BYLAWS
OF
HEALTH
DISCOVERY CORPORATION
|
PAGE
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ARTICLE
ONE OFFICES
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1
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ARTICLE
TWO SHAREHOLDERS' MEETINGS
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1
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2.1
Annual Meeting
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1
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2.2
Special Meetings
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1
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2.3
Place
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1
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2.4
Notice
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1
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2.5
Quorum
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2
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2.6
Proxies; Required Vote
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2
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2.7
Presiding Officer and Secretary
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2
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2.8
Shareholder List
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2
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ARTICLE
THREE DIRECTORS
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2
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3.1
Management
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2
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3.2
Number of Directors
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3
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3.3
Vacancies
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3
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3.4
Election of Directors
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3
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3.5
Removal
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3
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3.6
Resignation
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3
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3.7
Compensation
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3
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3.8
Nomination of Directors
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3
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ARTICLE
FOUR
COMMITTEES
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4
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4.1
Committees
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4
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4.2
Removal
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5
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ARTICLE
FIVE MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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5
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5.1
Time and Place
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5
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5.2
Regular Meetings
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5
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5.3
Special Meetings
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5
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5.4
Content and Waiver of Notice
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6
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5.5
Quorum; Participation by Telephone
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6
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5.6
Tie Votes
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6
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5.7
Action in Lieu of Meeting
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6
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5.8
Interested Directors and Officers
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7
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ARTICLE
SIX OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES
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7
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6.1
General Provisions
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7
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6.2
Powers and Duties of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman
of the
Board and the President
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8
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6.3
Powers and Duties of Vice Presidents
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8
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6.4
Powers and Duties of the Secretary
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9
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6.5
Delegation of Duties
|
9
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ARTICLE
SEVEN CAPITAL STOCK
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9
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7.1
Certificates
|
9
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7.2
Shareholder List
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10
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7.3
Transfer of Shares
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10
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7.4
Record Dates
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10
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7.5
Registered Owner
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11
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7.6
Transfer Agent and Registrars
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11
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7.7
Lost Certificates
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11
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7.8
Fractional Shares or Scrip
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11
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ARTICLE
EIGHT BOOKS AND RECORDS; SEAL; ANNUAL STATEMENTS
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11
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8.1
Inspection of Books and Records
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11
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8.2
Seal
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12
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ARTICLE
NINE INDEMNIFICATION
|
13
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9.1
Authority to Indemnify
|
13
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9.2
Mandatory Indemnification
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13
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9.3
Advance for Expenses
|
13
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9.4
Court-ordered Indemnification and Advances for Expenses
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13
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9.5
Determination of Indemnification
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13
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9.6
Authorization of Indemnification
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14
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9.7
Indemnification of Employees and Agents
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14
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9.8
Other Rights
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15
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9.9
Insurance
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15
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9.10
Continuation of Expenses
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16
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ARTICLE
TEN NOTICES: WAIVERS OF NOTICE
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16
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10.1
Notices
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16
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10.2
Waivers of Notice
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16
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ARTICLE
ELEVEN CHECKS, NOTES, DRAFTS, ETC.
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16
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ARTICLE
TWELVE AMENDMENTS
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16
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BYLAWS
OF
HEALTH
DISCOVERY CORPORATION
ARTICLE
ONE
OFFICES
The
Corporation shall at all times maintain its principal office in Savannah,
Georgia, its registered office in the State of Georgia and its registered agent
at that address, but it may have other offices located within or outside the
State of Georgia as the Board of Directors may determine.
ARTICLE
TWO
SHAREHOLDERS'
MEETINGS
2.1
Annual
Meeting
.
A
meeting of shareholders of the Corporation shall be held annually, within six
(6) months after the end of each fiscal year of the Corporation. The
annual meeting shall be held at such time and place, and on such date, as the
Directors shall determine from time to time and as shall be specified in the
notice of the meeting.
2.2
Special
Meetings
.
Special meetings of the shareholders may be called at any time by the
Corporation's Board of Directors, its President, or by the Corporation upon
the
written request of any one or more shareholders owning an aggregate of not
less
than twenty-five percent (25%) of the outstanding capital stock of the
Corporation. Special meetings shall be held at such a time and place and
on such date as shall be specified in the notice of the meeting.
2.3
Place
.
Annual or special meetings of shareholders may be held within or without the
State of Georgia.
2.4
Notice
.
