer of any Subsidiary of the Corporation and (B) such Potential Business Opportunity relates to a line of business in which the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries is then directly engaged; provided, however , if the conditions specified in the immediately preceding clauses (A) and (B) are satisfied, any Other Entity may pursue such Potential Business Opportunity (or direct it to another person or entity) if either (i) the Corporation renounces its interest in the Potential Business Opportunity in writing or (ii) the Corporation does not within a reasonable period of time, begin to pursue, or thereafter continue to pursue, such Potential Business Opportunity diligently and in good faith.

 

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8.4                                Conflict of Interest Policy.

 

(a)                                  To the fullest extent permitted by law, no contract, agreement, arrangement, or transaction between the Corporation and a Gabelli or any customer or supplier or any entity in which a director of the Corporation has a financial interest (a “ Related Entity ”), or one or more of the directors or officers of the Corporation, or any Related Entity, any amendment, modification, or termination thereof, or any waiver of any right thereunder, will be voidable solely because a Gabelli or such customer or supplier, any Related Entity, or any one or more of the officers or directors of the Corporation or any Related Entity are parties thereto, or solely because any such directors or officers are present at or participate in the meeting of the Board of Directors, or committee thereof, that authorizes the contract, agreement, arrangement, transaction, amendment, modification, termination, or waiver (each a “ Transaction ”) or solely because their votes are counted for such purpose, if any of the following four requirements are met:

 

(1)                                  the material facts as to the relationship or interest and as to the Transaction are disclosed or known to the Board of Directors or the committee thereof that authorizes the Transaction, and the Board of Directors or such committee in good faith approves the Transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Disinterested Directors on the Board of Directors or such committee, even if the Disinterested Directors are less than a quorum;

 

(2)                                  the material facts as to the relationship or interest and as to the Transaction are disclosed or known to the holders of Voting Stock entitled to vote thereon, and the Transaction is specifically approved by vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock not owned by such Gabelli or such Related Entity, voting together as a single class;

 

(3)                                  the Transaction is effected pursuant to guidelines that are in good faith approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors on the Board of Directors or the applicable committee thereof or by vote of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding Voting Stock not owned by such Gabelli or such Related Entity, voting together as a single class; or

 

(4)                                  the Transaction is fair to the Corporation as of the time it is approved by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders of the Corporation.

 

(b)                                  To the fullest extent permitted by law, if the requirements of (1), (2), (3) or (4) of paragraph (a) above are met, such Gabelli, the Related Entity, and the directors and officers of the Corporation or the Related Entity (as applicable) will be deemed to have acted reasonably and in good faith (to the extent such standard is applicable to such Person’s conduct) and fully to have satisfied any duties of loyalty and fiduciary duties they may have to the Corporation and its stockholders with respect to such Transaction.

 

(c)                                   To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Transaction authorized, approved, or effected, and each of such guidelines so authorized or approved, as described in (1), (2), or (3) of paragraph (a) above, will be deemed to be entirely fair to the Corporation and its stockholders, except that, if such authorization or approval is not obtained, or such Transaction is

 

12



 

not so effected, no presumption will arise that such Transaction or guideline is not fair to the Corporation and its stockholders.  To the fullest extent permitted by law and this Certificate of Incorporation, a Gabelli will not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for breach of any fiduciary duty that a Gabelli may have as a director of the Corporation by reason of the fact that a Gabelli takes any action in connection with any transaction between such Gabelli and the Corporation.

 

(d)                                  For the purposes of this Section 8.4, the term Corporation shall include any Subsidiary of the Corporation.

