UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_____________________________
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 16, 2015
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GROWLIFE, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
Delaware |
0-50385 |
90-0821083 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
500 Union Street, Suite 810
Seattle, WA 98101
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
(800) 977-5255
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of registrant under any of the following provisions:
[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] 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 October 16, 2015, as provided in the Company’s settlement agreement of the “Roof Derivative Action” Steve Roof v. Sterling C. Scott, et al (2:14-cv-0377) the Board of Directors of the Company approved a Second Amended and Restated Bylaws.
The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws provide for, in pertinent part the following material changes to the existing First Amended and Restated Bylaws:
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Increase of board size to minimum of 7 directors |
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Independent chairman of board |
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Majority independent directors within 1 year |
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10-year director term limits |
A full copy of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference to this Item 5.03.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On October 16, 2015, the Board of Directors approved the Company’s Amended and Restated Audit Committee and Nominations and Governance Committee Charters and the Amended and Restated Insider Trading Policy. Copies of these documents are filed hereto as Exhibits 99.1-99.3.
Copies of these documents may also be found on the Company’s website at http://www.growlifeinc.com.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits .
Exhibit No. |
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Description |
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Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company. |
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Amended and Restated Audit Committee Charter, dated October 16, 2015. |
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Amended and Restated Nominations and Governance Charter, dated October 16, 2015. |
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Amended and Restated Insider Trading Policy, dated October 16, 2015. |
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.
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GrowLife, Inc. |
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Date: October 26, 2015 |
By: |
/s/ Marco Hegyi |
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Marco Hegyi |
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President |
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Exhibit 3.1
GROWLIFE, INC.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
1.1 Registered Office . The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
1.2 Other Offices . The Corporation also may have offices at such other places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or as the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS
2.1 Location of Meetings . Annual and special meetings of the stockholders shall be held at such place within or without the State of Delaware as the Directors may, from time to time, fix. Whenever the Directors shall fail to fix such place, the meeting shall be held at the principal office of the Corporation located in Seattle, Washington.
2.2 Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held each year at such time and place, within or outside of the State of Delaware, as shall be designated by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting. The majority of the Board of Directors shall attend each annual meeting of stockholders meeting in person, (absent extraordinary circumstances, the remaining directors shall participate via phone or other electronic method). At the annual meeting the stockholders shall elect Directors of the Corporation and may transact any other business that is properly brought before the meeting.
2.3 Stockholder Questions at Annual Meetings . Each stockholder shall have the right to ask the CEO and Directors questions relevant to the purpose of the annual meeting. The stockholder questions may be submitted either orally or in writing and shall not be subject to the advance notice provisions of section 2.4(ii). The CEO and Directors shall provide answers and/or discussions where appropriate, within a reasonable time no later than the end of business on the last day of the annual meeting. The provisions of this section shall not apply to questions relating to business matters referred to in sections 2.4(i) and (ii); any such questions shall be governed by the provisions therein.
2.4 Business at Annual Meetings; Advance Notice Provision .
(i) No business may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders, other than business that is of proper matter for stockholder action and as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before a meeting, business must be: (a) specified in
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the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Section 2.4(ii) below as to any business submitted by a stockholder other than director nominations which shall be governed exclusively by Section 3.5 below. This Section 2.4 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to submit business other than director nominations before a meeting of the stockholders (and other than proposals brought under Rule 14a-8 of Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”) and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, which proposals are not governed by these Bylaws).
(ii) For any business (other than the nomination of directors) to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. This subsection (ii) shall constitute an “advance notice provision” for annual meetings for purposes of Rule 14a-4(c)(1) under the Exchange Act. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the close of business on the 90th day and not later than the close of business on the 60th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however , that in the event the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 90 th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 60th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or, if notice of the meeting is mailed or the first public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is made less than 75 days prior to the date of such annual meeting, the 15th day following the date on which such notice is mailed or such public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation, whichever occurs first. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting, or the announcement thereof, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. A stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth the following information and shall include a representation as to the accuracy of the information: (a) 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; (b) the name and record address of the stockholder proposing such business; (c) the class and number of shares of the Corporation that are directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and/or of record by the stockholder; (d) any option, warrant, convertible, security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not the instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “Derivative Instrument”) that is directly or indirectly owned beneficially by the stockholder and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation; (e) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which the stockholder has a right to vote or has granted a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation; (f) any short interest in any security of the Corporation (for purposes of these Bylaws a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if the stockholder directly or indirectly, through any contract,
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arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security); (g) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by the stockholder that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation; (h) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership or limited liability company or similar entity in which the stockholder is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner, is the manager, managing member or directly or indirectly beneficially owns an interest in the manager or managing member of a limited liability company or similar entity; (i) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that the stockholder is entitled to base on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any; (j) any arrangement, rights or other interests described in subsections (c) through (i) above held by members of such stockholder’s immediate family sharing the same household; (k) any other information related to the stockholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for the proposal pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; (l) any material interest of the stockholder in such business; (m) a description of any arrangements and understandings between such stockholder and any other person or persons in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; and (n) any other information as reasonably requested by the Corporation. The information described in subsections (c) through (j) above is hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Ownership and Rights Information.”
(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provisions of these Bylaws, including Section 3.5 below, a stockholder also shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations and requirements, including requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, with respect to the matters set forth in these Bylaws; provided, however , that any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to proposals or nominations as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 2.4 or Section 3.5 below.
(iv) Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act. Notice of stockholder proposals that are, or that the submitting stockholder intends to be, governed by Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act are not governed by these Bylaws.
2.5 Notice of Annual Meeting . Written notice of the annual meeting shall be served upon or mailed to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat at such address as appears on the books of the Corporation, at least ten (10) but not more than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting. Such notice shall state the location, date and hour of the meeting, but the notice need not specify the business to be transacted thereat.
2.6 Special Meetings . Special meetings of the stockholders for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Incorporation, may be called by the Chief Executive Officer and shall be called by the Chief Executive Officer or Secretary at the request in writing of a majority of the Board of Directors, and not at the request of any other person or persons. Such request must state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting.
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2.7 Notice of Special Meetings . Written notice of a special meeting shall be served upon or mailed to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat at such address as appears on the books of the Corporation, at least ten (10) but not more than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting. Such notice shall state the location, date and hour of the meeting and shall describe the order of business to be addressed at the meeting. Business transacted at all special meetings shall be confined to the matters stated in the notice.
2.8 Presiding Officer at Stockholder Meetings . The Chairman of the Board (the “Chair”) shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders, provided that the Chair may designate the Chief Executive Officer to preside in the Chair’s stead. In the Chair’s absence, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside, and in the absence of both, the Board shall appoint a person to preside.
2.9 Quorum; Adjournment . The holders of at least majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall be required and shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business, except as otherwise provided by law, the Articles of Incorporation, or these First Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”). If such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the presiding officer of the meeting or the majority of the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be present or represented. Even if a quorum is present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the presiding officer of the meeting, for good cause, or the majority of the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time. If the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced at any meeting at which an adjournment is taken, no further notice of the adjourned meeting need be given; provided, however , that if the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date for the adjourned meeting is fixed by the Board of Directors, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting.
2.10 Vote Required . In all matters other than the election of Directors, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter shall decide any question brought before a meeting unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the Articles of Incorporation or of these Bylaws, or by law, a different vote is required in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Directors shall be elected, by ballot, by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the election of directors; provided, however , that a stockholder shall not be permitted to cumulate his/her votes with respect to the election of Directors.
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2.11 Voting; Proxies . At any meeting of the stockholders every holder of shares entitled to vote thereat shall be entitled to vote in person, or by proxy appointed by an instrument in writing subscribed by such stockholder and bearing a date not more than six (6) months prior to the date of said meeting, unless said instrument provides for a longer period, but in no event may such period exceed three (3) years from the date of its creation. Each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock having voting power, registered in such stockholder’s name on the books of the Corporation, and except where the transfer books of the Corporation shall have been closed or a date shall have been fixed as a record date for the determination of its stockholders entitled to vote, no share of stock shall be voted on at any election of Directors which shall have been transferred on the books of the Corporation within twenty (20) days next preceding such election of Directors.
