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) February 15, 2007

 


SIERRA BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

California   000-33063   33-0937517

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation or organization)

  (Commission File No.)  

(I.R.S. Employee

Identification No.)

86 North Main Street, Porterville, CA 93257

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(559) 782-4900

(Registrant’s telephone number including area code)

Not applicable

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

 


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

 

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

(e) Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On February 15, 2007 the Board of Directors approved and adopted the Company’s 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2007 Plan”), subject to the approval of the Company’s shareholders. The 2007 Plan provides for the issuance of both “incentive” and “nonqualified” stock options to officers and employees, and of “nonqualified” stock options to non-employee directors, of the Company and its subsidiaries. The 2007 Plan also provides for the issuance of restricted stock awards to these same classes of eligible participants, which awards may be granted on such terms and conditions as are established by the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee in its discretion.

The maximum number of shares to be issued under the 2007 Plan is 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s authorized but unissued common stock, subject to adjustment for stock splits and dividends. This maximum number covers both restricted stock awards and stock options to be granted under the 2007 Plan, and will also include all outstanding options under the Company’s 1998 Stock Option Plan (“1998 Plan”), which options will be transferred to the 2007 Plan upon shareholder approval thereof. The 1998 Plan will be terminated at that time.

All options under the 2007 Plan must be granted at an exercise price of not less than 100% of the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant, and will be exercisable in installments as provided in individual stock option agreements. In the event of a “Change in Control” as defined in the 2007 Plan, all outstanding options thereunder shall become exercisable in full (subject to certain notification requirements), and shall terminate if not exercised within a specified period of time, unless such options are assumed by the successor corporation or substitute options are granted. Options will terminate in the event an optionee ceases to be employed by or to serve as a director of the Company or its subsidiaries, and the vested portion thereof must be exercised within 30 days after such cessation of employment or service.

The above summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2007 Plan, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 10.29 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. A complete description of all material terms of the 2007 Plan will also be included in the Company’s proxy statement relating to the 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders at which shareholder approval of the 2007 Plan will be solicited.

 

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

(a) Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws

On February 15, 2007, the Board of Directors adopted Amended and Restated Bylaws for the Company (the “Amended Bylaws”). A copy of the Amended Bylaws is attached as Exhibit 3.3 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Amended Bylaws (i) incorporate the current provisions of the California Corporations Code concerning electronic communications with directors and shareholders, and holding of certain meetings by electronic means if desired; (iii) allow the


Company to distribute annual reports to shareholders by qualifying electronic means if approved by the Board of Directors (if consistent with SEC rules); (iii) allow the Company to implement an additional method of issuing shares via electronic book-entry form; and (iv) modify the time periods prescribed for shareholders to be able to nominate directors.

With respect to the director nomination process, the previous Bylaws specified that notice of intention to make any nominations, other than by the Board of Directors, must be made in writing and must be received by the President of the Company no more than 60 days prior to any meeting of shareholders called for the election of directors, and no more than 10 days after the date the notice of such meeting is sent to shareholders. The new provision specifies that such written nominations must be received by the Secretary of the Company not less than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days in advance of the date corresponding to that on which the Company’s proxy statement was released to the shareholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting has been changed by more than thirty (30) days from the date contemplated at the time of the previous year’s proxy statement, notice by the shareholder must be received by the Secretary of the Company not later than the close of business on the later of (i) one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to such annual meeting; or (ii) ten (10) days after the date the notice of such meeting is sent to shareholders.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

 

  3.3    Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company
10.29    2007 Stock Incentive Plan


SIGNATURES

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

 

  SIERRA BANCORP

Dated: February 20, 2007

  By:  

/s/ Kenneth R. Taylor

    Kenneth R. Taylor
    Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT 3.3

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

SIERRA BANCORP

(a California corporation)

Adopted November 16, 2000

As Amended and Restated February 15, 2007


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I    1

Section 1.1

  

PRINCIPAL OFFICES.

   1

Section 1.2

  

CHANGE IN LOCATION OR NUMBER OF OFFICES.

   1
ARTICLE II    1

Section 2.1

  

PLACE OF MEETINGS.

   1

Section 2.2

  

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

   2

Section 2.3

  

NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTOR.

   4

Section 2.4

  

SPECIAL MEETINGS.

   4

Section 2.5

  

QUORUM.

   5

Section 2.6

  

ADJOURNED MEETING AND NOTICE THEREOF.

   5

Section 2.7

  

VOTING.

   5

Section 2.8

  

VALIDATION OF DEFECTIVELY

CALLED OR NOTICED MEETINGS.

   6

Section 2.9

  

ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.

   6

Section 2.10

  

PROXIES.

   7

Section 2.11

  

INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.

   7
ARTICLE III    8

Section 3.1

  

POWERS.

   8

Section 3.2

  

NUMBER OF DIRECTORS.

   9

Section 3.3

  

ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE.

   9

Section 3.4

  

VACANCIES.

   9

Section 3.5

  

REMOVAL.

   9

Section 3.6

  

RESIGNATION.

   10

Section 3.7

  

FEES AND COMPENSATION.

   10

Section 3.8

  

INDEMNIFICATION OF CORPORATE AGENTS.

   10

Section 3.9

  

TRANSACTIONS

BETWEEN THE CORPORATION

AND ITS DIRECTORS.

   10
ARTICLE IV    11

Section 4.1

  

DESIGNATION OF COMMITTEES

   11

Section 4.2

  

POWERS OF COMMITTEES

   11


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

ARTICLE V

   12

Section 5.1

  

PLACE OF MEETINGS

   12

Section 5.2

  

ORGANIZATION MEETING.

   12

Section 5.3

  

SPECIAL MEETINGS.

   12

Section 5.4

  

ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.

   13

Section 5.5

  

ACTION AT A MEETING; QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE.

   13

Section 5.6

  

VALIDATION OF DEFECTIVELY CALLED OR NOTICED MEETINGS.

   13

Section 5.7

  

WAIVER OF NOTICE BY ATTENDANCE.

   13

Section 5.8

  

ADJOURNMENT.

   14

Section 5.9

  

NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT.

   14

ARTICLE VI

   14

Section 6.1

  

OFFICERS.

   14

Section 6.2

  

ELECTION.

   14

Section 6.3

  

SUBORDINATE OFFICERS, ETC.

   14

Section 6.4

  

REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION.

   14

Section 6.5

  

VACANCIES.

   15

Section 6.6

  

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.

   15

Section 6.7

  

VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.

   15

Section 6.8

  

PRESIDENT.

   15

Section 6.9

  

VICE PRESIDENTS.

   15

Section 6.10

  

SECRETARY.

   15

Section 6.11

  

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

   16

ARTICLE VII

   16

Section 7.1

  

MINUTE BOOK.

   16

Section 7.2

  

SHARE REGISTER.

   16

Section 7.3

  

BOOKS AND RECORDS OF ACCOUNT.

   17

Section 7.4

  

BYLAWS.

   17

Section 7.5

  

INSPECTION OF CORPORATE RECORDS.

   17

Section 7.6

  

ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS.

   17

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

ARTICLE VIII

   18

Section 8.1

  

RECORD DATE.

   18

Section 8.2

  

CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC.

   18

Section 8.3

  

CONTRACTS, ETC., HOW EXECUTED.

   18

Section 8.4

  

ISSUANCE AND RECORDATION OF SHARES.

   18

Section 8.5

  

STATEMENTS ON CERTIFICATE FOR SHARES.

   19

Section 8.6

  

LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES.

   19

Section 8.7

  

REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER

CORPORATIONS.

   19

Section 8.8

  

CONSTRUCTION AND DEFINITIONS.

   19

Section 8.9

  

PURCHASE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE.

   19

ARTICLE IX

   20

Section 9.1

  

POWER OF SHAREHOLDERS.

   20

Section 9.2

  

POWER OF DIRECTORS.