 

8.5                                Effect of Amendment of Article VIII .  No alteration, amendment or repeal, or adoption of any provision inconsistent with, any provision of this Article VIII will have any effect upon:

 

(a)                                  any agreement between the Corporation or an Affiliate thereof and any Other Entity or an Affiliate thereof, that was entered into before the time of such alteration, amendment or repeal or adoption of any such inconsistent provision (the “ Amendment Time ”), or any transaction entered into in connection with the performance of any such agreement, whether such transaction is entered into before or after the Amendment Time,

 

(b)                                  any transaction entered into between the Corporation or an Affiliate thereof and any Other Entity or an Affiliate thereof, before the Amendment Time,

 

(c)                                   the allocation of any business opportunity between the Corporation or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof and any Other Entity before the Amendment Time, or

 

(d)                                  any duty or obligation owed by any director or officer of the Corporation or any Subsidiary of the Corporation (or the absence of any such duty or obligation) with respect to any Potential Business Opportunity which such director or officer was offered, or of which such director or officer otherwise became aware, before the Amendment Time (regardless of whether any proceeding relating to any of the above is commenced before or after the Amendment Time).

 

8.6                                Requirements to Amend Article VIII .  Before the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, will be required to alter, amend, or repeal any of the conflict of interest or corporate opportunity provisions contained in this Article VIII in a manner adverse to the interests of any Gabelli.  After the Trigger Date, such required vote will be increased to 80% of the outstanding Voting Stock to alter, amend, repeal or replace any of the conflict of interest and corporate opportunity provisions contained in this Article VIII.

 

ARTICLE IX
FORUM FOR ADJUDICATING DISPUTES

 

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s

 

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stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as either may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware).  If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of the preceding sentence is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “ Foreign Action ”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the preceding sentence and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.  Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article IX.

 

[Reminder of page intentionally left blank]

 

14



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation on this 19th day of November, 2015.

 

 

ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mario J. Gabelli

 

Mario J. Gabelli

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]

 


Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS OF

 

ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

 

A DELAWARE CORPORATION

 

(as amended and restated on November 19, 2015)

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

1

 

 

 

1.1

Registered Office

1

1.2

Other Offices

1

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

1

 

 

 

2.1

Definitions

1

2.2

Annual Meetings

1

2.3

Special Meetings

1

2.4

Voting and Proxies

2

2.5

Quorum

2

2.6

Notice of Meetings

2

2.7

Nature of Business at Meetings of Stockholders

2

2.8

Action by Written Consent

4

2.9

List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote

5

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

5

 

 

 

3.1

Powers

5

3.2

Number of Directors

5

3.3

Qualification, Election, Term of Office

5

3.4

Removal

5

3.5

Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies

5

3.6

Books and Records

6

3.7

Compensation

6

3.8

Nomination of Directors

6

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

7

 

 

 

4.1

Regular Meetings

7

4.2

Special Meetings

7

4.3

Notice of Meetings

8

4.4

Quorum

8

4.5

Remote Meetings

8

4.6

Organization

8

4.7

Action by Unanimous Written Consent

8

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

COMMITTEES

8

 

 

 

5.1

Committees

8

5.2

Committee Minutes; Committee Rules

8

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

NOTICES

9

 

 

 

6.1

Notice

9

6.2

Waiver of Notice

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

OFFICERS

10

 

 

 

7.1

General

10

7.2

Term; Removal and Vacancies

10

7.3

Chairperson of the Board

10

7.4

Chief Executive Officer

10

7.5

President

10

7.6

The Vice Presidents

10

7.7

Secretary

10

7.8

Assistant Secretary

11

7.9

Chief Financial Officer

11

 

i



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION

11

 

 

 

8.1

Indemnification of Officers and Directors

11

8.2

Advance of Expenses

11

8.3

Non-Exclusivity of Rights

12

8.4

Indemnification Agreements

12

8.5

Claims

12

8.6

Nature of Rights

12

8.7

Insurance

12

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX

BUSINESS COMBINATION STATUTE

13

 

 

 

ARTICLE X

STOCK

13

 

 

 

10.1

General

13

10.2

Signatures

13

10.3

Replacement Certificates

13

10.4

Other Regulations

13

10.5

Stockholders of Record

13

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

14

 

 

 

11.1

Dividends

14

11.2

Checks

14

11.3

Fiscal Year

14

11.4

Seal

14

11.5

Form of Records

14

 

 

 

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENTS

14

 

ii



 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

 

As Adopted November 19, 2015

 

ARTICLE I
OFFICES

 

1.1                                Registered Office .  The registered office of Associated Capital Group, Inc. (hereinafter, the “ Corporation ”) shall be at 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, DE 19808, and its resident agent at such address is Corporation Service Corporation.