2.12 Stockholder Lists . At least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, with the residence of each and the number of voting shares held by each, shall be prepared by the Secretary. Such list shall be open for said ten days to examination by any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting during regular business hours at the place where the meeting is to be held, or at such other place within the city in which the meeting is to be held as shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, and also shall 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.
2.13 Action without Meeting . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting if, before or after the action, a written consent thereto is signed by stockholders holding at least a majority of the voting power, except that if a greater proportion of voting power is required for such an action under Delaware General Corporation Law (Title 7, Chapter 78 of the Delaware Revised Statutes), any other applicable law, or the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, then that greater proportion of written consents shall be required. In no instance where action is authorized by written consent need a meeting of stockholders be called or notice given. All such written consents shall be filed with the records of the meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation.
2.14 Inspectors of Election.
(i) The Corporation shall appoint one or more inspectors, and one or more alternate inspectors, to act at any stockholders’ meeting and make a written report thereof, so long as such inspectors sign an oath to faithfully execute their duties with impartiality and to the best of their ability before such meeting. If no such inspector or alternate is able to act at the stockholders’ meeting, the presiding officer shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting.
(ii) The inspector shall:
(a) ascertain the number of shares entitled to vote and the voting power of each stockholder;
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(b) determine the shares represented at a meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots;
(c) count all votes and ballots;
(d) determine and retain for a reasonable time a disposition record of any challenges made to any of the inspectors’ determinations; and
(e) certify the inspectors’ determinations of the number of shares represented at the meeting and their count of all votes and ballots.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
3.1 Powers . The property and business of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors, which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by law or by the Articles of Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
3.2 Number of Directors . The number of Directors which shall constitute the Board shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of a majority of Directors in office; provided, however , that their number shall not be less than seven (7) nor more than nine (9), and shall not be increased by more than two directors in any calendar year.
3.3 Term . Directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of the stockholders. Each Director so elected shall serve for a one-year term and until his/her successor is elected and qualified. If a Director dies, resigns, or is removed, the Director’s replacement shall serve throughout the remaining portion of the Director’s term, and thereafter until the Director’s successor is elected and qualified. Directors are not required to be stockholders of the Corporation. The Board of Directors, at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders, shall elect the Chair who shall perform such duties as are specified in these Bylaws or are properly required of the Chair by the Board of Directors. No person may serve as a Director for more than ten (10) years.
3.4 Independent Directors . A simple majority of the Board of Directors shall be independent Directors. Each Independent Director, as defined below, shall annually certify in writing at the Board of Director’s first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders that he or she is an Independent Director and shall immediately inform the Board in writing of any change in his or her status as such. To the extent that any of the Corporation’s existing Directors fail to meet the definition of Independent Director, they shall have eighteen (18) months to comply or resign from the Corporation’s Board of Directors from the date that the Court approves of any settlement approving settlement of the derivative action that resulted in this Second Amended and Restated Bylaws.
An Independent Director is defined as a Director who:
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(i) has not been employed as an elected officer of the Corporation or its subsidiaries or affiliates (defined as any individual or business entity that owns at least five percent (5%) of the securities of the Corporation having ordinary voting power) within the last five (5) calendar years;
(ii) has not received, during the current calendar year or any of the three (3) immediately preceding calendar years, remuneration, directly or indirectly, other than de minimus remuneration, as a result of service as, or compensation paid to an entity affiliated with the director that serves as: (i) an advisor, consultant, or legal counsel to the Corporation or to a member of the Corporation’s senior management; or (ii) a significant customer or supplier of the Corporation. A director is deemed to have received remuneration (other than remuneration as a director, including remuneration provided to a non-executive Chairman of the Board or chairman of a committee), directly or indirectly, if remuneration, other than de minimis remuneration, was paid by the Corporation, its subsidiaries, or affiliates, to any entity in which the director has a beneficial ownership interest of five percent (5%) or more, or to an entity by which the director is employed or self-employed other than as a director. Remuneration is deemed de minimis remuneration if such remuneration is $60,000 or less in any calendar year, or if such remuneration is paid to an entity, it; (i) did not for the calendar year exceed the lesser of $1 million, or five percent (5%) of the gross revenues of the entity; and (ii) did not directly result in a material; increase in the compensation received by the director from that entity;
(iii) has no personal services contract(s) with the Corporation, its subsidiaries, or with any of the Corporation’s Officers;
(iv) is not affiliated with a not-for-profit entity that receives significant contributions from the Corporation;
(v) has no interest in any investment that overlaps with an investment that the Corporation has either in equity, debt, or a hybrid of the two;
(vi) from the date of the execution of these Second Amended and Restated Bylaws or any of the three (3) immediately preceding calendar years, has not had any business relationship with the Corporation for which the Corporation has been required to make disclosure under Regulation S-K, other than for service as a director or for which relationship no more than de minimus remuneration was received in any one such year; provided, however, that the need to disclose any relationship that existed prior to a director joining the Board shall not in and of itself render the director non-independent;
(vii) is not employed by a public company at which an Officer of the Corporation serves as a director;
(viii) is not a member of the immediate family of any person described in subsections (i)- (vii) above;
(ix) is not related to prior corporate officers; and
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(x) does not serve on more than three (3) boards of public companies, which number shall include the Corporation;
3.5 Nominations . Nominations for the election of Directors may be made by the Board, by the Nominations and Governance Committee, or by any stockholder entitled to vote for the election of Directors. Nominations proposed by the Board or the Nominations and Governance Committee shall be given by the Chair on behalf of the Board or committee. Nominations by stockholders shall be in writing and in the form prescribed below, and shall be effective when delivered by hand or received by registered first-class mail, postage prepaid, by the Secretary of the Corporation not less than fourteen (14) days nor more than eighty (80) days prior to any meeting of the stockholders called for the election of Directors; provided, however , that if less than twenty-one (21) days’ notice of the meeting is given to stockholders, such writing shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the close of the seventh (7th) day following the day on which notice of the meeting was mailed to stockholders. Nominations by stockholders shall be in the form of a notice which shall set forth: (a) as to each nominee (i) the name, age, business address and, if known, residence address of such nominee, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of such nominee, (iii) the Ownership and Rights Information as it relates to the nominee, (iv) the consent of the nominee to serve as a Director of the Corporation if so elected, (v) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder and the nominee, (vi) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the stockholder and any other person or persons pursuant to which the nomination is to be made by the stockholder, and (vii) any other information relating to the nominee required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of Directors, or otherwise required pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act; and (b) as to the stockholder giving the notice: (i) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of such stockholder, (ii) the Ownership and Rights Information, and (iii) and any other information as reasonably requested by the Corporation. Such stockholder notice shall include a representation as to the accuracy of the information set forth in the notice. In addition, each nominee must complete and sign a questionnaire, in a form provided by the Corporation, to be submitted with the stockholder’s notice, that inquires as to, among other things, the nominee’s independence and director eligibility.
Only those persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws shall be eligible to serve as directors. The presiding officer of the meeting may, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedure, and if the presiding officer should so determine, the presiding officer shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded. This Section 3.5 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to submit business constituting director nominations before a meeting of the stockholders (other than proposals brought under Rule 14a-8 of Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which proposals are not governed by these Bylaws).
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3.5 Vacancy .
(i) If the office of any Director becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or otherwise, a majority of the remaining Directors, though less than a quorum, shall choose a successor, who shall hold office until the next election of Directors and such Director’s successor shall be elected and qualified.
(ii) If at any time, by reason of death, resignation or other cause, the Corporation shall have no Directors in office, then an officer or any stockholder, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian of a stockholder, or other fiduciary entrusted with like responsibility for the person or estate of a stockholder, may call a special meeting of stockholders to fill such vacancies or may apply to the Court of Chancery for a decree summarily ordering an election.
3.6 Resignation . Any Director of the Corporation may resign from the Board of Directors at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chair and contemporaneously to the Secretary of the Corporation. The resignation shall be effective when the resignation notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event or events, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
3.7 Removal of Directors . The entire Board of Directors or any individual Director may be removed from office, with or without cause, prior to the expiration of their or his/her term of office by the holders of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of Directors, except as follows:
(i) Unless the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation provides otherwise, if the Board is divided into classes, stockholders may effect such removal only for cause; or
(ii) If cumulative voting is permitted and if less than the entire Board is to be removed, no Director may be removed without cause if the votes cast against such Director’s removal would be sufficient to elect such Director if then cumulative voted at an election of the entire Board of Directors, or if there are classes of directors, at an election of the class of directors of which such Director is a part.