   20

 

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BYLAWS

OF

Sierra Bancorp

(a California corporation)

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1.1 PRINCIPAL OFFICES. The Board of Directors shall fix the location of the principal executive office (the “Head Office”) of the Corporation at any place within or outside the State of California. If the Head Office is located outside this state, and the Corporation has one or more business offices in this state, the Board of Directors shall designate a principal business office in the State of California.

Section 1.2 CHANGE IN LOCATION OR NUMBER OF OFFICES. The Board of Directors may change any office from one location to another or establish or eliminate any office or offices.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS

Section 2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of the shareholders shall be held at any place within or without the State of California designated by the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such designation, at the Head Office of the Corporation. If authorized by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, and subject to the requirement of consent as described below and those guidelines and procedures as the Board of Directors may adopt, shareholders not physically present in person or by proxy at a meeting of shareholders may, by “electronic transmission by and to the Corporation” as defined below, or by electronic video screen communication, participate in a meeting of shareholders, be deemed present in person or by proxy, and vote at a meeting of shareholders whether that meeting is to be held at a designated place or in whole or in part by means of electronic transmission by and to the Corporation or by electronic video screen communication.

“Electronic transmission by the Corporation” means (i) a facsimile telecommunication or electronic mail when directed to the facsimile number or electronic mail address, respectively, for that recipient on record with the Corporation, (ii) posting on an electronic message board or network which the Corporation has designated for those communications, together with a separate notice to the recipient of the posting, which transmission shall be validly delivered upon the later of the posting or delivery of the separate notice thereof, or (iii) other means of electronic communication. In all cases of electronic transmissions, the recipient must have provided an unrevoked consent to the use of those means of transmission for such communications, and the means of transmission must create a record that is capable of retention, retrieval, and review, and that may thereafter be rendered into clearly legible tangible

 

1


form. However, an electronic transmission to an individual shareholder is not authorized unless, in addition to satisfying the requirements of this section, the transmission satisfies the requirements applicable to consumer consent to electronic records as set forth in the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001(c)(1)).

“Electronic transmission to the Corporation” means (i) a facsimile telecommunication or electronic mail when directed to the facsimile number or electronic mail address, respectively, which the Corporation has provided from time to time to shareholders for sending communications to the corporation, (ii) posting on an electronic message board or network which the Corporation has designated for those communications, and which transmission shall be validly delivered upon the posting, or (iii) other means of electronic communication. In all cases of electronic transmissions to the Corporation, the Corporation must have placed in effect reasonable measures to verify that the sender is the shareholder (in person or by proxy) purporting to send the transmission, and the means of transmission must create a record that is capable of retention, retrieval, and review, and that may thereafter be rendered into clearly legible tangible form.

A meeting of the shareholders may be conducted, in whole or in part, by electronic transmission by and to the Corporation as defined above or by electronic video screen communication if (i) the Corporation implements reasonable measures to provide shareholders (in person or by proxy) a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the shareholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting concurrently with those proceedings; and (ii) if any shareholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of electronic transmission to the Corporation or electronic video screen communication, a record of that vote or action is maintained by the Corporation. Any request by a Corporation to a shareholder for consent to conduct a meeting of shareholders by electronic transmission shall include a notice that absent consent of the shareholder, the meeting shall be held at a physical location in accordance with the first paragraph of this Section 2.1.

Section 2.2 ANNUAL MEETINGS.

(a) Date and Time. The Annual Meeting of Shareholders shall be held each year on a date and at a time designated by the Board of Directors. The date so designated shall be within fifteen (15) months after the last Annual Meeting.

(b) Business to be Transacted. At the Annual Meeting, directors shall be elected, reports of the affairs of the Corporation shall be considered, and any other business may be transacted which is within the powers of the shareholders.

(c) Notice, Means. Notice of each Annual Meeting shall be given to each shareholder entitled to vote, either personally, by electronic transmission by the Corporation as defined in Section 2.1 above, or by first-class mail, charges prepaid, addressed to such shareholder at his address appearing on the books of the Corporation or given by him to the Corporation for the purpose of notice. If a shareholder gives no address, notice shall be deemed to have been given him if sent by mail or other means of written communication addressed to the place where the Head Office of the Corporation is situated, or if published at least once in some newspaper of general

 

2


circulation in the county in which the Head Office is located. An affidavit of the mailing or other means of giving any notice of any Annual Meeting shall be executed by the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, or any transfer agent of the Corporation giving the notice, and shall be filed and maintained in the minute book of the Corporation.

If any notice or report addressed to the shareholder at the address of such shareholder appearing on the books of the Corporation is returned to the Corporation by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the notice or report to the shareholder at such address, all future notices or reports shall be deemed to have been duly given without further mailing if the same shall be available for the shareholder upon written demand of the shareholder at the Head Office of the Corporation for a period of one year from the date of the giving of the notice or report to all other shareholders. Notice given by electronic transmission by the Corporation under this subdivision shall be valid only if it complies with the requirements set forth in Section 2.1 above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, notice shall not be given by electronic transmission by the Corporation under this subdivision after either of the following: (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver two consecutive notices to the shareholder by that means; or (ii) the inability to so deliver the notices to the shareholder becomes known to the secretary, any assistant secretary, the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of the notice.

(d) Notice, Time and Content. All notices referred to in subsection (c) above shall be given to each shareholder entitled thereto by electronic transmission as defined in Section 2.1 above, or first-class mail not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days before each Annual Meeting. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when delivered personally or deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.

Such notices shall specify:

(i) the place, the date, and the hour of such meeting;

(ii) the means of electronic transmission by and to the corporation or electronic video screen communication, if any, by which shareholders may participate in that meeting,

(iii) those matters which the Board, at the time of the mailing of the notice, intends to present for action by the shareholders;

(iv) if directors are to be elected, the names of nominees intended at the time of the notice to be presented by management for election;

(v) the general nature of a proposal, if any, to take action with respect to approval of, (a) a contract or other transaction with an interested director, (b) amendment of the Articles of Incorporation, (c) a reorganization of the Corporation as defined in Section 181 of the General Corporation Law, (d) voluntary dissolution of the Corporation, or (e) a distribution in dissolution other than in accordance with the rights of outstanding preferred shares, if any; and

(vi) such other matters, if any, as may be expressly required by statute.

 

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Section 2.3 NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTOR. Nominations for election of members of the Board of Directors may be made by the Board of Directors or by any shareholder entitled to vote for the election of directors. Notice of intention to make any nominations by a shareholder shall be made in writing and shall be delivered or mailed to and received by the Secretary of the Corporation not less than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days in advance of the date corresponding to that on which the Corporation’s proxy statement was released to the shareholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the date of the annual meeting has been changed by more than thirty (30) days from the date contemplated at the time of the previous year’s proxy statement, notice by the shareholder must be received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of (i) one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to such annual meeting; or (ii) ten (10) days after the date the notice of such meeting is sent to shareholders pursuant to Section 2.2(d) of these Bylaws. In no event shall the notice of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of shareholder’s notice as described above. Such notification shall contain the following information to the extent known to the notifying shareholder: (a) the name and address of each proposed nominee; (b) the principal occupation of each proposed nominee; (c) the number of shares of voting stock of the Corporation owned by each proposed nominee; (d) the name and residence address of the notifying shareholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made; and (e) the number of shares of voting stock of the Corporation owned beneficially and of record by the notifying shareholder and such beneficial owner. Nominations not made in accordance herewith shall be disregarded by the chairman of the meeting, and the inspectors of election shall then disregard all votes cast for each such nominee.

The first paragraph of this Section 2.3 or a summary thereof shall be set forth in either the notice or related proxy statement concerning any shareholders’ meeting at which the election of directors is to be considered.

Section 2.4 SPECIAL MEETINGS.

(a) Calling of. Special meetings of the shareholders, for the purpose of taking any action permitted by the shareholders under the General Corporation Law and the Articles of Incorporation of this Corporation, may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Board of Directors, or by one or more shareholders holding not less than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding shares entitled to vote.