 

1.2                                Other Offices .  The Corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the board of directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”) may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

2.1                                Definitions .  For purposes of these Bylaws (these “ Bylaws ”), “ Trigger Date ” shall mean the date Mr. Gabelli (as defined below) owns a “beneficial” interest (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (“ Exchange Act ”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as in effect on the effective date of these Bylaws) of less than a majority of the outstanding voting power of the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Voting Stock ”).  The term “ Mr. Gabelli ” refers to Mario J. Gabelli and also includes members of his “ immediate family ” (which shall include Mr. Gabelli’s spouse, parents, children and siblings) and any subsidiaries and other entities in which Mr. Gabelli and members of his immediate family beneficially own a controlling interest of the outstanding voting securities or interests.

 

2.2                                Annual Meetings .  If required by applicable law, an annual meeting of stockholders shall be held for the election of directors at such date and time as may be determined from time to time by the Board.  The meeting may be held either at a place, within or without the State of Delaware, or by means of remote communication as the Board in its sole discretion may determine.  Any other proper business may be transacted at the annual meeting.

 

2.3                                Special Meetings .  Special meetings of stockholders may be held at such time and place within or without the State of Delaware as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances and the rights of stockholders to call a special meeting to elect a sufficient number of directors to conduct the business of the Corporation under specified circumstances, and except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of stockholders can be called only by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board (as defined herein) or the Chairperson of the Board, upon not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days’ written notice; provided, however , that prior to the Trigger Date, special meetings of stockholders may also be called at the request of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock.  Any special meeting may be held either at a place, within or without the State of Delaware, or by means of remote communication as the Board in its sole discretion may determine.

 

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2.4                                Voting and Proxies .

 

(a)                                  Voting .  In accordance with the terms of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), and in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws, each holder of the Corporation’s Class A Common Stock, par value of $0.001 per share (the “ Class A Common Stock ”), shall be entitled to one (1) vote, in person or by proxy, per share and each holder of the Corporation’s Class B Common Stock, par value of $0.001 per share (the “ Class B Common Stock ”), shall be entitled to ten (10) votes, in person or by proxy, per share.  Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors.  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, or any other applicable rules or regulations, including the applicable rules or regulations of any stock exchange, every matter other than the election of directors shall be decided by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes properly cast for or against such matter, and, for the avoidance of doubt, neither abstentions nor broker non-votes shall be counted as votes cast for or against such matter.

 

(b)                                  Proxies .  Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders, or to take corporate action by written consent without a meeting, may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy.  Such a proxy may be prepared, transmitted and delivered in any manner permitted by applicable law.  The Board, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at a meeting of the stockholders, in such officer’s discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

 

2.5                                Quorum .  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders.  If less than a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares is represented, a majority of the voting power of the shares so represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, but until a quorum is secured no other business may be transacted.  The stockholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until an adjournment notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.  Shares of the Corporation’s stock belonging to the Corporation (or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation are held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation), shall neither be entitled to vote nor counted for quorum purposes; provided, however , that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation or any other corporation to vote any shares of the Corporation’s stock held by it in a fiduciary capacity and to count such shares for purposes of determining a quorum.

 

2.6                                Notice of Meetings .  Notice of all meetings of stockholders shall be given in writing or by electronic transmission in the manner provided by applicable law (including, without limitation, as set forth in Section 6.1(b) hereof) stating the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.  Unless otherwise required by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, such notice shall be given not less than ten (10), nor more than sixty (60), days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.

 

2.7                                Nature of Business at Meetings of Stockholders .  Only such business (other than nominations of Directors, which must comply with Section 3.8 hereof, and matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders as is either (a) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by any stockholder of the Corporation (i) who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.7 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such annual meeting and (ii) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.7.

 

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(a)                                  Delivery of Notice .  In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Corporation (the “ Secretary ”).