3.8 Meetings Generally . The Board of Directors may hold meetings, both regular and special, at such times and places either within or without the State of Delaware as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.
3.9 Regular Meetings . Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as shall be fixed by resolution of the Board. No notice shall be required for regular meetings held pursuant to such resolution, except that the Secretary of the Corporation shall promptly provide a copy of such resolution to any Director who is absent when such resolution is adopted. In case any scheduled meeting of the Board is not held on the day fixed therefor, the Directors shall cause the meeting to be held as soon thereafter as is convenient. At such regular meetings directors may transact such business as may be brought before the meeting.
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3.10 Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chair or by the Chief Executive Officer by twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to each Director, either personally, by telephone, e-mail, or telegram; special meetings shall be called by the Chair, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary in like manner and on like notice on the written request of two (2) Directors.
3.11 Independent Director Meetings . At every Regular Meeting, the Independent Directors shall meet separately, at least four (4) times annually, outside the presence of any Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation.
3.12 First Meeting . The first meeting of each newly elected Board shall be held immediately after the annual meeting of stockholders and at the same place, and no notice of such meeting to the newly elected Directors shall be necessary in order legally to constitute the meeting, provided a quorum shall be present. In the event such meeting is not held, the Directors shall cause the meeting to be held as soon thereafter as is convenient.
3.13 Organization . The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board, provided that the Chair may designate the Chief Executive Officer to preside in the Chair’s stead provided that the Chief Executive Officer is also a Director. In the Chair’s absence the Chief Executive Officer, if the Chief Executive Officer is a Director, shall preside. In the absence of both, the Board shall appoint a person to preside. The Secretary of the Corporation, or if the Secretary is not present, one of the Assistant Secretaries, in the order determined by the Board, or if an Assistant Secretary is not present, a person designated by the Board, shall take the minutes of the meeting.
3.14 Quorum; Adjournment . At all meetings of the Board, a majority of the number of Directors then in office shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law or by the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws. Whether or not a quorum is present at any meeting of the Board, a majority of the Directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting.
3.15 Participation by Electronic Means . Any one or more Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof by conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by such means shall be deemed attendance in person at that meeting.
3.16 Action without Meeting . Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if, before or after the action, a written consent thereto (including a consent by electronic transmission) is signed by all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, and such writing(s) or electronic transmission(s) are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or of the committee, except that such written consent is not required to be signed by:
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(a) A common or interested director who abstains in writing from providing consent to the action. If a common or interested director abstains in writing from providing consent: (i) the fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest must be known to the Board of Directors or committee before a written consent is signed by all the members of the Board or committee; (ii) such fact must be described in the written consent; and (iii) the Board of Directors or committee must approve, authorize or ratify the action in good faith by unanimous consent without counting the abstention of the common or interested director.
(b) A director who is a party to an action, suit or proceeding who abstains in writing from providing consent to the action of the Board of Directors or committee. If a director who is a party to an action, suit or proceeding abstains in writing from providing consent on the basis that he or she is a party to an action, suit or proceeding, the Board of Directors or committee must: (i) make a determination pursuant to Delaware General Corporation Law that indemnification of the director is proper under the circumstances; and (ii) approve, authorize or ratify the action of the Board of Directors or committee in good faith by unanimous consent without counting the abstention of the director who is a party to an action, suit or proceeding.
Any action taken pursuant to such written consent shall be treated for all purposes as the act of the Board or committee.
3.17 Appointment of Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more special or standing committees, including but not limited to: a Compensation Committee, an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, and a Nominations and Governance Committee. Each committee shall consist of two or more of the Directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee to replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. No Director may serve as chairman of more than two (2) committees.
3.18 Meetings of Committees . Regular and special meetings of any committee established pursuant to this Article III may be called and held subject to the same requirements with respect to time, place and notice as are specified in these Bylaws for regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors. At all committee meetings, a majority of the members of the committee shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, and the act of a majority of committee members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the committee.
3.19 Powers of Committees . Committees of the Board of Directors, to the extent provided in the Board resolution designating such committee or in any committee charter relating thereto or as permitted by law, shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors, in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may have power to authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. Except as the Board of Directors may otherwise determine, a committee may make rules for its conduct, but unless otherwise provided by the Board or such
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rules, its business shall be conducted as nearly as possible in the same manner as is provided in these Bylaws for the conduct of business by the Board of Directors. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required. No committee, however, shall have the power or authority with respect to the following matters: (a) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of Directors) expressly required by Delaware General Corporation Law to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (b) adopting, amending or repealing any Bylaw of the Corporation.
3.20 Compensation of Directors . Directors shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid other compensation in whatever form and amount the Board of Directors, by resolution, shall determine to be reasonable. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation and reimbursement for participation in committee meetings. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity, as officer, agent, employee or otherwise, and being compensated for such service.
ARTICLE IV
NOTICES
4.1 Generally . Whenever under the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, or by law, notice is required to be given to any Director or stockholder, it shall not be construed to require personal notice, but such notice may be given in writing, by mail or by courier service, by depositing the same in a post office or letter box, or with a courier service, in a prepaid sealed wrapper, addressed to such Director or stockholder at such address as appears on the books of the Corporation, or, in default of other address, to such Director or stockholder at the last known address of such person, and notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be thus deposited.
4.2 Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, or by law, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully convened.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
5.1 Officers . The Officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall consist of a Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Board of Directors may also choose additional Vice Presidents, and one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, and may appoint such other Officers and agents as it shall deem necessary. Two or more offices may be held by the same person, except that neither the Chair, the Chief Executive Officer nor the President shall serve as the Secretary.
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5.2 Election; Term of Office; Removal . The Board of Directors at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders shall elect the Chief Executive Officer, President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and such other Officers 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. The Chair shall be elected pursuant to section 5.4. The Officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualify in their stead, or until such time as they may resign or be removed from office. Any Officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole Board of Directors. If the office of any Officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Directors. In the case of any office other than that of the Chair, Vice Chair, Chief Executive Officer, President, Secretary or Treasurer, the officer designated as the Chief Executive Officer may appoint a person to serve in such office, on a temporary basis, until the vacancy is filled by the Board.
5.3 Compensation . The salaries of all Officers and agents of the Corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner prescribed by the Board of Directors.
5.4 The Chair of the Board . The Chair shall, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, preside at each meeting of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors. The Chair shall not concurrently serve as Chief Executive Officer.
(i) Election of Chair of the Board . The Chair shall be elected by the Board of Directors, by secret ballot, annually at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders.
(ii) Term . The Chair shall be limited to a two (2) year term.
(iii) Performance Evaluation . The performance of the Chair shall be evaluated by the Board of Directors annually at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders. Where the Chair is found by the Board of Directors to have not been sufficiently active or effective in providing meaningful leadership to the Board of Directors in its primary oversight role of the Corporation, the Chair shall be replaced by election pursuant to 5.4(i)
(iv) Additional Duties . In addition to the foregoing, the Chair shall have the following powers and responsibilities:
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to determine the appropriate flow of information from Officers to the Board of Directors as is necessary for the Board of Directors to effectively and responsibly perform its functions, and to require Officers to provide information and materials to the Board of Directors at the Chairman’s discretion; |
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to facilitate Board and Shareholder meetings and agendas; |
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to assist the Board of Directors and the Officers in ensuring compliance with all applicable corporate and securities laws, related rules and regulations, and oversee any necessary revisions to the Corporation’s governance policies related thereto; |
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to lead the Board of Director’s oversight of the adoption, implementation and compliance with the reforms set forth in the Derivative Settlement Agreement; and |
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to lead the Board of Director’s evaluation, along with the Compensation Committee, of the performance of the Corporation’s CEO, and to participate in the Board of Director’s communication of its evaluation and performance expectations. |
5.5 The Vice Chair of the Board . The Board of Directors may appoint a Vice Chair of the Board. The Vice Chair of the Board shall assist the Chair and have such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors.