(b) Time and Notice of. Upon receipt of a request in writing that a special meeting of shareholders be called for any proper purpose, directed to the Chairman of the Board, President, Vice President or Secretary by any person (other than the Board) entitled to call a special meeting of shareholders, then such officer shall forthwith cause notice to be given to shareholders entitled to vote that a meeting will be held at a time requested by the person or persons calling the meeting, which time shall be not less than thirty-five (35) nor more than sixty (60) days after receipt of the request. If such notice is not given within twenty (20) days after receipt of such request, the persons calling for the meeting may give notice thereof in the manner provided by these Bylaws or apply to the Superior

 

4


Court for an order requiring the giving of such notice, as provided in the General Corporation Law. Except in special cases where other express provision is made by statute, notice of such special meetings shall be given in the same manner as for Annual Meetings of Shareholders. In addition to the matters required by item (d)(i) and, if applicable, item (d)(iii) of Section 2.2 of these Bylaws, notice of any special meeting shall specify the general nature of the business to be transacted, and no other business may be transacted at such meeting.

Section 2.5 QUORUM. A majority of the shares entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of shareholders. The shareholders present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to do business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by at least a majority of the shares required to constitute a quorum.

Section 2.6 ADJOURNED MEETING AND NOTICE THEREOF. Any shareholders’ meeting, annual or special, whether or not a quorum is present, may be adjourned from time to time by the vote of a majority of the shares, the holders of which are either present in person or represented by proxy thereat, but in the absence of a quorum no other business may be transacted at such meeting, except as provided in Section 2.5 above. When any shareholders’ meeting, either annual or special, is adjourned for forty-five (45) days or more, or if after adjournment, a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Except as provided above, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the time and place of the adjourned meeting or of the business to be transacted thereat, other than by announcement of the time and place thereof at the meeting at which such adjournment is taken.

Section 2.7 VOTING.

(a) Record Date. Unless a record date for voting purposes is fixed as provided in Section 8.1 of these Bylaws then, subject to the provisions of the General Corporation Law (relating to voting of shares held by a fiduciary, in the name of a corporation, or in joint ownership), only persons in whose names shares entitled to vote stand on the stock records of the Corporation at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which notice of the meeting is given or if such notice is waived, at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which the meeting of shareholders is held, shall be entitled to vote at such meeting, and such day shall be the record date for such meeting.

(b) Ballot. Voting may be oral or by written ballot; provided, however, that all elections for directors must be by ballot if demand for election by ballot is made by a shareholder at the meeting and before the voting begins. If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares represented at the meeting and entitled to vote on any matter shall be the act of the shareholders, unless the vote of a greater number or voting by classes is required by the General Corporation Law or the Articles of Incorporation.

 

5


(c) Voting Rights. Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, each share of common stock shall be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of shareholders. Shareholders do not have cumulative voting rights in connection with the election of directors.

Section 2.8 VALIDATION OF DEFECTIVELY CALLED OR NOTICED MEETINGS. The transactions of any meeting of shareholders, either annual or special, however called and noticed, and wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present either in person or by proxy, and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the persons entitled to vote, who was not present in person or by proxy, signs a written waiver of notice or a consent to a holding of the meeting, or an approval of the minutes. The waiver of notice, consent or approval need not specify either the business to be transacted or the purpose of any annual or special meeting of shareholders, except that if action is taken or proposed to be taken for approval of any of those matters specified in Section 2.2(d)(v), the waiver of notice, consent or approval shall state the general nature of the proposal. All such waivers, consents or approvals shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

Attendance by a person at a meeting shall also constitute a waiver of notice of and presence at that meeting, except when the person objects, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened, and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to object to the consideration of matters not included in the notice of the meeting if that objection is expressly made at the meeting.

Section 2.9 ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.

(a) Election of Directors. Directors may be elected without a meeting by a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, signed by all of the persons who would be entitled to vote for the election of directors, provided that, without notice except as hereinafter set forth, a director may be elected at any time to fill a vacancy not filled by the directors by the written consent of persons holding a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote for the election of directors.

(b) Other Action. Unless otherwise provided for in the Articles of Incorporation, any action which, under any provision of the General Corporation Law may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders, may be taken without a meeting, and without notice except as hereinafter set forth, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.

Unless the consents of all shareholders entitled to vote have been solicited in writing: (i) notice of any proposed shareholder approval of (a) a contract or other transaction with an interested director, (b) indemnification of an agent of the Corporation as authorized by Section 3.8 of these Bylaws, (c) a reorganization of the Corporation as defined in the General Corporation Law, or (d) a distribution in dissolution other than in accordance with the rights of outstanding preferred shares, if any, without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent, shall be given at least ten (10) days before the consummation of the action

 

6


authorized by such approval; and, (ii) prompt notice shall be given of the taking of any other corporate action approved by shareholders without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent, to those shareholders entitled to vote who have not consented in writing. Such notices shall be given in the manner and shall be deemed to have been given as provided in Section 2.2 of these Bylaws.

Unless, as provided in Section 8.1 of these Bylaws, the Board of Directors has fixed a record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to give such written consent, the record date for such determination shall be the day on which the first written consent is given. All such written consents shall be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation.

Any shareholder giving a written consent, or the shareholder’s proxyholders, or a transferee of the shares or a personal representative of the shareholder or their respective proxyholders, may revoke the consent by a writing received by the Corporation prior to the time that written consents of the number of shares required to authorize the proposed action have been filed with the Secretary of the Corporation, but may not do so thereafter. Such revocation is effective upon its receipt by the Secretary of the Corporation.

Section 2.10 PROXIES. Every person entitled to vote or execute consents shall have the right to do so either in person or by one or more agents authorized by a written proxy executed by such person or his duly authorized agent and filed with the Secretary of the Corporation. Any proxy duly executed is not revoked and continues in full force and effect until (i) an instrument revoking it or a proxy bearing a later date executed by the person executing the prior proxy is presented to the meeting, (ii) the person executing the proxy attends the meeting and votes in person, or (iii) written notice of the death or incapacity of the maker of such proxy is received by the Corporation before said proxy is voted and counted; provided that no such proxy shall be valid after the expiration of eleven (11) months from the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 2.11 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.

(a) Appointment, Number. In advance of any meeting of shareholders, the Board of Directors may appoint any persons, other than nominees for office, as inspectors of election to act at such meeting or any adjournment thereof. If inspectors of election are not so appointed, or if any person so appointed fails to appear or refuses to act, the chairman of any such meeting may, and on the request of any shareholder or his proxy shall, make such appointment at the meeting as provided in the General Corporation Law. The number of inspectors shall be either one (1) or three (3). If appointed at a meeting on the request of one or more shareholders or proxies, the majority of shares represented in person or by proxy shall determine whether one (1) or three (3) inspectors are to be appointed.

(b) Duties. The duties of such inspectors shall be as prescribed by the General Corporation Law and shall include: determining the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each; the shares represented at the meeting; the existence of a quorum; the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies; receiving votes, ballots or consents; hearing and determining all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote; counting and tabulating all votes or consents; determining when the polls shall close; determining the result; and such acts as may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all

 

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shareholders. In the determination of the validity and effect of proxies, the dates contained on the forms of proxy shall presumptively determine the order of execution of the proxies, regardless of the postmark dates on the envelopes in which they are mailed. The inspectors of election shall perform their duties impartially, in good faith, to the best of their ability and as expeditiously as is practical. If there are three (3) inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

Section 3.1 POWERS. Subject to any limitations of the Articles of Incorporation and of the General Corporation Law to action to be authorized or approved by the shareholders and subject to the duties of directors as prescribed by these Bylaws, all corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be controlled by, the Board of Directors. Without prejudice to such general powers, but subject to the same limitations, it is hereby expressly declared that the directors shall have the following powers:

First - To select and remove all the officers, agents and employees of the Corporation, prescribe such powers and duties for them as are consistent with law, with the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, fix their compensation and require from them security for faithful service.

Second - To direct and control the affairs and business of the Corporation, and to make such rules, policies and regulations therefor are consistent with law, or with the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws, as they may deem best.