Notice of annual or special shareholders meetings stating the place, day and
hour of the meeting shall be given in writing not less than ten (10) nor more
than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting, either mailed to the last
known address or personally given to each shareholder entitled to vote at the
meeting. Notice of any special meeting of shareholders shall state the
purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. The notice of any
meeting at which amendments to or restatements of the Articles of Incorporation,
merger or share exchange of the Corporation, or the disposition of corporate
assets requiring shareholder approval are to be considered shall state such
purpose, and shall further comply with all requirements of law. Notice of
a meeting may be waived by an instrument in writing executed before or after
the
meeting. The waiver need not specify the purpose of the meeting or the
business transacted, unless one of the purposes of the meeting concerns a plan
of merger or share exchange, in which event the waiver shall comply with the
further requirements of law concerning such waivers. Attendance at such
meeting in person or by proxy shall constitute a waiver of notice
thereof.
2.5
Quorum
.
At all meetings of shareholders a majority of the outstanding shares of stock
entitled to vote at the meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction
of
business, and no resolution or business shall be transacted without the
favorable vote of the holders of a majority of the shares represented at the
meeting and entitled to vote. A lesser number may adjourn from day to day,
and shall announce the time and place to which the meeting is
adjourned.
2.6
Proxies;
Required Vote.
At every
meeting of the shareholders, including meetings of shareholders for the election
of Directors, any shareholder having the right to vote shall be entitled to
vote
in person or by proxy, but no proxy shall be voted after eleven (11) months
from
its date, unless said proxy provides for a longer period. Each shareholder
shall have one vote for each share of stock having voting power, registered
in
his or her name on the books of the Corporation. If a quorum is present,
the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares represented at the meeting
and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the shareholders,
except as otherwise provided by law, by the Articles of Incorporation or by
these bylaws.
2.7
Presiding
Officer and Secretary
.
At every meeting of shareholders, the Chairman or the President, or if such
officers shall not be present then the person appointed by one of them, shall
preside. The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or if such officers
shall not be present, the appointee of the presiding officer of the meeting,
shall act as secretary of the meeting.
2.8
Shareholder
List
.
The officer or agent having charge of the stock transfer books of the
Corporation shall produce for inspection of any shareholder at, and continuously
during, every meeting of the shareholders, a complete alphabetical list of
shareholders showing the address and share holdings of each shareholder.
If the record of shareholders readily shows such information, it may be produced
in lieu of such a list.
ARTICLE
THREE
DIRECTORS
3.1
Management
.
Subject to these bylaws, or any lawful agreement between the shareholders,
the
full and entire management of the affairs and business of the Corporation shall
be vested in the Board of Directors, which shall have and may exercise all
of
the powers that may be exercised or performed by the Corporation.
3.2
Number
of Directors
.
The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than two (2) nor more than
seven (7) members. The number of Directors may be fixed or changed from time
to
time, within the minimum and maximum, by the shareholders by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of the Corporation
entitled to vote in an election of Directors, or by the Board of Directors
by
the affirmative vote of a majority of all Directors then in office.
3.3
Vacancies
.
The Directors, even though less than a quorum, may fill any vacancy on the
Board
of Directors, including a vacancy created by an increase in the number of
Directors. Such appointment by the Directors shall continue until the expiration
of the term of the Director whose place has become vacant, or, in the case
of an
increase in the number of Directors, until the next meeting of the shareholders.
3.4
Election
of Directors
.
At each annual meeting the shareholders shall elect the Directors for a term
of
one (1) year, to serve until the election and qualification of their successors
or until their earlier resignation, death or removal from office. In the event
that there is no annual meeting, the shareholders shall elect the Directors
at a
special meeting of the shareholders called for such purpose.
3.5
Removal
.
The
shareholders of the Corporation may remove one or more directors with or without
cause.
3.6
Resignation
.
Any Director may resign at any time either orally at any meeting of the Board
of
Directors or by so advising the Chairman of the Board or the President or by
giving written notice to the Corporation. A Director who resigns may
postpone the effectiveness of his or her resignation to a future date or upon
the occurrence of a future event specified in a written tender of
resignation. If no time of effectiveness is specified therein, a
resignation shall be effective upon tender. A vacancy shall be deemed to
exist at the time a resignation is tendered, and the Board of Directors or
the
shareholders may, then or thereafter, elect a successor to take office when
the
resignation by its terms becomes effective.
3.7
Compensation
.
Directors may be allowed such compensation for their services as Directors
as
may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the Board of
Directors.
3.8
Nomination
of Directors
.