5.6 Other Designated Officers .
(i) Chief Executive Officer . The Chief Executive Officer shall have general supervision over the business and affairs of the Corporation and over its Officers, agents, and employees; subject, however , to the oversight of the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer shall report directly to the Board of Directors, and shall perform such duties as are incident to the office of the Chief Executive Officer or are properly specified and authorized by the Board of Directors.
(ii) Other Officers . The Board of Directors may designate officers to serve as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and other such designated positions and to fulfill the responsibilities of such designated positions as determined by the Board of Directors in addition to their duties as Officers as set forth in these Bylaws.
5.7 The President . The President shall report to the Chief Executive Officer, unless the President and Chief Executive Officer are the same person in which case the President shall report to the Board of Directors. The President shall perform such duties as are incident to the office of the President or are properly specified and authorized by the Board of Directors. In the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Executive Officer.
5.8 Vice Presidents . The Vice Presidents, in the order fixed by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President, and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
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5.9 The Secretary . The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board and all meetings of the stockholders, shall record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose, and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President. The Secretary shall keep in safe custody the seal of the Corporation and, when authorized by the Board, affix the same to any instrument requiring it and, when so affixed, it shall be attested by the Secretary’s signature or by the signature of the Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary.
5.10 Assistant Secretaries . The Assistant Secretaries, in the order fixed by the Board of Directors, 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 as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
5.11 The Treasurer . The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation, and shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories or other institutions as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation by check or by electronic or wire transfer, as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chief Executive Officer, President and Directors, at the regular meetings of the Board, or whenever they may require it, an account of all transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.
5.12 Assistant Treasurers . The Assistant Treasurers, in the order fixed by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.
ARTICLE VI
STOCK CERTIFICATES, TRANSFERS AND RECORD DATE
6.1 Certificates of Stock . Shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be certificated. The certificates of stock of the Corporation shall be numbered and registered in the stock ledger and transfer books of the Corporation as they are issued. The stock certificates of the Corporation shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President and the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and shall bear the corporate seal, which may be a facsimile, engraved or printed. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles, engraved or printed. In the event that any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any share certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue. Stock certificates of the Corporation shall be in such form as provided by statute and approved by the Board of Directors. The stock record books and the blank stock certificates books shall be kept by the Secretary or by any agency designated by the Board of Directors for that purpose.
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6.2 Registration of Transfer . Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares, duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate, and record the transaction upon its books. The Board of Directors shall have authority to make such rules and regulations not inconsistent with law, the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, as it deems expedient concerning the issuance, transfer and registration of certificates for shares and the shares represented thereby.
6.3 Record Date for Stockholders . For the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any annual or special meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or the allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion, or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a date as the record date for any such determination of stockholders. Such date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto. 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 paragraph, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof; provided, however , that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
6.4 Registered Stockholders . The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, 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 law.
6.5 Lost Certificates . The Board of Directors may direct that a new certificate or certificates be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing the issuance of such new certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
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ARTICLE VII
DIVIDENDS
7.1 Power to Declare Dividends . Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation.
7.2 Discretion of the Board . 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 Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think 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 Directors shall think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
8.1 Instruments . All checks, demands for money, notes, deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation shall be signed by such Officer or Officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
8.2 Borrowing . No officer, agent or employee of the Corporation shall have any power or authority to borrow money on behalf of the Corporation, to pledge the Corporation’s credit, or to mortgage or pledge the Corporation’s real or personal property, except within the scope and to the extent such authority has been delegated to such person by resolution of the Board of Directors. Such authority may be given by the Board and may be general or limited to specific instances.
8.3 Voting Securities of Other Corporations . Subject to any specific direction from the Board of Directors, the officer designated as the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, or any other person or persons who may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors, shall have the authority to vote on behalf of the Corporation the securities of any other corporation which are owned or held by the Corporation and may attend meetings of stockholders or execute and deliver proxies or written consents for such purpose.
8.4 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year shall begin the first day of January in each year.
8.5 Seal . The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware.” Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
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8.6 Books and Records of the Corporation . The books and records of the Corporation shall be kept at such places as the Board may from time to time determine.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
9.1 Right To Indemnification . Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact such person is or was a Director or Officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director or Officer of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to such person who has ceased to be a Director or Officer and shall inure to the benefit of the person’s heirs, executors and administrators. For purposes of this section, persons serving as Director or Officer of the Corporation’s direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries shall be deemed to be serving at the Corporation’s request.
9.2 Right to Advancement Of Expenses . The right to indemnification conferred in Section 9.1 above shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any action, suit, or proceeding in advance of its final disposition, subject to the receipt by the Corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified.
9.3 Nonexclusivity of Rights . The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses contained in this section shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any law, provision of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.
9.4 Employee Benefit Plans . For purposes of this Article IX, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a Director or Officer of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such Director or Officer with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation.”
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ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
10.1 Amendment of Bylaws . These Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed at any regular meeting of the stockholders, or at any special meeting of the stockholders provided that notice of the proposed amendment, alteration or repeal be contained in the notice of such special meeting, by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote at such meeting and present or represented thereat. The Board of Directors also may amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board at any regular meeting of the Board or at any special meeting of the Board if notice of the proposed amendment, alteration or repeal be contained in the notice of such special meeting.
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I, Marco Hegyi, the Secretary of GrowLife, Incorporated, a Delaware corporation, hereby certify that the foregoing First Amended and Restated Bylaws, comprising 15 pages, were duly adopted as the First Amended and Restated Bylaws of GrowLife Incorporated on October 16, 2015.
/s/ Marco Hegyi
(Signature)
Print Name: Marco Hegyi
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Exhibit 99.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AUDIT
COMMITTEE CHARTER
LAST REVIEWED AND ACCEPTED ON
OCTOBER 16, 2015
_________________________
GROWLIFE, INC.
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
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1.0 PREAMBLE
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of GrowLife, Inc. (the “Company”) has formed an audit committee (the “Committee”) to promote the financial transparency of the Company and to ensure the integrity of the Company’s financial reporting processes and products. This charter is meant to identify the personnel and functions of the Committee. These guidelines contemplate the involvement of the outside counsel and where appropriate, the involvement of the full Board.
2.0 ORGANIZATION AND INDEPENDANCE
2.1 Independent Committee
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The Board, upon the recommendation of the Nominations and Governance Committee, shall designate the Committee, which shall be composed of at least three directors, each of whom the Board has determined has no material relationship with the Company and each of whom is otherwise “independent,” under the rules of the American Stock Exchange, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including those issued pursuant to Rule 10A-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.2 Financial Qualifications
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Each member shall be “financially literate” and one member of the Committee shall have “accounting or related financial management expertise” as such qualifications are interpreted by the Board its business judgment. See Schedule A for an outline of current guidelines.
2.3 Requirements of the SEC
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No director may serve as a member of the Committee if such director serves on the Audit Committees of more than two other SEC reporting companies, unless the Board of Directors determines that such simultaneous service would not impair the ability of such director to effectively serve on the Committee and discloses this determination in the Company’s annual proxy statement. No member of the Committee may be an affiliated person of the Company or receive any compensation from the Company other than (i) director’s fees, which may be received in cash, stock options or other in-kind consideration ordinarily available to directors; (ii) a pension or other deferred compensation for prior service that is not contingent on future service; and (iii) any other regular benefits that other directors receive.
2.4 Requirements of the American Stock Exchange
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It is the intention of the Board that the Committee shall satisfy the requirements and standards set forth in the rules of the American Stock Exchange applicable to audit committees.
3.0 THE COMMITTEE’S PURPOSES
The Committee shall provide assistance to the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to the Company and its stockholders relating to its oversight of management and its independent auditors in respect of corporate accounting, financial reporting practices, and the quality and integrity of the financial reports of the Company, including the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence, the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditors, and the preparation of the report required by the rules of the SEC to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.
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The function of the Committee is that of oversight. The Company’s management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements. Management and the internal auditing department are responsible for maintaining appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and internal controls and procedures that provide for compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. The Company’s independent auditors are responsible for planning and carrying out a proper audit of the Company’s annual financial statements, reviews of the Company’s quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of each quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and other procedures.