Third - To change the Head Office of the Corporation from one location to another as provided in Section 1.1 of these Bylaws; to fix and locate from time to time one or more offices of the Corporation, as provided in Section 1.2 of these Bylaws; to designate any place within the State of California for the holding of any shareholders’ meeting or meetings; and to adopt, make and use a corporate seal, and to prescribe the forms of certificates of stock, and to alter the form of such seal and of such certificates from time to time, as in their judgment they may deem best, provided such seal and such certificates shall at all times comply with the provisions of law.

Fourth - To authorize the issue of shares of stock for the Corporation from time to time, upon such terms as may be lawful.

Fifth - To borrow money and incur indebtedness for the purposes of the Corporation, and to cause to be executed and delivered therefor, in the corporate name, promissory notes, bonds, capital notes, debentures, deeds of trust, mortgages, pledges, hypothecations or other evidences of debt and securities therefor, to the extent permitted by law.

 

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Sixth - By resolution adopted by a majority of the authorized number of directors, to appoint committees as described in Section 4.1 of these Bylaws.

Section 3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS. The authorized number of Directors shall be not fewer than six (6) nor more than eleven (11) unless changed by amendment of the Articles or by a Bylaw duly adopted by approval of the outstanding shares. The exact number of directors shall be fixed, within the limits specified, by amendment of the next sentence duly adopted either by the Board or the shareholders, or by a resolution duly adopted by either the Board of Directors or the shareholders. The exact number of directors shall be seven (7) until changed as provided in this Section 3.2.

Section 3.3 ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE. Each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which he is elected and until a successor has been elected and qualified.

Section 3.4 VACANCIES.

(a) A vacancy in the Board of Directors exists whenever any authorized position of director is not then filled by a duly elected director, whether caused by death, resignation, removal, change in the authorized number of directors, or otherwise.

(b) Subject to the right of the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock, except for a vacancy created by the removal of a director, vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, whether or not less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. A vacancy created by the removal of a director shall be filled only by a person elected by a majority of the shareholders entitled to vote at a duly held meeting at which there is a quorum present or by the unanimous written consent of the holders of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at such a meeting.

(c) The shareholders may elect a director at any time to fill any vacancy not filled by the directors.

Section 3.5 REMOVAL.

(a) The Board of Directors may declare vacant the office of a director who has been declared of unsound mind by an order of court or convicted of a felony.

(b) Any or all of the directors may be removed without cause if such removal is approved by a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote; provided, however, that no director may be removed if the votes cast against removal of the director, or not consenting in writing to the removal, would be sufficient to elect the director if voted cumulatively (without regard to whether shares may otherwise be voted cumulatively) at an election at which the same total number of votes were cast (or, if the action is taken by written consent, all shares entitled to vote were voted) and either the number of directors elected at the most recent annual meeting of shareholders, or if greater, the number of directors for whom removal is being sought, were then being elected.

 

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(c) Any reduction of the authorized number of directors does not remove any director prior to the expiration of his term of office.

Section 3.6 RESIGNATION. Any director may resign effective upon giving written notice to the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Secretary or the Board of Directors of the Corporation, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of such resignation. If the resignation is effective at a future time, a successor may be elected to take office when the resignation becomes effective.

Section 3.7 FEES AND COMPENSATION. Directors may be paid for their services in such capacity a sum in such amounts, at such times and upon such conditions as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors and may be reimbursed for their expenses, if any, for attendance at each meeting of the Board. No such payments shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation in any manner therefor.

Section 3.8 INDEMNIFICATION OF CORPORATE AGENTS. The Corporation may indemnify each of its agents against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts, actually and reasonably incurred by such person having been made or having been threatened to be made a party to a proceeding to the fullest extent possible by the provisions of the General Corporation Law and the Corporation may advance the expenses reasonably expected to be incurred by such agent in defending any such proceeding upon receipt of the undertaking required by the General Corporation Law. The terms “agent,” “proceeding” and “expense” made in this Section 3.8 shall have the same meaning as such terms in said Section 317 of the General Corporation Law, as amended.

Section 3.9 TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN THE CORPORATION AND ITS DIRECTORS.

(a) Corporation and Directors . No contract or other transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors, or between the Corporation and any corporation, firm or association in which one or more of its directors has a material financial interest (a mere common directorship shall not constitute a material financial interest), is either void or voidable because such director or directors or such other corporation, firm or association are parties or because such director or directors are present at the meeting of the board or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves or ratifies the contract or transaction, if:

(i) the material facts as to the transaction and as to such director’s interest are fully disclosed or known to the shareholders, and such contract or transaction is approved in good faith by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote, represented at a duly held meeting at which a quorum is present or by the written consent of shareholders, with the shares owned by the interested director or directors not being entitled to vote thereon; or

(ii) the material facts as to the transaction and as to such director’s interest are fully disclosed or known to the Board or committee, and the Board or committee authorizes, approves or ratifies the contract or transaction in good faith by a vote sufficient without counting the vote of the interested director or directors, and the contract or transaction is just and reasonable as to the Corporation at the time it is authorized, approved or ratified; or

 

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(iii) as to contracts or transactions not approved as provided in paragraph (1) or (2) of this subdivision, the person asserting the validity of the contract or transaction sustains the burden of proving that the contract or transaction was just and reasonable as to the Corporation at the time it was authorized, approved or ratified.

(b) Corporations Having Interrelated Directors. No contract or other transaction between the Corporation and any corporation or association of which one or more of its directors are directors is either void or voidable because such director or directors are present at the meeting of the Board or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves or ratifies the contract or transaction, if:

(i) The material facts as to the transaction and as to such director’s other directorship are fully disclosed or known to the Board or committee, and the Board or committee authorizes, approves or ratifies the contract or transaction in good faith by a vote sufficient without counting the vote of the common director or directors, or the contract or transaction is approved by the shareholders in good faith; or

(ii) As to contracts or other transactions not approved as provided in paragraph (1) of this subdivision, the contract or transaction is just and reasonable as to the Corporation at the time it is authorized, approved or ratified.

This subsection (b) does not apply to contracts or transactions covered by subsection (a).

(c) Interested Directors . Interested or common directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves or ratifies a contract or transaction.

(d) Loans and Extensions of Credit . For purposes of this Section 3.9, the term “transaction” does not include loans or extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 4.1 DESIGNATION OF COMMITTEES . The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the authorized number of directors, designate (i) one or more committees, each consisting of two or more directors, and (ii) one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent member at any meeting thereof. Any member or alternate member of a committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.

Section 4.2 POWERS OF COMMITTEES . Any committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors designating such committee, shall have all the authority of the Board, except with respect to:

(a) The approval of any action for which the General Corporation Law of California also requires any action by the shareholders;

 

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(b) The filling of vacancies on the Board or in any committee thereof;

(c) The fixing of compensation of the directors for serving on the Board or on any committee thereof;

(d) The amendment or repeal of these Bylaws or the adoption of new bylaws;

(e) The amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board which by its express terms is not so amendable or repealable;

(f) A distribution to the shareholders of the Corporation, except at a rate or in a periodic amount or within a price range determined by the Board of Directors; or

(g) The appointment of other committees of the Board or the members thereof.

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AND COMMITTEES THEREOF

Section 5.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at any place within or without the State of California which has been designated from time to time by the Board or, in the absence of such designation, at the Head Office of the Corporation. Special meetings of the Board shall be held either at any place within or without the State of California which has been designated in the notice of meeting or, if not stated in the notice or if there is no notice, at the Head Office of the Corporation.

Section 5.2 ORGANIZATION MEETING. Reasonably promptly following each annual meeting of the shareholders the Board of Directors shall hold a regular meeting for the purpose of organization, election of officers, and the transaction of other business. Notice of any such meeting is not required.