(a)
Only
persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these
bylaws shall be eligible for election as Directors. Nominations of persons
for
election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made at any meeting
of shareholders at which Directors are to be elected only (i) by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any shareholder of the
Corporation entitled to vote for the election of Directors at the meeting who
complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 3.8. Unless and
until a nominating committee is established by the Board of Directors, the
Board
of Directors shall act as a nominating committee to select the management
nominees for election as Directors.
(b)
Nominations,
other than those management nominees made by or at the direction of the Board
of
Directors, shall be made by timely notice in writing to the Secretary of the
Corporation. To be timely, a shareholder's notice shall be delivered or mailed
to and received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less
than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting; provided, however,
that
in the event that less than forty (40) days' notice or prior public disclosure
of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders, notice by the
shareholder to be timely must be so received not later than the close of
business on the 10th day following the day on which such notice of the date
of
the meeting is mailed or such public disclosure was made. Such shareholder's
notice shall set forth (i) as to each person whom the shareholder proposes
to
nominate for election or reelection as a Director, all information relating
to
such person as required to be disclosed in solicitation of proxies for election
of Directors made in compliance with Regulation 14A under the Securities and
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including such person's written consent to
being named in a proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Director
if
elected); and (ii) as to the shareholder giving the notice (A) the name and
address, as they appear on the books of the Corporation, of such shareholder
and
(B) the class and number of shares of the Corporation's capital stock that
are
beneficially owned by such shareholder. At the request of the Board of Directors
any person nominated by the Board of Directors for election as a Director shall
furnish to the Secretary of the Corporation that information required to be
set
forth in a shareholder's notice of nomination which pertains to the nominee.
No
person shall be eligible for election as a Director of the Corporation unless
nominated in accordance with the provisions of this Section. The officer
presiding at the meeting shall, if the facts so warrant, determine and declare
to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the provisions
of this Section and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.
ARTICLE
FOUR
COMMITTEES
4.1
Committees
.
(a) The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the
entire board, designate committees consisting of one or more Directors.
Each committee member shall hold office until the first meeting of the Board
of
Directors after the annual meeting of shareholders and until the member's
successor is elected and qualified, or until the member's death, resignation
or
removal, or until the member shall cease to be a director.
(b)
The
committees shall not have the power to amend or repeal any resolution of the
Board of Directors that by its terms shall not be subject to amendment or repeal
by a committee, and a committee shall not have the authority of the Board of
Directors in reference to (i) the amendment of the Articles of Incorporation
or
bylaws of the Corporation; (ii) the adoption of a plan of merger or share
exchange; (iii) the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or
substantially all the property and assets of the Corporation; or (iv) a
voluntary dissolution of the Corporation or the revocation of any such voluntary
dissolution.
(c)
A
committee shall meet from time to time on call of any two or more of its
members. Meetings of a committee may be held at such place or places,
within or without the State of Georgia, as such committee shall determine or
as
may be specified or fixed in the respective notices or waivers of such
meetings. A committee may fix its own rules of procedure, including
provision for notice of its meetings. It shall keep a record of its
proceedings and shall report these proceedings to the Board of Directors at
the
meeting thereof held next after they have been taken, and all such proceedings
shall be subject to revision or alteration by the Board of Directors except
to
the extent that action shall have been taken pursuant to or in reliance upon
such proceedings prior to any such revision or alteration.
(d)
A
committee shall act by majority vote of its members; provided, however, that
contracts or transactions of and by the Corporation in which officers or
Directors of the Corporation are interested shall require the affirmative vote
of a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors at a
meeting of the Board of Directors at which the material facts as to the interest
and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or known to the members
of
the Board of Directors prior to the vote.
(e)
Members
of a committee may participate in committee proceedings by means of conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons
participating in the proceedings can hear each other, and such participation
shall constitute presence in person at such proceedings.
(f)
The
Board
of Directors, by resolution adopted in accordance with paragraph (a) of this
section, may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of a committee
who may act in the place and stead of any absent member or members at any
meeting of said committee.
4.2
Removal
The Board of Directors shall have power at any time to remove any member of
any
committee, with or without cause, and to fill vacancies in and to dissolve
any
such committee.
ARTICLE
FIVE
MEETINGS
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
5.1
Time
and Place
.
Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place either
within or without the State of Georgia.
5.2
Regular
Meetings
.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such
time and place, within or without the State of Georgia, as shall be determined
by the Board of Directors from time to time.
5.3
Special
Meetings
.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of
the
Board or the President on not less than two (2) days notice by mail, personal
delivery, telephone, or e-mail (provided the recipient has an e-mail address)
to
each Director and shall be called by the Chairman of the Board or the President
in like manner and on like notice on the written request of any two or more
Directors. Any such special meeting shall be held at such time and place,
within or without the State of Georgia, as shall be stated in the notice of
the
meeting.