 

To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) calendar days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders (which anniversary date, in the case of the first annual meeting following the spin-off of the Corporation from GAMCO Investors, Inc., shall be deemed to be May 5, 2016); provided, however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered (A) no earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and (B) no later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation.  In no event shall the Public Announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.  For purposes of this Section 2.7 and Section 3.8 hereof, the term “ Public Announcement ” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(b)                                  Form of Notice .  To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting:

 

(1)                                  a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting;

 

(2)                                  the name and record address of such stockholder;

 

(3)                                  as to the stockholder giving the notice, (A) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned by such stockholder, (B) the name of each nominee holder for shares owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder and the number of shares of stock held by each such nominee holder, and (C) whether and the extent to which any derivative instrument, swap, option, warrant, short interest, hedge or profit interest or other transaction has been entered into by or on behalf of such stockholder with respect to stock of the Corporation;

 

(4)                                  a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings between such stockholder and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and any material interest of such stockholder in such business, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder therefrom;

 

(5)                                  a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting; and

 

(6)                                  any other information relating to such stockholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies with respect to business brought at an annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, and the rules promulgated thereunder or any successor statute.

 

(c)                                   Business to be Conducted .  No business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of stockholders except business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.7.  If the Chairperson of an annual meeting determines that business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the Chairperson shall declare that the business was not properly brought before the meeting and such business shall not be transacted.  Nothing in this Section 2.7 shall be deemed to affect any rights (i) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement

 

3



 

pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (ii) of the holders of any series of preferred stock if and to the extent provided for under law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

2.8                                Action by Written Consent .

 

(a)                                  Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or by applicable law, any action which, under any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “ DGCL ”), is required to or may be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting of stockholders, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, (i) is signed by the holders of record on the record date (established as provided below in Section 10.5 hereof or Section 2.8(c) hereof) of the outstanding shares of the Corporation 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) is delivered to the Corporation at its registered office in the State of Delaware, at its principal place of business or to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the minute books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.

 

(b)                                  The delivery of consents submitted pursuant to this Section 2.8 shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  Every written consent shall bear the date of the signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and no written consent shall be effective for the Corporation to take action unless, within sixty (60) calendar days of the earliest dated valid consent delivered in the manner described in this Section 2.8, written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take such action are delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in Section 2.8(a) hereof.  Only stockholders of record on the record date shall be entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting.

 

(c)                                   Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders give consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting pursuant to this Section 2.8 shall first request in writing that the Board fix a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to give consent to such corporate action, and have such written request delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (the “ Consent Record Date Request Notice ”).  Within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of a Consent Record Date Request Notice from any such stockholder, the Board 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 (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 within such ten (10) calendar day period after the date on which a Consent Record Date Request Notice is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to give consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be the first date on which a valid signed written consent setting forth the corporate action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in Section 2.8(a) hereof.

 

(d)                                  Prompt notice of the taking of any corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation as provided in Section 2.8(b) hereof.

 

(e)                                   Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no action may be taken by the stockholders by written consent except in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and this Section 2.8.  If the Board 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 Certificate of Incorporation and this Section 2.8, or the stockholder or stockholders seeking to take such action do not otherwise comply with the Certificate of Incorporation and this Section 2.8, then the Board 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.

 

(f)                                    In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.8 with respect to stockholders seeking to take an action by written consent, each stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take

 

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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.

 

2.9                                List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote .  The officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before the date of every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting; provided, however , if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date.  The stockholder list shall be arranged in alphabetical order and show the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder.  The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list.  Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network (provided that the information required to gain access to the list is provided with the notice of the meeting), or (ii) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation.  If the meeting is to be held at a place, the list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present at the meeting.  If the meeting is held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access the list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

 

ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS

 

3.1                                Powers .  The business affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

3.2                                Number of Directors .  The Board shall consist of not fewer than three (3) nor more than twelve (12) persons.  Subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect directors under specified circumstances, the exact number of directors within the minimum and maximum limitations specified in the preceding sentence shall be fixed from time to time by the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies (the “ Whole Board ”).  As of the effective date of these Bylaws, and until changed in accordance with the preceding sentence, the number of directors shall be six (6) directors.