Section 5.3 SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Directors for any purpose or purposes shall be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or by any two (2) directors. Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be delivered personally to each director or communicated to each director by telephone, including a voice messaging system, or by a qualified means of electronic transmission as described below, addressed to him or her at the address shown upon the records of the Corporation or, if it is not so shown on such records or if not readily ascertainable, at the place at which the meetings of the directors are regularly held. A “qualified means of electronic transmission” includes (i) a facsimile telecommunication or electronic mail when directed to the facsimile number or electronic mail address, respectively, for that recipient on record with the Corporation, (ii) posting on an electronic message board or network which the Corporation has designated for those communications, together with a separate notice to the recipient of the posting, which transmission shall be validly delivered upon the later of the posting or delivery of the separate notice thereof, or (iii) other means of electronic communication. In all cases of

 

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electronic transmissions, the recipient must have provided an unrevoked consent to the use of those means of transmission for such communications, and the means of transmission must create a record that is capable of retention, retrieval, and review, and that may thereafter be rendered into clearly legible tangible form. In case such notice is mailed, it shall be deposited in the United States mail in the place in which the Head Office of the Corporation is located at least two (2) days prior to the time of the holding of the meeting. In case such notice is delivered, personally or by telephone or other electronic means, as provided above, it shall be so delivered at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the time of the holding of the meeting. Such mailing or delivery, personally or by telephone or other electronic means, as provided above, shall constitute due, legal and personal notice to such director. Any notice shall state the date, place and hour of the meeting but need not state the purpose of the meeting.

Section 5.4 ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. Any action by the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board shall individually or collectively consent in writing to such action. Such written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board and shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of such directors.

Section 5.5 ACTION AT A MEETING; QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE. A majority of the authorized number of directors then holding office constitutes a quorum of the Board for the transaction of business. Members of the Board may participate in a meeting through use of conference telephone, electronic video screen communication, or similar communications equipment, so long as all members participating in such meeting can hear one another. Participation in a meeting as permitted in the preceding sentence constitutes presence in person at such meeting. Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board of Directors, unless a greater number, or the same number after disqualifying one or more directors from voting, is required by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of a director, provided that any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for such meeting.

Section 5.6 VALIDATION OF DEFECTIVELY CALLED OR NOTICED MEETINGS. The transactions of any meeting of the Board of Directors, however called and noticed or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present or who, though present, has prior to the meeting or at its commencement, protested the lack of proper notice to him, signs a written waiver of notice or a consent to holding such meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof. All such waivers, consents or approvals shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

Section 5.7 WAIVER OF NOTICE BY ATTENDANCE. Attendance by a director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, unless a director attends for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called, noticed, or convened; provided, however, if after stating his objection, the objecting director continues to attend and by his attendance participates in any matters other than those to which he objected, he shall be deemed to have waived notice of such meeting and withdrawn his objections.

 

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Section 5.8 ADJOURNMENT. A majority of the directors present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any meeting to another time and place.

Section 5.9 NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT. If the meeting is adjourned for more than twenty-four (24) hours, notice of any adjournment to another time or place shall be given prior to the time of the adjourned meeting to the directors who were not present at the time of adjournment. Otherwise notice of the time and place of holding an adjourned meeting need not be given to absent directors if the time and place be fixed at the meeting adjourned.

ARTICLE VI

OFFICERS

Section 6.1 OFFICERS. The officers of the Corporation shall be a President, a Secretary and a Chief Financial Officer. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, a Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman of the Board, one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, one or more Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.3.

Section 6.2 ELECTION. The officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.3 or Section 6.5, shall be chosen annually by the Board of Directors, and each shall hold his office until he shall resign or shall be removed or otherwise disqualified to serve, or his successor shall be elected and qualified.

Section 6.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS, ETC. The Board of Directors may appoint by resolution, and may empower the Chairman of the Board, if there be such an officer, or the President, to appoint such other officers as the business of the Corporation may require, each of whom shall hold office for such period, have such authority and perform such duties as are determined from time to time by resolution of the Board or, in the absence of any such determination, as are provided in these Bylaws.

Section 6.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION.

(a) Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board of Directors or, except in case of any officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by resolution of the Board.

(b) Subject to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract of employment, any officer may resign at any time effective upon giving written notice to the Chairman of the Board, President, any Vice President or Secretary of the Corporation, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of such resignation.

 

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Section 6.5 VACANCIES. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or any other cause shall be filled in the manner prescribed in these Bylaws for regular appointments to such office.

Section 6.6 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Board of Directors may appoint one of its members to be the Chairman of the Board. He shall, if present, preside at all meetings of the shareholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors and exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or prescribed in the Bylaws.

Section 6.7 VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Board of Directors may appoint one of its members to be the Vice Chairman of the Board. He shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and all meetings of the Board of Directors in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, and shall exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or prescribed in the Bylaws.

Section 6.8 PRESIDENT. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any as may be given by these Bylaws or the Board of Directors to the Chairman of the Board, if there be such an officer, the President may be the chief executive officer and general manager of the Corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation. He shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, or if there be none, at all meetings of the Board. He shall have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of president of a corporation, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed from time to time by resolution of the Board.

Section 6.9 VICE PRESIDENTS. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice Presidents in order of their rank as fixed by the Board of Directors, or, if not ranked, the Vice President designated by the Board, shall perform all the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of, and be subject to all the restrictions upon, the President. The Vice Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be prescribed for them respectively by the Board or as the President may from time to time delegate.

Section 6.10 SECRETARY.

(a) Book of Minutes. The Secretary shall record or cause to be recorded, and shall keep or cause to be kept, at the Head Office and at such other place as the Board of Directors may order, a book of minutes of actions taken at all meetings of directors and shareholders. The minutes shall include the time and place of the meeting, whether it is regular or special, and, if special, how authorized, the notice thereof given, the names of those present at directors’ meetings, the number of shares present or represented at shareholders’ meetings, and the proceedings thereof.

(b) Share Register. The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, at the Head Office or at the office of the Corporation’s transfer agent, a share register, or a duplicate share register, showing the names of the shareholders and their addresses, the number and classes of shares held by each, the number and date of certificates (if any) issued for the same, and the number and date of cancellation of every certificate surrendered for cancellation.

 

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(c) Other Duties. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all the meetings of the shareholders and of the Board of Directors required by law or by the Bylaws to be given, and the Secretary shall keep the seal of the Corporation, if any, in safe custody, and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or by the Bylaws.

Section 6.11 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

(a) Books of Account. The Offices of Chief Financial Officer and Cashier may be held by the same person, and any Assistant Cashier shall be deemed the Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation for purposes of Section 8.3. The Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and correct accounts of the properties and business transactions of the Corporation, and shall send or cause to be sent to the shareholders of the Corporation such financial statements and reports as are required to be sent to them by law or these Bylaws. The books of account shall be open to inspection by any director at all reasonable times.

(b) Other Duties. The Chief Financial Officer shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation, with such depositaries as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Chief Financial Officer shall disburse, or cause to be disbursed, such funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors; shall render to the Chairman of the Board, the President and directors, upon their request, an account of all of his transactions as Chief Financial Officer and of the financial condition of the Corporation; and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the President or these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII

RECORDS AND REPORTS

Section 7.1 MINUTE BOOK. The Corporation shall keep or cause to be kept in written form at its Head Office or such other place as the Board of Directors may order, a minute book which shall contain a record of all actions by its shareholders, Board or committees of the Board including the time, date and place of each meeting; whether a meeting is regular or special and, if special, how called; the manner of giving notice of each meeting and a copy thereof; the names of those present at each meeting of the Board or committees thereof; the number of shares present or represented at each meeting of the shareholders; the proceedings of all meetings; any written waivers of notice, consents to the holding of a meeting or approvals of the minutes thereof; and written consents for action without a meeting.

Section 7.2 SHARE REGISTER. The Corporation shall keep or cause to be kept at its Head Office or, if so provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, at the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, a share register, or a duplicate share register, which shall contain the names of the shareholders and their addresses, the number and classes of shares held by each, the number and date of certificates issued for the same and the number and date of cancellation of every certificate surrendered for cancellation.