5.4
Content
and Waiver of Notice
.
No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need state the purposes
thereof. Notice of any meeting may be waived by an instrument in writing
executed before or after the meeting. Attendance in person at any such
meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice thereof unless the director at
the
beginning of the meeting (or promptly upon his or her arrival) objects to
holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting and does not
thereafter vote for or assent to action taken at the meeting.
5.5
Quorum;
Participation by Telephone
.
At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the presence of a majority of the
authorized number of Directors shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute
a
quorum for the transaction of business. Directors may participate in any
meeting by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment
by
means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other,
and
participation in a meeting by means of such communications equipment shall
constitute the presence in person at such meeting. Except as may be
otherwise specifically provided by law, the Articles of Incorporation or these
bylaws, all resolutions adopted and all business transacted by the Board of
Directors shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors
present at the meeting. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the
Directors present at any meeting may adjourn the meeting from time to time
until
a quorum is present. Notice of any adjourned meeting need only be given by
announcement at the meeting at which the adjournment is
taken.
5.6
Tie
Votes
.
When a
quorum of Directors is present at any meeting of the Board of Directors and
Directors vote on any action required or permitted to be taken at such meeting,
if the vote results in a tie, the Chairman’s vote shall determine the outcome of
the action.
5.7
Action
in Lieu of Meeting
.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of
Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if a
written consent thereto is signed by all members of the Board of Directors
or of
such committee, as the case may be, and such written consent is filed with
the
minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and upon compliance with
any further requirements of law pertaining to such consents.
5.8
Interested
Directors and Officers
.
An interested director or officer is one who is a party to a contract or
transaction with the Corporation or who is an officer or director of, or has
a
financial interest in, another Corporation, partnership or association which
is
a party to a contract or transaction with the Corporation. Contracts and
transactions between the Corporation and one or more interested directors or
officers shall not be void or voidable solely because of the involvement or
vote
of such interested persons as long as (a) the contract or transaction is
approved in good faith by the Board of Directors or appropriate committee by
the
affirmative vote of a majority of disinterested Directors, even if the
disinterested directors be less than a quorum, at a meeting of the board or
committee at which the material facts as to the interested person or persons
and
the contract or transaction are disclosed or known to the board or committee
prior to the vote; or (b) the contract or transaction is approved in good faith
by the shareholders after the material facts as to the interested person or
persons and the contract or transaction have been disclosed to them; or (c)
the
contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is
authorized, approved or ratified by the board, committee or shareholders.
Interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum
at a
meeting of the board or committee which authorizes the contract or
transaction.
ARTICLE
SIX
OFFICERS,
AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES
6.1
General
Provisions
.
The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a President
and a Secretary, and may include a Treasurer, Chairman of the Board, one or
more
Executive Vice Presidents, one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant
Secretaries, and one or more Assistant Treasurers. The officers shall be
elected by the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board of Directors
after the annual meeting of the shareholders in each year or shall be appointed
as provided in these bylaws. The Board of Directors may elect other
officers, agents and employees, who shall have such authority and perform such
duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. All officers shall
hold office until the meeting of the Board of Directors following the next
annual meeting of the shareholders after their election or appointment and
until
their successors shall have been elected or appointed and shall have
qualified. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.
Any officer, agent or employee of the Corporation may be removed by the Board
of
Directors with or without cause. Removal without cause shall be without
prejudice to such person's contract rights, if any, but the election or
appointment of any person as an officer, agent or employee of the Corporation
shall not of itself create contract rights. The compensation of officers,
agents and employees elected by the Board of Directors shall be fixed by the
Board of Directors or by a committee thereof, and this power may also be
delegated to any officer, agent or employee as to persons under his or her
direction or control. The Board of Directors may require any officer,
agent or employee to give security for the faithful performance of his or her
duties.
6.2
Powers
and Duties of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer and the
President
.
The powers and duties of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board
and the President, subject to the supervision and control of the Board of
Directors, shall be those usually appertaining to their respective offices
and
whatever other powers and duties are prescribed by these bylaws or by the Board
of Directors.
(a)
The
Chairman
of the Board
shall
preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and at all meetings of the
shareholders. The Chairman of the Board shall perform such other duties as
the Board of Directors may from time to time direct.