 

3.3                                Qualification, Election, Term of Office .  Directors shall be at least eighteen years of age and need not be residents of the State of Delaware nor stockholders of the Corporation.  The directors, other than the first Board, shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders, except as hereinafter provided, and each director elected shall serve until the next succeeding annual meeting and until that director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.  Each member of the first Board shall hold office until the first annual meeting of stockholders and until that director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

3.4                                Removal .  Subject to the rights of holders of preferred stock to elect and remove directors under specified circumstances, any or all of the directors may be removed, with or without cause, at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class.

 

3.5                                Newly Created Directorships and Vacancies .  Subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock or any other series or class of stock, and except as otherwise provided in the DGCL, vacancies occurring on the Board for any reason and newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, at any meeting of the Board unless the Board otherwise determines.  A director elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired portion of the term of his predecessor in office.  A director elected to fill a newly created directorship shall serve until the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

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3.6                                Books and Records .  The Board may keep the books of the Corporation, except such as are required by law to be kept within the State of Delaware, outside of the State of Delaware, at such place or places as they may from time to time determine.

 

3.7                                Compensation .  The Board, or any committee thereof, and irrespective of any personal interest of any of its members, shall have authority to establish reasonable compensation of all directors for services to the Corporation as directors, officers or otherwise.

 

3.8                                Nomination of Directors .  Only persons who are nominated in accordance with this Section 3.8 shall be eligible for election as directors, except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation with respect to the right of holders of preferred stock of the Corporation to nominate and elect a specified number of directors in certain circumstances.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at any annual meeting of stockholders, or at any special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors, (a) by or at the direction of the Board (or any duly authorized committee thereof) or (b) by any stockholder of the Corporation (i) who is a stockholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 3.8 and on the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting and (ii) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.8.

 

(a)                                  Delivery of Notice .  In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a stockholder, such stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary.

 

To be timely, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting, not less than ninety (90) calendar days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders (which anniversary date, in the case of the first annual meeting following the spin-off of the Corporation from GAMCO Investors, Inc., shall be deemed to be May 5, 2016); provided, however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered (A) no earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and (B) no later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation and (ii) in the case of a special meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors, not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation.  In no event shall the Public Announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual or special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of Section 3.8(a) hereof to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board is increased effective after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under Section 3.8(a) hereof and there is no Public Announcement by the Corporation naming the nominees for the additional directorships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 3.8 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation no later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such Public Announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(c)                                   Form of Notice .  To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary must set forth:

 

(1)                                  as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director:

 

(i)                                      the name, age, business address and residence address of such person,

 

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(ii)                                   the principal occupation or employment of such person,

 

(iii)                                (A) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned by such person, (B) the name of each nominee holder for shares owned beneficially but not of record by such person and the number of shares held by each such nominee holder and (C) whether and the extent to which any derivative instrument, swap, option, warrant, short interest, hedge or profit interest or other transaction has been entered into by or on behalf of such person with respect to stock of the Corporation; and

 

(iv)                               any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or any successor statute; and

 

(2)                                  as to the stockholder giving the notice:

 

(i)                                      the name and record address of such stockholder,

 

(ii)                                   (A) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned by such stockholder, (B) the name of each nominee holder for shares owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder and the number of shares held by each such nominee holder, and (C) whether and the extent to which any derivative instrument, swap, option, warrant, short interest, hedge or profit interest or other transaction has been entered into by or on behalf of such stockholder with respect to the stock of the Corporation,

 

(iii)                                a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings between such stockholder and each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are to be made by such stockholder, and any material interest of such stockholder in such nomination, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder therefrom,

 

(iv)                               a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the persons named in its notice, and

 

(v)                                  any other information relating to such stockholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or any successor statute.

 

Such notice must be accompanied by a written consent of each proposed nominee to being named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected.

 

No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 3.8.  If the Chairperson of the meeting determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the Chairperson shall declare to the meeting that the nomination was defective and such defective nomination shall be disregarded.