In fulfilling their responsibilities hereunder, it is recognized that members of the Committee are not employees of the Company and are not, and do not represent themselves to be, accountants or independent auditors by profession or experts in the field of accounting or auditing including in respect of auditor independence. As such, it is not the duty or responsibility of the Committee or its members to conduct “field work” or other types of auditing or accounting reviews or procedures or to set auditor independence standards.
The Board and the Committee have the ultimate authority and responsibility to select, oversee, evaluate, and, where appropriate, to replace the independent auditor.
The independent auditors are ultimately accountable to the Board and the Committee, as the representatives of the stockholders.
4.0 THE COMMITTEE’S RESPONSIBILITIES
In carrying out its responsibilities, the Committee believes its policies and procedures should remain flexible, in order to best react to changing conditions and to ensure to the directors and stockholders that the corporate accounting and reporting practices of the Company are in accordance with all requirements and are of the highest quality.
4.1 Appointment of the Independent Auditors
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To the extent required by applicable law or regulation: (i) the Committee will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the independent auditors (including the resolution of any disagreements between management and the independent auditors regarding financial reporting), (ii) the independent auditors shall report directly to the Committee, (iii) only Public Company Accounting Oversight Board registered accounting firms that comply with the SEC’s lead audit partner rotation requirements may serve as independent auditors; (iii) the Committee shall approve in advance all auditing services (including comfort letters and statutory audits) performed by the independent auditors, (iv) the Committee shall approve in advance all non-audit services performed by the independent auditors, and (v) all non-audit services to be performed by the independent auditors shall be disclosed.
The independent auditor’s engagement letter should define the nature and scope of audit engagement and provide a contract for professional services of the auditing firm.
The Committee may delegate to one or more members of the Committee who are independent directors the authority to grant pre-approvals required by this subsection, and the decisions of the member to whom this authority is delegated shall be presented to the Committee at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee. The independent auditors may not perform for the Company any services that are prohibited by law or regulation. The foregoing requirements do not preclude the Committee from obtaining the input of management, but these responsibilities may not be delegated to management. The Board and management may communicate with the independent auditors at any time they deem it appropriate.
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4.2 Annual Statement from the Independent Auditors
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The Committee is responsible for obtaining from the independent auditors at least annually, a formal written statement delineating all relationships between the independent auditors and the Company (it being understood that the independent auditors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of this statement). The Committee shall be responsible for conferring with the independent auditors with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that may affect the objectivity and independence of the independent auditors and for recommending to the Board such appropriate action as may be necessary to satisfy itself as to the qualifications, performance and independence of the independent auditors.
To the extent required by law or regulation, the annual statement also shall describe: (i) the firm’s internal quality control procedures, (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or by an inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm, and (iii) any steps taken to deal with any such issues.
The independent auditors shall also submit to the Company annually a formal written statement of the aggregate fees billed for each of the following categories of services rendered by the independent auditors: (i) the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements for the most recent fiscal year, the review of the financial statements included in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for that fiscal year and services provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for that fiscal year; (ii) services for the most recent fiscal year reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the financial statements, other than those stated under category (i) above (separately identifying the nature of the services comprising these fees); (iii) professional services for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning (separately identifying the nature of the services comprising these fees); and (iv) all other products and services provided by the independent auditors for the most recent fiscal year, in the aggregate and by each service.
The Committee will comply with all relevant laws and regulations relative to (i) rotation of the lead audit partner and the reviewing partner, discuss with management the timing and process for implementing the rotation and (ii) the performance of services by an independent audit firm when a former employee of that firm currently serves as chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or equivalent officer of the Company.
4.3 Risk Assessment and Accounting Controls
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The Committee will review with the independent auditors, the Company’s internal auditor, and appropriate financial and accounting personnel the adequacy and effectiveness of the accounting and financial controls of the Company, and guidelines and policies to govern the process by which risk assessment and risk management is undertaken, and will elicit any recommendations for the improvement of such internal control procedures or particular areas where new or more detailed controls or procedures are desirable.
The Committee will establish, implement and conduct an annual review of the procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting controls or auditing matters and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
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4.4 The Annual Audit
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The Committee will meet with the independent auditors and financial management of the Company to review the scope of the proposed audit plans for the current year and the audit procedures to be utilized, and at the conclusion thereof review such audit, including any comments or recommendations of the independent auditors.
The Committee will regularly review with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties the independent auditors encountered in the course of the audit work, including any restrictions on their activities or on access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management, including the management’s response.
In that regard, no officer or director of the Company, or any other person acting under the direction thereof, shall violate any law or regulation that prohibits fraudulently influencing, coercing, manipulating, or misleading any independent auditor engaged in the performance of an audit of the financial statements of the Company for the purpose of rendering such financial statements materially misleading.
In connection with the annual audit, the Committee shall also:
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Review corporate accounting policies and practices regarding: |
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Revenue recognition; |
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Reserving; |
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Asset capitalization; |
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Extraordinary charges or write-offs; and |
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Affirm that accounting policies are consistent with industry practices, that correct requirements are reflected in accounting policies and the accounting policies are consistent with a fair presentation of the financial statement in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. |
The Committee shall be responsible for providing the Board with a recommendation as to the inclusion of the Company’s financial statements in the Form 10-K.
4.5 Hiring Policies
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The Committee will set clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors.
4.6 The Internal Audit Function
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The Company may maintain an internal audit function. The Committee will review any internal audit function of the Company, including the independence and authority of its reporting obligations, the proposed audit plans for the coming year, and the coordination of such plans with the independent auditors. The Committee will receive as necessary notification of material adverse findings from internal audits and a progress report on the proposed internal audit plan, as appropriate, with explanations for changes from the original plan.
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4.7 Earnings Releases
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The Committee will discuss earnings press releases, as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided however, that these discussions may be done generally (i.e., discussion of the types of information to be disclosed and the type of presentation to be made) and the Committee need not discuss in advance each earnings release or each instance in which the Company may provide earnings guidance.
4.8 Review of Financial Statements
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The Committee will discuss with management and the independent auditors the annual audited financial statements and the quarterly financial statements, including the Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and all matters relevant thereto that are required to be discussed under any applicable law or regulation or that the Committee otherwise considers it desirable to discuss. In addition the independent auditors must timely report to the Committee on all matters that are required to be reported under any applicable law or regulation or that the independent auditors otherwise consider it desirable to report.
Each report that contains financial statements (including annual and quarterly reports), and that is required to be prepared in accordance with (or reconciled to) generally accepted accounting principles and filed with the SEC, shall reflect or disclose all information required to be reflected or disclosed under any applicable law or regulation, and in a manner in accordance with such law or regulation.
4.9 Separate Meetings
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Periodically, the Committee shall meet separately with management, the internal auditor, and the independent auditors. Among the items to be discussed in these meetings are the independent auditor’s evaluation of the Company’s financial, accounting, and auditing personnel, and the cooperation that the independent auditors receive during the course of the audit.
4.10 Quarterly Review
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Prior to the filing of the Form 10-Q and prior to the public announcement of the Company’s quarterly results, the independent auditor will discuss with the Committee, or at least its chairman, and a representative of financial management, in person, or by telephone conference call, the matters regarding the Review (as defined below), including significant adjustments, significant new accounting policies, and disagreements with management.
The Committee will take steps to assure that prior to filing interim financial statements included in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, that the interim financial statements have been reviewed by an independent public accountant using professional standards and procedures for conducting such reviews, as established by generally accepted auditing standards, as may be modified or supplemented by the SEC (the “Review”). If, in any filing, the Company states that interim financial statements have been reviewed by an independent public accountant, a report of the accountant on the review must be filed with the interim financial statements. Interim financial statements shall include a balance sheet as of the end of the issuer’s most recent fiscal quarter and income statements and statements of cash flows for the interim period up to the date of such balance sheet and the comparable period of the preceding fiscal year.
- 6 -
4.11 Proxy Report
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The Committee shall prepare a report in connection with the Company’s annual proxy statement providing all of the information required by Item 306 of Regulation S-K (17 CFR 229.306), specifically, stating that;
(a) The Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements with management;
(b) The Committee has discussed with the independent auditors the matters required to be discussed by SAS 61, as may be modified or supplemented;
(c) The Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent accountants required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees), as may be modified or supplemented, and has discussed with the independent accountant the independent accountant’s independence; and
(d) Based on the review and discussions referred to in paragraphs(a) through (c) of this Item, the Committee recommends to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.