(b)
The
Chief
Executive Officer
shall
have general charge of the business and affairs of the Corporation and shall
keep the Board of Directors fully advised. The Chief
Executive
Officer shall employ and discharge employees and agents of the Corporation,
except such as shall be elected by the Board of Directors, and he or she may
delegate these powers. The Chief Executive Officer may vote the shares or
other securities of any other domestic or foreign Corporation of any type or
kind which may at any time be owned by the Corporation, may execute any
shareholders' or other consents in respect thereof and may in his or her
discretion delegate such powers by executing proxies, or otherwise, on behalf
of
the Corporation. The Board of Directors, by resolution from time to time,
may confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
(c)
The
President
shall,
unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, be the Chief Executive
Officer of the Corporation. The President shall have general charge of the
business and affairs of the Corporation and shall keep the Board of Directors
fully advised. The President shall employ and discharge employees and
agents of the Corporation, except such as shall be elected by the Board of
Directors, and he or she may delegate these powers. The President shall
have such powers and perform such duties as generally pertain to the office
of
the President, as well as such further powers and duties as may be prescribed
by
the Board of Directors. The President may vote the shares or other
securities of any other domestic or foreign Corporation of any type or kind
which may at any time be owned by the Corporation, may execute any shareholders'
or other consents in respect thereof and may in his or her discretion delegate
such powers by executing proxies, or otherwise, on behalf of the
Corporation. The Board of Directors, by resolution from time to time, may
confer like powers upon any other person or persons.
6.3
Powers
and Duties of Executive Vice Presidents
.
Each Executive Vice President shall have such powers and perform such duties
as
the Board of Directors or the President may prescribe and shall perform such
other duties as may be prescribed by these bylaws. In the absence or
inability to act of the President, unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise
provide, the Executive Vice President who has served in that capacity for the
longest time and who shall be present and able to act, shall perform all duties
and may exercise any of the powers of the President. The performance of
any such duty by an Executive Vice President shall be conclusive evidence of
his
or her power to act.
6.4
Powers
and Duties of the Secretary
.
The Secretary shall have charge of the minutes of all proceedings of the
shareholders and of the Board of Directors and shall keep the minutes of all
their meetings at which he or she is present. Except as otherwise provided
by these bylaws, the Secretary shall attend to the giving of all notices to
shareholders and Directors. He or she shall have charge of the seal of the
Corporation, shall attend to its use on all documents the execution of which
on
behalf of the Corporation under its seal is duly authorized and shall attest
the
same by his or her signature whenever required. The Secretary shall have
charge of the record of shareholders of the Corporation, of all written requests
by shareholders that notices be mailed to them at an address other than their
addresses on the record of shareholders, and of such other books and papers
as
the Board of Directors may direct. Subject to the control of the Board of
Directors, the Secretary shall have all such powers and duties as generally
are
incident to the position of secretary or as may be assigned to the Secretary
by
the President or the Board of Directors.
6.5
Delegation
of Duties
.
In case of the absence of any officer of the Corporation, or for any other
reason that the Board of Directors may deem sufficient, the Board of Directors
(or in the case of Assistant Secretaries or Assistant Treasurers only, the
President) may confer for the time being the powers and duties, or any of them,
of such officer upon any other officer or elect or appoint any new officer
to
fill a vacancy created by death, resignation, retirement or termination of any
officer. In such latter event such new officer shall serve until the next
annual election of officers.
ARTICLE
SEVEN
CAPITAL
STOCK
7.1
Certificates
.
(a) The interest of each shareholder shall be evidenced by a certificate or
certificates representing shares of the Corporation which shall be in such
form
as the Board of Directors may from time to time adopt and shall be numbered
and
shall be entered in the books of the Corporation as they are issued. Each
certificate representing shares shall set forth upon the face thereof the
following:
(i)
the
name
of this Corporation;
(ii)
that
the
Corporation is organized under the laws of the State of Georgia;
(iii)
the
name
or names of the person or persons to whom the certificate is
issued;
(iv)
the
number and class of shares, and the designation of the series, if any, which
the
certificate represents; and
(v)
if
any
shares represented by the certificate are nonvoting shares, a statement or
notation to that effect; and, if the shares represented by the certificate
are
subordinate to shares of any other class or series with respect to dividends
or
amounts payable on liquidation, the certificate shall further set forth on
either the face or back thereof a clear and concise statement to that
effect.
(b)
Each
certificate shall be signed by the President or an Executive Vice President
and
the Secretary or an assistant Secretary and may be sealed with the seal of
the
Corporation or a facsimile thereof. If a certificate is countersigned by a
transfer agent or registered by a registrar, other than the Corporation itself
or an employee of the Corporation, the signature of any such officer of the
Corporation may be a facsimile. In case any officer or officers who shall
have signed, or whose facsimile signature or signatures shall have been used
on,
any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers
of the Corporation, whether because of death, resignation or otherwise, before
such certificate or certificates shall have been delivered by the Corporation,
such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be delivered as though the
person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates or whose facsimile
signatures shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer or
officers.