 

ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

4.1                                Regular Meetings .  Regular meetings of the Board may be held at such place, within or without the State of Delaware, and at such times as the Board may from time to time determine. Notice of regular meetings need not be given if the date, times and places thereof are fixed by resolution of the Board.

 

4.2                                Special Meetings .  Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chief Executive Officer and special meetings shall be called by the Chief Executive Officer or Secretary on the written request of two

 

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directors.  Special meetings may be held at any time, date or place, within or without the State of Delaware, as the person or persons calling the meeting shall fix.

 

4.3                                Notice of Meetings .  Except as provided in Section 4.1 hereof, notice of the time, date and place of a regular or special meeting of the Board shall be given orally (in person, by telephone or otherwise), in writing or by electronic transmission (including electronic mail), by the person or persons calling the meeting to all directors at least five (5) days before the meeting (if the notice is mailed) or at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting (if such notice is given orally, in person, by telephone or otherwise, or by hand delivery, facsimile, or other means of electronic transmission, including electronic mail).  Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board need be specified in the notice of such meeting.

 

4.4                                Quorum .  Subject to Section 3.5 hereof, a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business unless a greater or lesser number is required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation.  The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, unless the vote of a greater number is required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation.  If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board, the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

 

4.5                                Remote Meetings .  Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee thereof, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

4.6                                Organization .  Meetings of the Board shall be presided over by the Chairperson of the Board or, in such person’s absence, by the Chief Executive Officer or, in such person’s absence, by the President or, in such person’s absence, by a chairperson chosen by the Board at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in such person’s absence, the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

4.7                                Action by Unanimous Written Consent .  Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or such committee, respectively, in the minute books of the Corporation. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES

 

5.1                                Committees .  The Board may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation.  The Board 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.  Any such committee, to the extent provided in a resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters:  (a) approving, adopting, or recommending to the stockholders any action or matter (other than the election or removal of members of the Board) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval or (b) adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the Corporation.

 

5.2                                Committee Minutes; Committee Rules .  Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and, except as otherwise provided in the resolutions of the Board establishing such committee, shall report the same to the Board as requested by the Board or as otherwise required.  Unless the Board otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board may make, alter and repeal rules for the conduct of its business.  In the absence of such rules each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board conducts its business pursuant to Article IV of these Bylaws.

 

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ARTICLE VI
NOTICES

 

6.1                                Notice .

 

(a)                                  Form and Delivery .  Except as otherwise specifically permitted in these Bylaws (including, without limitation, in Section 4.3  above or Section 6.1(b) below) or by applicable law, all notices required to be given pursuant to these Bylaws shall be in writing and may (i) in every instance in connection with any delivery to a member of the Board, be effectively given by hand delivery (including use of a delivery service), by depositing such notice in the mail, postage prepaid, or by sending such notice by prepaid overnight express courier, facsimile, electronic mail or other form of electronic transmission and (ii) be effectively be delivered to a stockholder when given by hand delivery, by depositing such notice in the mail, postage prepaid or, if specifically consented to by the stockholder as described in Section 6.1(b) hereof, by sending such notice by electronic transmission.  Any such notice shall be addressed to the person to whom notice is to be given at such person’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.  Except as otherwise provided by law, the notice shall be deemed given (i) in the case of hand delivery, when received by the person to whom notice is to be given or by any person accepting such notice on behalf of such person, (ii) in the case of delivery by mail, upon deposit in the mail, postage prepaid, (iii) in the case of delivery by overnight express courier, when dispatched, and (iv) in the case of delivery via electronic mail or other form of electronic transmission, when dispatched.

 

(b)                                  Electronic Transmission .  Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given in accordance with Section 232 of the DGCL.  Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation.  Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (ii) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however , the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.  Notice given pursuant to this Section 6.1(b) shall be deemed given:  (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (iii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of such posting and the giving of such separate notice; and (iv) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

 

(c)                                   Affidavit of Giving Notice .  An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given in writing or by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

(d)                                  Definition of Electronic Transmission .  For purposes of these Bylaws, “ electronic transmission ” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

(e)                                   Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address .  Except as otherwise prohibited under the DGCL, without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under the provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given.  Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation.  Any stockholder who fails to object in writing to the Corporation, within sixty (60) days of having been given written notice by the Corporation of its intention to send the single notice, shall be deemed to have consented to receiving such single written notice.