 

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Section 7.3 BOOKS AND RECORDS OF ACCOUNT. The Corporation shall keep or cause to be kept at its Head Office or such other place as the Board of Directors may order, adequate and correct books and records of account.

Section 7.4 BYLAWS. The Corporation shall keep at its Head Office or, in the absence of such office in the State of California, at its principal business office in the state, the original or a copy of the Bylaws as amended to date.

Section 7.5 INSPECTION OF CORPORATE RECORDS.

(a) By Shareholders . The accounting books and records, the record of shareholders, and minutes of proceedings of the shareholders and the Board and committees of the Board of this Corporation and any subsidiary of this Corporation shall be open to inspection upon the written demand on the Corporation by any shareholder or holder of a voting trust certificate at any reasonable time during usual business hours, for a purpose reasonably related to such holder’s interests as a shareholder or as the holder of such voting trust certificate. Such inspection by a shareholder or holder of a voting trust certificate may be made in person or by agent or attorney, and the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts.

A shareholder or shareholders holding at least five percent (5%) in the aggregate of the outstanding voting shares of the Corporation, or, in the event the Corporation is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a shareholder or shareholders who hold at least one percent (1%) of such voting shares and have filed a Schedule 14A with the Securities and Exchange Commission, shall have (in person or by agent or attorney) the absolute right: (1) to inspect and copy the record of shareholders’ names and addresses and shareholdings during usual business hours upon five (5) business days’ prior written demand upon the Corporation and; (2) to obtain from the transfer agent for the Corporation, upon written demand and upon the tender of its usual charges, a list of the shareholders’ names and addresses, who are entitled to vote for the election of directors, and their shareholdings, as of the most recent record date for which it has been compiled or as of a date specified by the shareholder subsequent to the date of demand. The list shall be made available on or before the later of five (5) business days after the demand is received or the date specified therein as the date as of which the list is to be compiled.

(b) By Directors . Every director shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to inspect and copy all books, records and documents of every kind and to inspect the physical properties of the Corporation. Such inspection by a director may be made in person or by agent or attorney and the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts.

Section 7.6 ANNUAL REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall cause an annual report to be sent to the shareholders not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of the fiscal year in accordance with the provisions of the General Corporation Law. The report shall be sent to the shareholders at least 15 (or, if sent by third-class

 

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mail, 35) days prior to the Annual Meeting of shareholders to be held during the next fiscal year. If approved by the Board of Directors, that report and any accompanying material sent pursuant to this section may be sent by electronic transmission by the Corporation.

ARTICLE VIII

GENERAL CORPORATE MATTERS

Section 8.1 RECORD DATE. The Board of Directors may fix a time in the future as a record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders or entitled to give consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, to receive any report, to receive any dividend or distribution or any allotment of rights, or to exercise rights in respect to any change, conversion, or exchange of shares. The record date so fixed shall be not more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days prior to the date of any meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other event for the purposes of which it is fixed. When a record date is so fixed, only shareholders of record on that date are entitled to notice of and to vote at any such meeting, to give consent to action without a meeting, to receive any report, to receive a dividend, distribution, or allotment of rights, or to exercise the rights, as the case may be, notwithstanding any transfer of any shares on the books of the Corporation after the record date, except as otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

Section 8.2 CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC. All checks, drafts or other orders for payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of or payable to the Corporation, shall be signed or endorsed by such person or persons and in such manner as, from time to time, shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Section 8.3 CONTRACTS, ETC., HOW EXECUTED. The Board of Directors, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances; and, unless so authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or to any amount. However, any contract or other instrument in writing executed or entered into between the Corporation and any other person, when signed by (i) the Chairman of the Board, the President or any Vice President, and (ii) the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer or any Assistant Treasurer, is not invalidated as to the corporation by any lack of authority of the signing officers in the absence of actual knowledge on the part of the other person that the signing officers had no authority to execute such contract or other instrument.

Section 8.4 ISSUANCE AND RECORDATION OF SHARES.

(a) Certificates for Shares. Except as provided in subsection (b) below, every holder of shares in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, Vice Chairman of the Board, President or a Vice President; and by the Chief Financial Officer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary;

 

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

(b) Electronic Issuance and Recordation. Notwithstanding subsection (a) above, the Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares by electronic or other means not involving any issuance of certificates, including provisions for notice to purchasers in substitution for the required statements on certificates as set forth in Section 8.5 below, which system (i) has been approved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, (ii) is authorized in any statute of the United States, or (iii) is in accordance with Division 8 (commencing with Section 8101) of the California Commercial Code. Any system so adopted shall not become effective as to issued and outstanding certificated securities until the certificates therefor have been surrendered to the Corporation.

Section 8.5 STATEMENTS ON CERTIFICATE FOR SHARES. Any certificates issued in accordance with Section 8.4(a) above shall also contain such legend or other statement as may be required by law, by these Bylaws or by any agreement between the Corporation and the issuee thereof.

Section 8.6 LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES. No new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace an old certificate unless the latter is surrendered and cancelled at the same time; provided, however, that the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the President may, in case any certificate for shares is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, authorize the issuance of a new certificate in lieu thereof, upon such terms and conditions, including reasonable indemnification of the Corporation, as the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the President shall determine. In the event of the issuance of a new certificate, the rights and liabilities of the Corporation, and of the holders of the old and new certificates, shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the California Commercial Code.

Section 8.7 REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER CORPORATIONS. Any person designated by resolution of the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such designation, the Chairman of the Board, the President or any Vice President or the Secretary, or any other person authorized by any of the foregoing, is authorized to vote on behalf of the Corporation any and all shares of any other corporation or corporations, foreign or domestic, owned by the Corporation.

Section 8.8 CONSTRUCTION AND DEFINITIONS. Unless the context otherwise requires, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions contained in the General Corporation Law shall govern the construction of these Bylaws.

Section 8.9 PURCHASE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE. The Corporation may, if and to the extent the Board of Directors so determines by resolution, purchase and maintain insurance in an amount and on behalf of such agents of the Corporation as the Board may specify in such resolution against any liability asserted against or incurred by the agent in such capacity or arising out of the agent’s status as such whether or not the Corporation would have the capacity to indemnify the agent against such liability under the provisions of this Section 8.9.

 

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ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

Section 9.1 POWER OF SHAREHOLDERS. New Bylaws may be adopted or these Bylaws may be amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, or by the written consent of the shareholders entitled to vote such shares, except as otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Incorporation.

Section 9.2 POWER OF DIRECTORS. Subject to the right of shareholders (as provided in Section 9.1) to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws, these Bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may adopt a bylaw or amendment thereof changing the authorized number of directors only for the purpose of fixing the exact number of directors within the limits specified in Section 3.2 of these Bylaws.

 

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CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARY

I, the undersigned, do hereby certify:

1. That I am the duly elected and acting Secretary of Sierra Bancorp, a California corporation; and

2. That the foregoing Amended and Restated Bylaws, comprising twenty (20) pages, constitute the Bylaws of said Corporation as duly adopted by action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, duly taken on February 15, 2007.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15 th day of February, 2007.

 

/s/ L. Diane Rotondo

L. Diane Rotondo
Corporate Secretary

 

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EXHIBIT 10.29

SIERRA BANCORP

2007 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

Adopted February 15, 2007

The purpose of the Sierra Bancorp 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to (i) encourage selected employees and directors of Sierra Bancorp (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries to acquire a proprietary and vested interest in the growth and performance of the Company; (ii) generate an increased incentive to contribute to the Company’s future success and prosperity, thus enhancing the value of the Company for the benefit of shareholders; and (iii) enhance the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to attract and retain individuals of exceptional talent upon whom, in large measure, the sustained progress, growth and profitability of the Company depend.

Section 2. Definitions

For purposes of the Plan, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Award” means any award under the Plan, including any Option or Restricted Stock Award.

(b) “Award Agreement” means, with respect to each Award, the signed written agreement between the Company and the Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of the Award.

(c) “Board” means Board of Directors of the Company.