7.2
Shareholder
List
.
The Corporation shall keep or cause to be kept a record of the shareholders
of
the Corporation which readily shows, in alphabetical order or by alphabetical
index, and by classes or series of stock, if any, the names of the shareholders
entitled to vote, with the address of and the number of shares held by
each. Said record shall be presented and kept open at all meetings of the
shareholders.
7.3
Transfer
of Shares
.
Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the
person named in the certificate, or by power of attorney lawfully constituted
in
writing, and upon surrender of the certificate, or in the case of a certificate
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon compliance with the
provisions of Section 7.7 of these bylaws.
7.4
Record
Dates
.
For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote
at
any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive
payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of shareholders
for
any other proper purpose, the Board of Directors may fix in advance a date
as
the record date for any such determination of shareholders, such date to be
not
more than seventy (70) days and, in case of a meeting of shareholders, not
less
than ten (10) days, prior to the date on which the particular action requiring
such determination of shareholders is to be taken.
7.5
Registered
Owner
.
The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share
of
stock of the Corporation as the person entitled to vote such share, to receive
any dividend or other distribution with respect to such share, and for all
other
purposes and accordingly shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other
claim or interest in such share on the part of any other person, whether or
not
it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided
by
law.
7.6
Transfer
Agent and Registrars
.
The Board of Directors may appoint one or more transfer agents and one or more
registrars and may require each stock certificate to bear the signature or
signatures of a transfer agent or a registrar or both.
7.7
Lost
Certificates
.
Any person claiming a certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed
shall
make an affidavit or affirmation of the fact in such manner as the Board of
Directors may require and, if the Directors so require, shall give the
Corporation a bond of indemnity in form and amount and with one or more sureties
satisfactory to the Board of Directors, whereupon an appropriate new certificate
may be issued in lieu of the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen
or
destroyed.
7.8
Fractional
Shares or Scrip
.
The Corporation may, when and if authorized so to do by its Board of Directors,
issue certificates for fractional shares or scrip in order to effect share
transfers, share distributions or reclassifications, mergers, share exchanges
or
reorganizations. Holders of fractional shares shall be entitled, in
proportion to their fractional holdings, to exercise voting rights, receive
dividends and participate in any of the assets of the Corporation in the event
of liquidation. Holders of scrip shall not, unless expressly authorized by
the Board of Directors, be entitled to exercise any rights of a shareholder
of
the Corporation, including voting rights, dividend rights or the right to
participate in any assets of the Corporation in the event of liquidation.
In lieu of issuing fractional shares or scrip, the Corporation may pay in cash
the fair value of fractional interests as determined by the Board of Directors;
and the Board of Directors may adopt resolutions regarding rights with respect
to fractional shares or scrip as it may deem appropriate, including without
limitation the right for persons entitled to receive fractional shares to sell
such fractional shares or purchase such additional fractional shares as may
be
needed to acquire one full share, or sell such fractional shares or scrip for
the account of such persons.
ARTICLE
EIGHT
BOOKS
AND
RECORDS; SEAL; ANNUAL STATEMENTS
8.1
Inspection
of Books and Records
.
(a) A shareholder owning more than two percent (2%) of the outstanding shares
of
the Corporation shall be entitled to inspect and copy, during regular business
hours at a reasonable location specified by the Corporation, any of the
following records of the Corporation if the shareholder meets the requirements
of subsection (b) of this Section 8.1 and gives the Corporation written notice
of his demand at least five (5) business days before the date on which he wishes
to inspect and copy:
(i)
excerpts
from minutes of any meeting of the Board of Directors, records of any action
of
a committee of the board of directions while acting in place of the Board of
Directors on behalf of the Corporation, minutes of any meeting of the
shareholders, and records of action taken by the shareholders or Board of
Directors without a meeting;
(ii)
accounting
records of the Corporation; and
(iii)
the
record of shareholders.
(b)
A
shareholder owning more than two percent (2%) of the outstanding shares of
the
Corporation may inspect and copy the records described in subsection (a) of
this
Section 8.1 only if:
(i)
the
shareholder’s demand is made in good faith and for a proper purpose that is
reasonably relevant to his or her legitimate interest as a shareholder;
(ii)
the
shareholder describes with reasonable particularity his or her purpose and
the
records he or she desires to inspect;
(iii)
the
records are directly connected with his or her purpose; and
(iv)
the
records are to be used only for the stated purpose.