In connection with the Committee’s statement in the annual proxy statement, the following information shall also be supplied:
(a) the name of each member of the Company’s Committee; and
(b) a copy of the written charter, as an appendix to the proxy statement, unless a copy has been included as an appendix to the proxy statement within the registrant’s past three fiscal years or on the Company’s website.
In addition to the foregoing, the annual proxy statement shall disclose whether or not the members of the Committee are independent, and if any member of the Committee is not independent (pursuant to Section II, above) the reason for the Board’s determination to include such non-independent Committee member.
4.12 Succession Planning
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The Committee will review accounting and financial staffing and succession planning within the Company as necessary.
4.13 Reporting to the Board
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The Committee will review the matters discussed at each Committee meeting with the Board. The Committee should review with the full Board any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence of the Company’s independent auditors, or the performance of the internal audit function.
4.14 Regulatory Actions or Investigations
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The Committee will investigate any matter brought to its attention within the scope of its duties to the extent and in such manner as it considers appropriate (including confidential, anonymous submissions by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters). The Committee will discuss with management and the independent auditors any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues
- 7 -
regarding the Company’s financial statements or accounting policies. The Company will follow all provisions of law or regulation that prohibit discipline of or discrimination against employees who report what they reasonably believe to be violations of any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company.
4.15 Code of Conduct & Ethics Policy Compliance
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The Committee will review compliance with the Company’s Code of Conduct & Ethics Policy (the “Ethics Policy”) annually. To the extent required by applicable laws or regulations:
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The Ethics Policy will continue to be applicable to senior financial officers of the Company, including its principal financial officer, and its controller or principal accounting officer, and to persons performing similar functions; |
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The Company immediately shall disclose, by means of the filing of an applicable SEC reporting form, dissemination by the Internet or by other electronic means, any waiver of or change in the Ethics Policy for such senior financial officers; |
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The Company’s Ethics Policy shall continue to include such standards as are reasonably necessary to promote: (1) honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; (2) full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in the periodic reports required to be filed by the Company; and (3) compliance with applicable governmental laws and regulations. |
4.16 Legal Compliance
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The Committee will review compliance with the Company’s legal compliance policy annually. The Committee will discuss with the Company’s legal counsel legal matters that may have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements or compliance policies.
4.17 Review of the Committee Charter
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The Committee will review this charter annually and include it in the Company’s proxy statement as required by applicable law or regulation.
4.18 Outside Advisors
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The Committee may obtain advice and assistance from outside legal, accounting or other advisors as it deems appropriate. It may retain these advisors without seeking Board approval. The Company will provide appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of the compensation of the independent auditors and to any advisors engaged by the Committee.
5.0 INTERNAL AUDITORS
5.1 Audit Staff Qualifications
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The Committee shall:
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Review background of internal auditing directors and employees and confer with the independent auditor regarding competence of internal audit staff. |
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Ascertain internal audit staff’s participation in programs of the Institute of Internal Auditors or other professional societies. |
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5.2 Audit Function
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The Committee shall also:
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Review internal audit charter or plan. |
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Review internal audit reporting responsibilities. |
5.3 Internal Audit Review
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Review internal audit staff work to ensure proper planning, supervision and review. |
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Review reports regarding compliance audits, operational audits and financial audits. |
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Review reports on internal accounting and administrative controls, to determine objectivity of recommendations. |
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Ascertain implementation of prior years’ audit recommendations. |
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Ascertain any management disagreements with internal auditors. |
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Review audit staff relationship and interaction with other departments and independent auditors. |
6.0 REPORTING
The Committee will prepare and, through its Chair, submit periodic reports of the Committee’s work and findings to the Board, which will contain recommendations for Board actions when appropriate. Specifically, the report should include:
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A chronological review of Committee’s activities, particularly auditing and accounting cycle activities; |
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A summary of the Committee’s recommendations, particularly with respect to the selection of the independent auditors and the review of the independent auditor’s report; and attach critical audit reports and management letters. |
7.0 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW
The Committee shall develop and conduct, at least annually, an assessment of the Committee’s performance on a continuing basis, individually and collectively.
In fulfilling his or her responsibility, each member of the Committee is entitled to rely in good faith upon the Company’s records and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented by any of the Company’s officers or employees, or by any other person as to matters the member reasonably believes are within such other persons professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. Each member of the Committee also may rely in good faith upon actions taken by other committees of the Board as committed to such committees under the resolutions and other directives of the Board.
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Most recently presented and reviewed by full Board of Directors on October 16, 2015.
______________
Confirmed by Audit Committee Members
/s/ Mark E. Scott
Mark E. Scott
Chairman Audit Committee
/s/ Anthony J. Ciabattoni
Anthony J. Ciabattoni
Member
/s/ Jeff Giarraputo
Jeff Giarraputo
Member
- 10 -
SCHEDULE A
GUIDELINES ON FINANCIAL LITERACY
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The audit committee shall be comprised of a minimum of three directors, each of whom is financially literate or becomes financially literate within a reasonable period of time after his or her appointment to the audit committee, and at least one member of the audit committee shall have accounting or related financial management experience, requisite professional certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or background which results in the individual’s financial sophistication, including being or having been a chief executive officer, chief financial officer or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities.
Notwithstanding the above, the members of the Committee shall have financial literacy, as signified by the ability to read and understand financial statements, including a Company’s balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement.
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Exhibit 99.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
NOMINATIONS AND
GOVERNANCE
COMMITTEE
CHARTER
LAST REVIEWED AND ACCEPTED ON
OCTOBER 16, 2015
_________________________
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GROWLIFE, INC.
NOMINATIONS AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER
1.0 Committee Formation
The role and responsibilities of the Nominations and Governance Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of GrowLife, Inc. (the “Company”) are as follows, subject to amendment by the Board from time to time:
2.0 Purpose
The purpose of the Committee is to:
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Assist the Board in identifying individuals qualified to become Board members, and recommend to the Board the nominees for election as directors at the next annual meeting of shareholders; |
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Assist the Board in determining the size and composition of the Board committees; |
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Develop and recommend to the Board the corporate governance principles applicable to the Company; and |
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Serve in an advisory capacity to the Board and Chairman of the Board on matters of organization, management succession plans, major changes in the organizational structure of the Company and the conduct of Board activities. |
3.0 Organization
The Committee shall be comprised of at least three directors. All members of the Committee shall meet the “independence” and other applicable requirements of the NASDAQ Stock Market. The Company’s Board shall appoint, and may replace, members of the Committee and the Committee’s Chairman.
4.0 Meetings
The Committee will meet at such times as it deems appropriate to fulfill its responsibilities as outlined below. The Committee shall meet at least twice annually. The Committee may, in its discretion delegate its duties and responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee or to the Chairperson of the Committee.
5.0 Authority and Responsibilities
To assist it in the conduct of its responsibilities, the Committee, to the extent it deems necessary or appropriate, may consult with or request assistance from management and, as appropriate, other Company employees. The Committee shall also have the authority to retain legal counsel and/or independent advisors, as it deems appropriate, to assist in performing its duties, including the authority to approve any related fees and other retention terms. In addition, the Committee shall have the authority to retain any search firm used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve such firm’s fees and other retention terms.
The Committee shall report regularly to the Board. The Committee will consider board candidates nominated by stockholders.