 

6.2                                Waiver of Notice .  Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a written waiver of notice, signed by the person entitled to notice, or

 

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waiver by electronic transmission by such person, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice.  Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the 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 is not lawfully called or convened.  Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of the Board need be specified in any waiver of notice.

 

ARTICLE VII
OFFICERS

 

7.1                                General .  The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board and shall consist of a Chairperson of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, such Vice Presidents as shall from time to time be deemed necessary, a Secretary, such Assistant Secretaries as shall from time to time be deemed necessary, and a Chief Financial Officer.  The Board may appoint such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board.  Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

 

7.2                                Term; Removal and Vacancies.   Each officer shall be chosen by the Board and shall hold office for such term as may be prescribed by the Board and until such person’s successor shall have been duly chosen and qualified, or until such person’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal.  Any officer elected or appointed by the Board may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board.  Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board.

 

7.3                                Chairperson of the Board .  The Chairperson of the Board shall be chosen from among the directors and shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board and shall perform such other duties and possess such powers as are customarily vested in such office or as may be vested in the Chairperson of the Board by the Board, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

7.4                                Chief Executive Officer .  The Chief Executive Officer shall have, subject to the supervision, direction and control of the Board, ultimate authority for decisions relating to the supervision, direction and management of the affairs and the business of the Corporation customarily and usually associated with the position of chief executive officer, including, without limitation, all powers necessary to direct and control the organizational and reporting relationships within the Corporation.

 

7.5                                President .  The President shall have, subject to the supervision, direction and control of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, the general powers and duties of supervision, direction and management of the affairs and business of the Corporation customarily and usually associated with the position of President.  The President shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.  In the event of the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Executive Officer unless otherwise determined by the Board.

 

7.6                                The Vice Presidents.  Each Vice President shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

 

7.7                                Secretary .  The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board (subject to the authority of the Board to appoint another person to serve as secretary at any such meeting or portion thereof) and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings of the meetings of the Corporation and of the Board in a book or books to be kept for that purpose (or any other manner permitted by Section 224 of the DGCL) and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required.  He or she shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and, subject to Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof, meetings of the Board, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, under whose supervision he or she shall be.  He or she shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation and he or she, or an Assistant Secretary, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and, when so affixed, it may be attested by his or her

 

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signature or by the signature of such Assistant Secretary.  The Board may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest the affixing by his or her signature.

 

7.8                                Assistant Secretary .  The Assistant Secretary, or if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board, shall, in the absence or disability of the Secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board, Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may from time to time prescribe.

 

7.9                                Chief Financial Officer .  The Chief Financial Officer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit or cause to be deposited all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board.

 

He or she shall disburse or cause to be disbursed the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the Board at its regular meetings, or when the Board so requires, an account of all his or her transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.

 

If required by the Board, he or she shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board for the faithful performance of the duties of his or her office and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of his or her death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his or her possession or under his or her control belonging to the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION

 

8.1                                Indemnification of Officers and Directors .  Each person who was or is made a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “ Proceeding ”), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans (for purposes of this Article VIII, an “ Indemnitee ”), shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Indemnitee in connection therewith, provided such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner that the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Such indemnification shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of such Indemnitees’ heirs, executors and administrators.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as provided in this Section 8.1, the Corporation shall not be obligated under this Article VIII to indemnify any Indemnitee seeking indemnification in connection with a Proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee unless such Proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized in the first instance by the Board.

 

8.2                                Advance of Expenses .  The Corporation shall pay all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such an Indemnitee in defending any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however , that (a) the payment of such expenses incurred by such an Indemnitee in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or otherwise; and (b) the Corporation shall not be required to advance any expenses to a person against whom the Corporation directly brings a claim alleging that such person has breached such person’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation, committed an act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, or derived an improper personal benefit from a transaction.