(c)
If
the
Secretary or a majority of the Corporation's Board of Directors finds that
the
request is proper, the Secretary shall promptly notify the shareholder of the
time and place at which the inspection may be conducted.
(d)
If
said
request is found by the Secretary or the Board of Directors to be improper,
the
Secretary shall so notify the requesting shareholder on or prior to the date
on
which the shareholder requested to conduct the inspection. The Secretary
shall specify in said notice the basis for the rejection of the shareholder's
request.
(e)
The
Secretary, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee shall at all
times
be entitled to rely on the corporate records in making any determination
hereunder.
8.2
Seal
.
The corporate seal shall be in such form as the Board of Directors may from
time
to time determine. In the event it is inconvenient to use such a seal at
any time, the signature of the Corporation followed by the word "Seal" enclosed
in parentheses or scroll shall be deemed the seal of the
Corporation.
ARTICLE
NINE
INDEMNIFICATION
9.1
Authority
to Indemnify
.
The
Corporation shall indemnify or obligate itself to indemnify an individual made
a
party to a proceeding because he or she is or was a director or officer of
the
Corporation (or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director,
officer or employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise) for reasonable expenses, judgments, fines, penalties
and amounts paid in settlement (including attorneys' fees), incurred in
connection with the proceeding if the individual acted in a manner he or she
believed in good faith to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Corporation and, in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination
of
a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea
of
nolo
contendere
or its
equivalent is not, of itself, determinative that the director or officer did
not
meet the standard of conduct set forth above. Indemnification permitted under
this action in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the
Corporation is limited to reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the
proceeding.
9.2
Mandatory
Indemnification
.
To the
extent that a director or officer of the Corporation has been successful, on
the
merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she was
a
party, or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, because he or
she
is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, the Corporation shall
indemnify the director or officer against reasonable expenses incurred by him
or
her in connection therewith.
9.3
Advance
for Expenses
.
The
Corporation shall pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by
a
director or officer of the Corporation who is a party to a proceeding in advance
of final disposition of the proceeding if (a) he or she furnishes the
Corporation written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that he or
she
has met the standard of conduct set forth in Section 9.1 of this section, and
(b) he or she furnishes the Corporation a written undertaking, executed
personally or on his or her behalf, to repay any advances if it is ultimately
determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification. The undertaking
required by this section must be an unlimited general obligation but need not
be
secured and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make
repayment.
9.4
Court-ordered
Indemnification and Advances for Expenses
.
A
director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation who is a party to a
proceeding may apply for indemnification or advances for expenses to the court
conducting the proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction.
9.5
Determination
of Indemnification
.
Except
as provided in Section 9.2 and except as may be ordered by the court, the
Corporation may not indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent under
Sections 9.1 or 9.7 unless a determination has been made in the specific
case that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is
permissible in the circumstances because he or she has met the standard of
conduct set forth in Section 9.1 and, in the case of indemnification under
Section 9.7, unless authorized thereunder. The determination shall be
made:
(a)
By
the
Board of Directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors not
at
the time parties to the proceedings;
(b)
If
a
quorum cannot be obtained, by majority vote of a committee duly designated
by
the Board of Directors (in which designation directors who are parties may
participate), consisting solely of two or more directors not at the time parties
to the proceeding;
(c)
By
special legal counsel:
(i)
Selected
by the Board of Directors or its committee in the manner prescribed in paragraph
(a) or (b) of this section; or
(ii)
If
a
quorum of the Board of Directors cannot be obtained and a committee cannot
be
designated, selected by majority vote of the full Board of Directors (in which
selection directors who are parties may participate); or
(d)
By
the
shareholders, but shares owned by or voted under the control of directors who
are at the time parties to the proceeding may not be voted on the
determination.
9.6
Evaluation
of Expenses
.
An
evaluation as to the reasonableness of expenses shall be made in the same manner
as the determination that indemnification is permissible in the circumstances
because the director or officer has met the standard of conduct set forth in
Section 9.5, except that if the determination is made by special legal counsel,
an evaluation as to the reasonableness of expenses shall be made by those
entitled under subsection (c) of Section 9.5 to select counsel.
9.7
Indemnification
of Employees and Agents
.
(a)
The
Corporation may indemnify, or obligate itself to indemnify, and may advance
expenses under this Section 9.7 to an employee or agent of the Corporation
to
the same or any lesser extent as a director or officer under this Article
9.