In carrying out its responsibilities, the Committee shall:
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Develop general criteria for the selection of and qualifications desirable in members of the Board, including, but not limited to the following: the candidate’s integrity, reputation, judgment, knowledge and experience, specifically in corporate governance and related legal and regulatory regimes. |
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Among other criteria that the Committee may develop, new Board candidates must:
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Be able and willing to represent the shareholders’ short and long term economic interests; |
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Be able to contribute to the evaluation of the existing management of the Company, if requested; |
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Be cognizant of the responsibilities of the Company to its employees, customers, and regulatory authorities and of its civic and social responsibilities; and |
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Be willing to take the necessary time to properly prepare for Board and Committee meetings, at least based upon a thorough review of the material supplied before each Board meeting. |
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In addition to the foregoing standards, the incumbent directors will be evaluated for re-nomination based on the following criteria: |
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Adequate preparation for Board and Committee meetings, including a thorough review of and familiarity with the written materials supplied before each meeting; |
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Participation in and contributions to Board and Committee discussions through useful and pertinent suggestions, questions, and comments which reflect an informed and independent viewpoint; |
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Providing ongoing advice and counsel to management on the director’s own initiative and when requested by management of the company; |
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Regular attendance at Board and Committee meetings; and |
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Maintain an independent familiarity with the external environments in which the company operates and especially in the director’s own particular fields of expertise. |
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Conduct a detailed background check on each candidate as well as conduct a preliminary interview of the candidate(s) and any third-parties able to provide substantive candidate information; |
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Identify potential disqualifying conflicts of interest including interlocking directorships and substantial business, civic, and/or social relationships with other members of the Board that could impair the candidate’s ability to act independently from other members of the Board; |
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Identify and evaluate qualified individuals to become members of the Board, including evaluating persons suggested by management and/or shareholders as well as contact each individual or entity holding 1% or more of the Company’s common stock and request that such shareholder(s) provide the name of a candidate or candidates; |
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Annually recommend to the Board the nominees for election as directors persons who meet the foregoing requirements, the Company’s corporate governance principles/policies and any other requirements established by the Committee; |
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Recommend to the Board persons to be appointed as directors in the interval between annual meetings of the Company’s shareholders, including filling vacancies created by the death, disability or resignation of members of the Board; |
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Review annually the qualifications and independence of the members of the Board and its various committees including membership, structure (including authority to delegate) and performance; |
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Recommend to the Board the members of all Board committees, including the chair of such committees, as appropriate; |
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Review annually and assess the adequacy of the Company’s corporate governance principles/policies and recommend amendments to the Board, as appropriate; |
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Confirm that each standing committee of the Board has a charter in effect, that such charter is reviewed at least annually by its committee and that each charter complies with all applicable rules and regulations; |
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Review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter as needed, but as least annually and recommend changes to the Charter to the Board, as appropriate; |
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Oversee the annual evaluation of the performance of the Board and of the incumbent directors; |
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Perform any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and applicable law, as the Committee deems appropriate or as requested by the Board; |
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If a Board position remains unfilled, identify, review and recommend additional candidates for the Board’s consideration until all Board position(s) are filled; |
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Ensure that a director sitting on the Audit Committee not serve on the audit committees of more than two (2) other public companies’ boards of directors, without explicit approval by a majority of the Board, as well as ensure that all other directors not serve on more than three (3) other public companies’ boards of directors, without explicit approval by a majority of the Board; |
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periodically hire an independent corporate governance expert to assist the Committee in evaluating and reviewing any potential candidates the Committee identifies. In the event that no sufficiently qualified potential candidates are identified by the shareholders, the independent corporate governance expert shall assist the Committee to identify qualified candidates for unfilled director positions; and |
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Once every three (3) years, hire an independent corporate governance expert to review the Company’s director nomination processes, compare these processes with best practices, and assist the Committee in developing recommendation to the Board regarding any actions to take based on its evaluation, including the implementation of new processes and procedures as necessary. |
6.0 Annual Performance Evaluation
The Committee shall annually evaluate its own performance.
In fulfilling his or her responsibility, each member of the Committee is entitled to rely in good faith upon the Company’s records and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented by any of the Company’s officers or employees, or by any other person as to matters the member reasonably believes are within such other persons professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. Each member of the Committee also may rely in good faith upon actions taken by other committees of the Board of Directors as committed to such committees under the resolutions and other directives of the Board.
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____________________________________________________________________________
Most recently presented and reviewed by full Board of Directors on October 16, 2015.
Confirmed by Nominations and Governance Committee Members:
/s/ Marco Hegyi
Marco Hegyi
Chairman, Nominations and Governance Committee
/s/ Anthony J. Ciabattoni
Anthony J. Ciabattoni
Member
/s/ Jeff Giarraputo
Jeff Giarraputo
Member
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Exhibit 99.3
AMENDED AND RESTATED
INSIDER TRADING POLICY
LAST REVIEWED AND ACCEPTED ON
OCTOBER 16, 2015
_________________________
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GROWLIFE, INC.
INSIDER TRADING POLICY (1)
GrowLife, Inc. (the “Company”) encourages ownership of its stock by all officers, directors and employees. The Company’s officers, directors, certain employees, certain consultants and certain stockholders (and their family members) are considered “Insiders.” Insiders are subject to insider trading laws that affect the sale and purchase of the Company’s stock. In conducting the business of the Company, Insiders may from time to time obtain material nonpublic information regarding the Company or other companies. Insiders may be sued civilly either by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or by private litigants if they trade in securities while in possession of material nonpublic information concerning the issuer of the securities. They may also be charged with a criminal violation. In recent years, the SEC and United States Attorneys have aggressively investigated and prosecuted persons who engaged in insider trading or tipped others.
This Insider Trading Policy (this “Policy”) summarizes the insider trading rules and explains how Insiders can buy or sell stock so that they are in compliance with laws prohibiting insider-trading. This Policy also summarizes the consequences of violating insider trading laws.
Insiders who are members of the board of directors (the “Board”), senior executive officers and certain employees to be designated by management are prohibited from holding, directly or indirectly, any security that is tied to the performance of the Company except in the form of common stock and stock options delivered to such Insiders through the Company’s option and incentive plan.
You are responsible for ensuring that you and your family members comply with this Policy. Violations of this Policy are a serious matter. If you (or a family member) violate this Policy, you may be subject to civil and criminal charges. Your violation could also be grounds for dismissal with cause.
1. Rule 10b-5 Prohibition on Insider Trading .
SEC Rule 10b-5 prohibits corporate officers and directors or other insider employees from using confidential corporate information to reap a profit (or avoid a loss) by trading in the Company’s stock. This rule also prohibits “tipping” of confidential corporate information to third parties.
· Who is an insider?
An “ insider ” is an officer, director, 10% stockholder and anyone who possesses inside information because of his or her relationship with the Company or with an officer, director or principal stockholder of the Company. Rule 10b-5’s application goes considerably beyond just officers, directors and principal stockholders. This rule also covers any employee who has obtained material non-public corporate information, as well as any person who has received a “tip” from an Insider of the Company concerning information about the Company that is material and nonpublic, and trades (i.e. purchase or sells) the Company’s stock or other securities.
This policy also applies to your family members who reside with you, anyone else who lives in your household, and family members who do not live in your household but whose securities transactions are directed by you or are subject to your influence or control, as well as trusts or other entities for which you make investment decisions.
__________________________
(1) This policy only covers trading on inside information by Insiders. It does not address the legal restrictions on sales of the Company’s stock by Insiders: the requirement that all sales of stock by insiders be made pursuant to either an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ( “ Securities Act ’ ) or Securities Act Rule 144.
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· What is material inside information?
Courts define “ material inside information ” as information which, if known, could reasonably be expected to affect the value of the Company’s stock, or which would affect the investment judgment of a person making a decision to buy or sell the stock. Information is considered “material” if there is a substantial likelihood that it would be considered important by a reasonable investor in deciding whether to purchase or sell stock, or other securities, or if the information would be viewed by the reasonable investor as having significantly altered the total mix of information available to the investor before making the purchase or sale. The information need not be the determining factor, but must assume actual significance in the investor’s deliberations. Examples of inside information include:
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a material change in anticipated earnings (up or down); |
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proposed public or private offerings of securities; |
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loan defaults; |
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pending or proposed mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, or sales of significant assets or other strategic plans; |
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regulatory approvals, patent registrations or issuances, investigations, etc.; |
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a proposed offering or issuance of new securities; |
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the occurrence of, or important developments in, major disputes, claims or significant litigation (whether or not meritorious); |
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a change in management; |
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new product announcements; and |
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the gain or loss of significant customers, suppliers or business partners. |
Material inside information can be either positive or negative.
Information is “nonpublic” if it has not been disclosed to the public generally. For information to be considered public, there should be some evidence that it has been widely disseminated and that the investing public has had time to absorb the information. You should generally consider information nonpublic until after the second business day after the information is publicly released, such as by press release or widely circulated public disclosure documents filed with the SEC, such as prospectuses or 10-K, 10-Q or 8-K reports. For example, if information is disclosed via press release on a Monday, it can be considered public beginning that Thursday.