 

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8.3                                Non-Exclusivity of Rights .  The rights conferred on any person in this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right that such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, agreement, vote or consent of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. Additionally, nothing in this Article VIII shall limit the ability of the Corporation, in its discretion but subject to applicable law, to provide rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses to any person other than an Indemnified Person or to provide greater rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses than those provided in this Article VIII to any Indemnified Person.

 

8.4                                Indemnification Agreements .  The Board is authorized to cause the Corporation to enter into agreements with any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or any person serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including employee benefit plans, providing indemnification or advancement rights to such person. Such rights may be greater than those provided in this Article VIII.

 

8.5                                Claims.

 

(a)                                  Right to Bring Suit . If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such proceeding) under Section 8.1 hereof is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, or a claim for advancement of expenses is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after the Corporation has received a statement or statements therefor, the Indemnitee shall be entitled at any time thereafter (but not before) to bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Indemnitee shall be entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (a) any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (b) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct for entitlement to indemnification under applicable law.

 

(b)                                  Effect of Determination . Neither the failure of the Corporation (whether by its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the standard of conduct for entitled to indemnification under applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (whether by its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Indemnitee, be a defense to such suit.

 

(c)                                   Burden of Proof . In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking provided hereunder, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or is required to repay any amounts advanced pursuant to the terms of such undertaking, under this Article VIII shall be on the Corporation.

 

8.6                                Nature of Rights .  The rights conferred upon Indemnitees in this Article VIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. Any right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses arising under this Article VIII shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to these Bylaws after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the Proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought.

 

8.7                                Insurance .  The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising

 

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out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE IX
BUSINESS COMBINATION STATUTE

 

The Corporation hereby elects not to be governed by, or subject to, Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE X
STOCK

 

10.1                         General .  The shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates; provided , however , that the Board may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its capital stock may be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of the Board, or the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation, representing the number of shares registered in certificate form.

 

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

 

10.3                         Replacement Certificates .  The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock, or uncertificated shares, in the place of any certificate previously issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.

 

10.4                         Other Regulations .  The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of stock certificates and uncertificated shares shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board may establish.

 

10.5                         Stockholders of Record .  Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.8 hereof, for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to or dissent from any proposal without a meeting, or for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any rights, or for the purpose of any other action, the Board may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for any such determination of stockholders.  Such date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days (unless the DGCL permits a shorter time) before the date of any meeting nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action.  When a determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been made as provided in this Section 10.5, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof, unless the Board fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

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

 

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ARTICLE XI
GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

11.1                         Dividends .  Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation relating thereto, if any, dividends may be declared by the Board from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor under the DGCL.  Dividends may be paid in cash, in shares of the capital stock or in the Corporation’s bonds or its property, including the shares or bonds of other corporations subject to any provisions of law and of the Certificate of Incorporation.

 

Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board from time to time, in its absolute discretion, thinks proper as a reserve fund to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board shall think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the Board may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

 

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

 

11.3                         Fiscal Year .  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board.

 

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

 

11.5                         Form of Records .  Any records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account and minute books, may be kept on or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device or method, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time.  The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect such records pursuant to any provision of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS

 

These Bylaws may be amended or repealed or new bylaws may be adopted at any regular or special meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present or represented, by the vote of the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election of any directors, provided notice of the proposed alteration, amendment or repeal be contained in the notice of such meeting.  These Bylaws may also be amended or repealed or new bylaws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board at any regular or special meeting of the Board.  If any Bylaw regulating an impending election of directors is adopted, amended or repealed by the Board, there shall be set forth in the notice of the next meeting of stockholders for the election of directors the bylaw so adopted, amended or repealed, together with a precise statement of the changes made.  Bylaws adopted by the Board may be amended or repealed by the stockholders.

 

*                                          *                                          *                                          *                                          *

 

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CERTIFICATION OF

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

 

a Delaware corporation

 

I, David Goldman, certify that I am Secretary of Associated Capital Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Corporation ”), that I am duly authorized to make and deliver this certification, that the attached Bylaws are a true and complete copy of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation in effect as of the date of this certificate.

 

Dated:  November 19, 2015

 

 

 

 

/s/ David Goldman

 

Name: David Goldman

 

Title: Secretary