(d) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

(e) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of Sierra Bancorp and Bank of the Sierra.

(f) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

(g) “Holder” means the holder of a Restricted Stock Award granted under Section 7.

(h) “Incentive Option” means any Option intended to be and designated as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

(i) “Issue Date” shall mean the date established by the Board or the Committee on which Certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock shall be issued by the Company pursuant to the terms of Section 7(b).

(j) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means any Option that is not an Incentive Option.


(k) “Option” means an option granted under Section 6.

(l) “Optionee” means the holder of an Option granted under Section 6.

(m) “Participant” means an employee or director who is selected by the Board or the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan.

(n) “Restricted Stock” or “Restricted Stock Award” means an Award of Stock subject to restrictions, as more fully described in Section 7.

(o) “Restriction Period” means the period determined by the Board or the Committee under Section 7(b).

(p) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, and any successor rule.

(q) “Stock” means the Common Stock, no par value, of the Company, and any successor security.

(r) “Terminating Event” means: (i) the acquisition of more than fifty percent (50%) of the value or voting power of the Company’s stock or that of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bank of the Sierra (the “Bank”) by a person (including an entity) or group; (ii) the acquisition in a period of twelve (12) months or less of at least thirty-five percent (35%) of the Bank’s or the Company’s stock by a person or group; (iii) the replacement of a majority of the Bank’s or the Company’s Board in a period of twelve (12) months or less by directors who were not endorsed by a majority of the current Board members; or (iv) the acquisition in a period of twelve (12) months or less of forty percent (40%) or more of the Company’s assets by an unrelated entity.

(s) “Termination” means, for purposes of the Plan, with respect to a Participant, that (a) if the Participant is a director of the Company, he or she has ceased to be, for any reason, a director and (b) if the Participant is an employee, he or she has ceased to be, for any reason, employed by the Company or a subsidiary.

(t) “Termination for Cause” in the case of an employee, shall mean termination for malfeasance or gross misfeasance in the performance of duties, conviction of illegal activity in connection therewith, any conduct seriously detrimental to the interests of the Company or a subsidiary corporation, or removal pursuant to the exercise of regulatory authority by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “FRB”) or any applicable bank supervisory agency; and, in any event, the determination of the Board with respect thereto shall be final and conclusive. In the case of a director, Termination for Cause shall mean removal pursuant to Sections 302 or 304 of the California Corporations Code or removal pursuant to the exercise of regulatory authority by the FRB or any applicable bank supervisory agency.

(u) “Vesting Date” means, for an Option or a portion of an Option, the first date on which the Option or such portion may be exercised by the Optionee and, for shares of Restricted Stock, the date on which the shares cease to be forfeitable and become freely transferable shares in the hands of the Participant.

 

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Section 3. Administration

(a) General. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee with respect to (i) approving Option grants and Restricted Stock Awards to the Company’s “Named Executive Officers” as that term is defined in applicable SEC regulations; (ii) modifying or canceling existing grants or awards to Named Executive Officers; or (iii) imposing limitations, restrictions and conditions upon any such grant or award as the Committee deems necessary or advisable, unless the Board, in its discretion shall elect to grant or modify any awards to Named Executive Officers which are not intended to be exempt compensation pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Code. In connection with the administration of the Plan, the Committee, to the extent authorized, shall have the powers possessed by the Board. The Board shall administer the Plan in all other respects, unless the Board in its discretion shall elect to delegate such administration to the Committee with respect to such other aspects of the Plan. The members of the Committee shall at all times (i) meet the independence requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.; (ii) qualify as “non-employee directors” as defined in Section 16 of the Exchange Act; and (iii) qualify as “outside directors” under Section 162(m) of the Code. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the Board from delegating to the Committee full power and authority over the administration of the Plan.

Any action of the Board or the Committee with respect to administration of the Plan shall be taken pursuant to a majority vote of its members; provided, however, that with respect to action by the Board in granting an option or other award to an individual director, such action must be authorized by the required number of directors without counting the interested director, who shall abstain as to any vote on his or her option or award. An interested director may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board where such action will be taken.

(b) Authority. The Board or the Committee as appropriate pursuant to Section 3(a) shall grant Awards to directors and eligible employees. In particular and without limitation, the Board or the Committee, subject to the terms of the Plan, shall:

(i) select the directors, officers and other employees to whom Awards may be granted;

(ii) determine whether and to what extent Awards are to be granted under the Plan;

(iii) determine the number of shares to be covered by each Award granted under the Plan; and

(iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted under the Plan based upon factors determined by the Board or the Committee.

(c) Board and Committee Determinations Binding. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Board or the Committee shall have the authority to construe and interpret the Plan, any Award and any Award Agreement; to define the terms used therein; to prescribe, amend, and rescind rules and regulations relating to administration of the Plan, to determine the duration and purposes of leaves of absence which may be granted to Participants without constituting a termination of their employment for purposes of the Plan; and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, compliance with Rule 16b-3. Any determination made by the Board or the Committee

 

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pursuant to the provisions of the Plan with respect to any Award shall be made in its sole discretion at the time of the grant of the Award or, unless in contravention of any express term of the Plan or Award, at any later time. Determinations of the Board or the Committee on matters referred to in this section shall be final and conclusive, and shall be binding on all persons, including the Company and Participants.

Section 4. Stock Subject to Plan

(a) Shares Available for Awards. The total number of shares of the Company’s authorized but unissued Stock reserved and available for issuance pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be 1,500,000 shares, including shares which were previously subject to Options granted under the Company’s 1998 Stock Option Plan and will be transferred to this Plan effective May 23, 2007. Eighty percent (80%) of such shares shall be reserved exclusively for the grant of options to officers and employees. The remaining twenty percent (20%) of such shares may be granted to anyone eligible to participate in the Plan, including directors, officers and employees. If any Option terminates or expires without being exercised in full or if any shares of Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award are forfeited, the shares issuable under such Option or Award shall again be available for issuance in connection with Awards. Any Award under this Plan shall be governed by the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement.

(b) Adjustments. In the event of any merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split or other change in corporate structure affecting the Stock without receipt of consideration by the Company, such substitution or adjustments shall be made in the aggregate number of shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan, in the number and exercise price of shares subject to outstanding Options, and in the number of shares subject to other outstanding Awards, as may be determined to be appropriate by the Board or the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that no fractional shares of Stock shall be issued under the Plan on account of any such adjustment.

(c) Individual Limitation. The Company may not grant Awards under the Plan for more than 100,000 shares to any one Participant in any one fiscal year, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 4(b) above. Determinations under the preceding sentence shall be made in a manner that is consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder. The provisions of this Section 4(c) shall not apply in any circumstance with respect to which the Board or the Committee determines that compliance with Section 162(m) of the Code is not necessary.

Section 5. Eligibility

Awards may be granted to all employees, officers (whether or not they are also directors), and to non-employee directors of the Company and its subsidiaries. However, directors of the Company and its subsidiary corporations who are not also officers or employees of the Company or a subsidiary corporation are not eligible to receive Incentive Options under the Plan, but only other types of Awards.

 

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Section 6. Stock Options

(a) Types. Any Option granted under the Plan shall be in such form as the Board or the Committee may from time to time approve. The Board or the Committee shall have the authority to grant to any eligible Participant Incentive Options, Nonqualified Stock Options or both types of Options.

(b) Incentive Options. Incentive Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or a Subsidiary. Any portion of an Option that is not designated as, or does not qualify as, an Incentive Option shall constitute a Nonqualified Stock Option.

(c) Terms and Conditions. Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i) Option Term. Each Option and all rights or obligations thereunder shall expire on such date as the Board or the Committee may determine, but not later than ten (10) years from the date such Option is granted, and shall be subject to earlier termination as provided elsewhere in the Plan. As to any Incentive Option granted to an Optionee who, immediately before the option is granted, owns beneficially more than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding stock of the Company (whether acquired upon exercise of Options or otherwise), such option must not be exercisable by its terms after five (5) years from the date of its grant.