Please keep in mind that your transactions in the Company’s stock may be viewed “after the fact” with the full benefit of hindsight. If you have any questions whether certain information is material or has not been publicly disclosed, please call the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.
2. Guidelines for Trading .
Insiders” must obey the following rules
· No Trading on Material Nonpublic Information.
An Insider should never trade the Company ’ s stock while you are in possession of material, nonpublic information about the Company. Additionally, you should not discuss or reveal such “ inside information ” about the Company to anyone, except as strictly required for a legitimate Company business purpose.
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· Pre-clearance of Trades.
Directors and officers must pre-clear all trades in the Company ’ s stock at all times, including during the “ Window Period” as set forth below, with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer. All proposed transactions pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, involving the Company’s securities shall require pre-approval by the general counsel of the Company, or by one of his or her designees. If you receive clearance for trades, you must complete your purchase or sale within 72 hours of receipt of the clearance.
· Window Period.
In addition to not trading while you possess material, nonpublic information, it is also in your, and the Company ’ s, best interests that you avoid even the appearance that you may be trading on nonpublic information. Trading in publicly offered securities is closely monitored by a number of watchdog groups, including plaintiffs’ attorneys. If you are perceived to be trading on nonpublic information, you may have to defend yourself in court even if you are innocent of any wrongdoing. The Company may also be sued in such cases.
To avoid such an appearance, the Company has adopted guidelines (the “Window Period”) covering the purchase or sale of its stock or other securities by Insiders. The Window Period is a Company rule designed to protect the Company and its Insiders. The Window Period opens on the second trading day after the day the Company’s quarterly or annual earnings figures are publicly released. For example, if the Company publicly releases its earnings after the market opens on a Monday, the Window Period would be closed and would remain closed until it opens at the open of the market on Wednesday (assuming no intervening holidays). The Window Period will remain open for a period of 20 full trading days and will close at the end of the 20th day. Transactions involving the purchase or sale of the Company’s stock must take place during this 20-day period. Directors and officers must obtain pre-clearance for trades even during the Window Period. The Company reserves the right to change these dates without prior notice.
Note that a purchaser or seller who is aware of material nonpublic information cannot buy or sell even during an “open” window. In such a case, the Insider with knowledge must not trade until the second trading day after the information of which he or she is aware becomes public.
· Exception to Window Period
As discussed above, all trading of the Company ’ s stock must occur during the Window Period. If you believe an unanticipated, infrequent and compelling event necessitates the purchase or sale outside the Window Period, however, you may request an exception to the rule. You should not expect and you are urged not to rely on your ability to obtain an exception to the Window Period rule when making decisions regarding your finances. A request for an exception to the Window Period rule must set forth the event necessitating the purchase or sale, the reason the purchase or sale is necessary, and the date of the planned purchase or sale. All requests for exceptions must be reviewed and approved by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. If a request for an exception is approved, you must complete the trade on the date set forth in your request within the period of time approved by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. If the trade does not occur on that date, you must notify the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and request to make the trade on a different date. If approved, the trade must be made on such date.
· Section 16 No-Trading Period
No transactions made pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, involving the Company ’ s securities may be made during the period of time beginning on the fifteenth day of the last month of each quarter and ending no earlier that forty-eight hours after the release by the Company of earnings reports for each quarter.
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· Rule 10b5-1 Plans
Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ( “ Rule 10b5-1 ” ) provides an affirmative defense to insider trading liability where it is evident that material nonpublic information known to the person trading did not play a role in trading decisions. In order to take advantage of these defenses:
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First, the trading plan must be adopted, or take effect, when the trader is not aware of any material nonpublic information about the Company. |
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Second, the plan must either (1) expressly specify the amount, price, and date of trades; (2) provide a written formula or algorithm, or computer program, for determining amounts, prices, and dates; or (3) give all discretion regarding the power to execute securities transactions pursuant to the plan to a third party who does not possess material nonpublic information. |
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Third, the trader must demonstrate that the purchase or sale that occurred was pursuant to the plan. A purchase or sale would not be pursuant to the plan if, among other things, the trader altered or deviated from the plan or entered into or altered a corresponding or hedging transaction or position with respect to those securities. |
Transactions in accordance with an approved Rule 10b5-1 trading plan will not violate this Policy. Insiders must make their own arrangements with brokers to establish Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. Any Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, however, should be in writing and should be submitted to the Company’s Chief Operating and Financial Officer for review prior to its execution. All Rule 10b5-1 trading plans must be executed during a Window Period and trades under the plan may not commence until at least 60 days after the execution date.
3. Consequences of an Insider Trading Violation.
Insider trading results in any one or more of the following legal problems:
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A private lawsuit may be brought against the Insider by a stockholder of the Company. This private action may be brought either by a person who has purchased from, or sold to, an insider or by a stockholder suing in the name of the Company. |
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A civil enforcement action could be brought against the Insider by the SEC seeking (a) a monetary penalty (in an amount up to three times the profit gained or the loss avoided); (b) a cease-and-desist order; and (c) an order barring the insider from serving as an officer and director of any public company. |
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Especially serious cases could result in a criminal felony prosecution. |
You should be aware that the Company cannot defend you against an insider trading violation. You would have to bear the costs of defending yourself, and those costs can be staggering. In addition, the damage to your reputation -- and that of the Company -- as a result of an insider trading violation could be irreparable.
4. Stock Transactions.
· Short Sales; Put or Call Options.
All Insiders are prohibited from selling short (including, short sales “against the box”) or from trading, writing, or purchasing “put” or “call” options on the Company’s stock whether or not such options are traded on an exchange. A “short sale” is the sale of securities that are not then owned by the person selling such securities. In other words, the seller enters into an agreement to sell the securities at a later date at a specified price, with the seller intending to purchase the securities to be sold at some point between the execution of the agreement and the date he or she must deliver the securities. Thus, the implication is that the seller is anticipating a decrease in the price of the security.
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· Margin Sales.
The fact that a sale of the Company ’ s stock results from a margin call does not provide a defense to an insider trading claim. Courts view such sales as resulting from the Insider ’ s failure to meet the margin call -- as something within the Insider ’ s control.
· Stock Option Exercises; Sale of Option Shares.
You may exercise vested Company stock options at any time. However, you may only sell the shares that you obtain from such exercises by complying with the pre-clearance procedure during the open Window Period. In addition, you must not possess material nonpublic corporate information when you sell these shares.
5. Restrictions on Tipping .
The term “insider trading” refers to the use of nonpublic material information both in trading securities or in passing on or “tipping” such information to others. As a result, in addition to refraining from trading for your own account while you are aware of nonpublic material information, you are prohibited from engaging in any other action to take advantage of, or to communicate to others ( “tip” ), such information. An Insider who tips information to a person who then trades is subject to the same penalties as the tippee, even if the Insider did not trade and did not profit from the tippee’s trading.
6. Section 16 Liability.
Insiders may be liable to the Company under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for any “profit” realized as a result of any purchase followed by a sale, or sale followed by a purchase, of the Company’s stock within any period of less than six months. There is no “tracing” of shares for these purposes. Any sale made by an Insider may be matched against any purchase made within the statutory period, and the transactions will be matched in such a way as to maximize the amount payable by the Insider to the Company.
Before engaging in any transaction in the Company’s stock, the Insider should consider carefully whether he or she has made any other transaction during the preceding six months and, if so, whether such transactions would result in profits recoverable under Section 16(b).
ANY PURCHASES OR SALES BY AN INSIDER RESULTING IN SECTION 16(B) LIABILITY WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION INCLUDING IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THE FORFEITURE OF SHORT SWING PROFITS TO THE COMPANY, THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH LIABILITY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LEGAL FEES.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF THIS INSIDER TRADING POLICY WILL RESULT IN AN ASSESSMENT BY THE OFFICER OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL CONCERNING APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CANCELLATION OF OUTSTANDING STOCK OPTIONS, DISQUALIFICATION FROM PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION, AND TERMINATION.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I have received and reviewed a copy of the GrowLife, Inc. Insider Trading Policy, dated as of October 14, 2015. I understand and agree to comply with the Company’s policies and procedures concerning insider trading as set forth in this Policy.
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Signature
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Name (Please Print)
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