(b)
Authorization
of indemnification or an obligation to indemnify under this Section 9.7
shall be made in the same manner as provided in Section 9.5 for the
determination that indemnification is permissible, except that if there are
fewer than two disinterested directors or if the determination is made by
special legal counsel, authorization of indemnification under this Section
9.7
shall be made by those entitled under subparagraph (c) of Section 9.5 to select
special legal counsel.
(c)
Authorization
to advance expenses under this Section 9.7 shall be made:
(i)
By
the
Board of Directors:
(A)
When
there are two or more disinterested directors, by a majority vote of all the
disinterested directors (a majority of whom shall for such purpose constitute
a
quorum) or by a majority of the members of a committee of two or more
disinterested directors appointed by such a vote; or
(B)
When
there are fewer than two disinterested directors and if a quorum of the board
of
directors is present, by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors
present, in which authorization directors who do not qualify as disinterested
directors may participate; or
(ii)
By
the
shareholders, but shares owned or voted under the control of a director who
at
the same time does not qualify as a disinterested director with respect to
the
proceeding may not be voted on the authorization.
9.8
Other
Rights
.
The
indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant
to
this Article Nine shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights, in respect
of indemnification or otherwise, to which those seeking indemnification or
advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, resolution, agreement
or contract either specifically or in general terms approved by the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote thereon taken
at a meeting the notice of which specified that such bylaw, resolution or
agreement would be placed before the stockholders, both as to action by a
director, trustee, officer, employee or agent in his or her official capacity
and as to action in another capacity while holding such office or position;
except that no such other rights, in respect to indemnification or otherwise,
may be provided or granted to a director, trustee, officer, employee, or agent
pursuant to this Section 9.8 by the Corporation for liability for (a) any
appropriation, in violation of his or her duties, of any business opportunity
of
the Corporation; (b) acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (c) the types of liability
set forth in Section 14-2-832 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code dealing
with illegal or unauthorized distributions of corporate assets, whether as
dividends or in liquidation of the Corporation or otherwise; or (d) any
transaction from which the director derived an improper material tangible
personal benefit.
9.9
Insurance
.
The
Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual
who
is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation or who,
while a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation, is or was
serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, partner,
trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic Corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise
against liability asserted against or incurred by him or her in that capacity
or
arising from his or her status as a director, officer, employee, or agent
whether or not the Corporation would have power to indemnify him or her against
the same liability under this Article Nine.
9.10
Continuation
of Expenses
.
The
indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant
to
this Article Nine shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director,
trustee, officer, employee, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the
heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person.
ARTICLE
TEN
NOTICES:
WAIVERS OF NOTICE
10.1
Notices
.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in these bylaws, whenever under the
provisions of these bylaws notice is required to be given to any shareholder,
director or officer, it shall not be construed to mean personal notice, but
such
notice may be given by personal notice, by e-mail (provided the recipient has
an
e-mail address), by telegram or cablegram, or by mail by depositing the same
in
the post office or letter box in a postage prepaid sealed wrapper, addressed
to
such shareholder, director or officer at such address as appears on the books
of
the Corporation, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when
the same shall be thus sent or mailed.
10.2
Waivers
of Notice
.
Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, when any notice is required to
be
given by law, by the Articles of Incorporation or by these bylaws, a written
waiver thereof, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether before or
after
the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. In the case
of a shareholder, such waiver of notice may be signed by the shareholder's
attorney or proxy duly appointed in writing.
ARTICLE
ELEVEN
CHECKS,
NOTES, DRAFTS, ETC.
Checks,
notes, drafts, acceptances, bills of exchange and other orders or obligations
for the payment of money shall be signed by such officer or officers or person
or persons as the Board of Directors by resolution shall from time to time
designate.
ARTICLE
TWELVE
AMENDMENTS
The
bylaws of the Corporation may be altered or amended and new bylaws may be
adopted by the shareholders at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders
or by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board
of
Directors; provided, however, that, if such action is to be taken at a meeting
of the shareholders, notice of the general nature of the proposed change in
the
bylaws shall be given in the notice of meeting. The shareholders may
provide by resolution that any bylaw provision repealed, amended, adopted,
or
altered by them may not be repealed, amended, adopted or altered by the Board
of
Directors. Except as otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation,
action by the shareholders with respect to bylaws shall be taken by an
affirmative vote of a majority of all shares entitled to elect directors, and
action by the Board of Directors with respect to bylaws shall be taken by an
affirmative vote of a majority of all directors then holding
office.
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