(ii) Grant Date. The time an Option is granted, sometimes referred to as the grant date, shall be the day of the action of the Board or the Committee described in Section 3(a) hereof; provided, however, that if appropriate resolutions of the Board or the Committee indicate that an Option is to be granted as of and on some future date, the time such Option is granted shall be such future date. If action by the Board or the Committee is taken by the unanimous written consent of its members, such action shall be deemed to be at the time the last Board or Committee member signs the consent.

(iii) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of stock subject to each Option shall be determined by the Board or the Committee but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of such stock at the time such Option is granted. As to any Incentive Option granted to an Optionee who, immediately before the Option is granted, owns beneficially more than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding stock of the Company, the purchase price must be at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the fair market value of the stock at the time when such Option is granted. The fair market value of such stock shall be determined in accordance with any reasonable valuation method, consistent with all applicable requirements under the Code, the Exchange Act, and regulations promulgated thereunder. The purchase price of any shares purchased shall be paid in full in cash at the time of each such purchase.

(iv) Exercisability. Each Option shall be exercisable in such installments, which need not be equal, and upon such conditions as the Board or the Committee shall determine; provided, however, that if an Optionee shall not in any given installment period purchase all of the shares which such Optionee is entitled to purchase in such installment period, such Optionee’s right to purchase any shares not purchased in such installment period shall continue until the expiration of such Option. No Option or installment thereof shall be exercisable except with respect to whole shares, and fractional share interests shall be disregarded except that they may be accumulated in accordance with the next preceding sentence.

 

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(v) Limit on Exercisability. The aggregate fair market value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of the stock for which any officer or employee may be granted Incentive Options which are first exercisable during any one calendar year (under all Incentive Stock Option Plans of the Company and its subsidiaries) shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000).

(vi) Method of Exercise; Payment. Options may be exercised by ten (10) days written notice delivered to the Company stating the number of shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised, together with cash in the amount of the purchase price for such shares. No fewer than ten (10) shares may be purchased at one time unless the number purchased is the total number which may be purchased under the Option.

Options may also be exercised by delivering to the Company (i) an exercise notice instructing the Company to deliver the certificates for the shares purchased to a designated brokerage firm which shall sell the stock in the market as soon as the Option is exercised; and (ii) a copy of irrevocable instructions delivered to the brokerage firm to sell the shares acquired upon exercise of the Option and to deliver to the Company from the sale proceeds sufficient cash to pay the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes arising as a result of the exercise, with the balance of the sales proceeds, if any, after payment of any broker’s commission, to be credited to the Optionee’s brokerage account.

The Company may require any Optionee, or any person to whom an Option is transferred under Section 6(c)(ix) hereof, as a condition of exercising any such Option, to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that such person is acquiring the stock subject to the Option for such person’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the stock. The requirement of providing written assurances, and any assurances given pursuant to the requirement, shall be inoperative if (i) the shares to be issued upon the exercise of the Option have been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such written assurances are not required in the circumstances under the then applicable state or federal securities laws.

(vii) Cessation of Employment; Disability. Except as provided in Subsection 6(c)(i) above, if an Optionee ceases to be employed by or to serve as a director of the Company or a subsidiary corporation for any reason other than death, disability or cause, such Optionee’s Option shall expire thirty (30) days thereafter, and during such period after such Optionee ceases to be an employee or director, such Option shall be exercisable only as to those shares with respect to which installments, if any, had accrued as of the date on which the Optionee ceased to be employed by or ceased to serve as a director of the Company or such subsidiary corporation. Except as provided in Subsections 6(c)(i) above, if an Optionee ceases to be employed by or ceases to serve as a director of the Company or a subsidiary corporation by reason of disability (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), such Optionee’s Option shall expire not later than one (1) year thereafter, and during such period after such Optionee ceases to be an employee or a director such Option shall be exercisable only as to those shares with respect to which installments, if any, had accrued as of the date on which the Optionee ceased to be employed by or ceased to serve as a director of the Company or such subsidiary corporation.

 

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(viii) Termination of Employment for Cause. If an Optionee’s employment by or service as a director of the Company or a subsidiary corporation is terminated for Cause, such Optionee’s Option shall expire immediately; provided, however, that the Board may, in its sole discretion, within thirty (30) days of such termination, waive the expiration of the Option by giving written notice of such waiver to the Optionee at such Optionee’s last known address. In the event of such waiver, the Optionee may exercise the Option only to such extent, for such time, and upon such terms and conditions as if such Optionee had ceased to be employed by or ceased to serve as a director of the Company or such subsidiary corporation upon the date of such termination for a reason other than Cause, disability, or death.

(ix) Death of Optionee. Except as provided in Subsection 6(c)(i) above, if any Optionee dies while employed by or serving as a director of the Company or a subsidiary corporation or during the 30-day or one-year period referred to in Subsection 6(c)(vii) above, such Optionee’s Option shall expire one (1) year after the date of such death. After such death but before such expiration, the persons to whom the Optionee’s rights under the Option shall have passed by Will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution shall have the right to exercise such Option to the extent that installments, if any, had accrued as of the date of the Optionee’s death.

Section 7. Restricted Stock Awards

(a) General. Restricted Stock Awards may be issued hereunder to Participants, for no cash consideration or for such amount as the Board or the Committee in its discretion shall determine, either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The provisions of Restricted Stock Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient. The Committee may provide upon grant of a Restricted Stock Award that any shares of Restricted Stock that may be purchased by the Holder in cash and are subsequently forfeited by the Holder prior to the Vesting Date therefor shall be reacquired by the Company at the purchase price originally paid therefor by the Holder, if applicable.

(b) Issue Date and Vesting Date. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Award, the Board or the Committee shall establish an Issue Date or Issue Dates and a Vesting Date or Vesting Dates with respect to such shares. The Board or the Committee may provide upon grant of a Restricted Stock Award that different numbers or portions of the shares subject to the Award shall have different Vesting Dates. The Board or the Committee may also provide that the Vesting Dates will be accelerated upon the subsequent occurrence of such event (e.g., early retirement of the Holder) as the Board or the Committee may specify. The Board or the Committee also may establish upon grant of a Restricted Stock Award that some or all of the shares subject thereto shall be subject after the Vesting Date to additional restrictions upon transfer or sale, although not to forfeiture.

(c) Issuance of Certificates. Reasonably promptly after the Issue Date with respect to shares of Restricted Stock, the Company shall cause to be issued a stock certificate, registered in the name of the Participant to whom such shares were granted, evidencing such shares; provided, that the Company shall not cause such a stock certificate to be issued unless it has received a stock power duly endorsed in blank with respect to such shares. Each such stock certificate shall bear the following legend:

“The transferability of this certificate and the shares of stock represented hereby are subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions (including forfeiture provisions and restrictions

 

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against transfer) contained in the Sierra Bancorp 2007 Stock Incentive Plan and related Award Agreement, and such rules, regulations and interpretations as Sierra Bancorp’s Board of Directors or Compensation Committee may adopt. Copies of the Plan, Award Agreement and rules, regulations and interpretations, if any, are on file at the principal executive office of Sierra Bancorp, 86 North Main Street, Porterville, California 93257.”

Such legend shall not be removed until such shares vest pursuant to the terms hereof.

Each certificate issued pursuant to this Section 7 (c), together with the stock powers relating to the shares of Restricted Stock evidenced by such certificate, shall be held by the Company unless the Board or the Committee determines otherwise.

(d) Consequences of Vesting. Upon the vesting of a share of Restricted Stock pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, the restrictions on transfer described in Section 7(c) shall cease to apply to such share. Reasonably promptly after a Restricted Stock Award becomes fully vested, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Participant to whom such shares were granted, a certificate evidencing such share, free of the legend set forth in Section 7(c). If a Restricted Stock Award is partially vested, the Company may continue to hold the originally issued certificate until fully vested unless the Participant specifically requests the issuance of a certificate for just the vested shares. Reasonably promptly after any such request, the Company shall cause the certificates to be issued separately for the restricted and unrestricted shares, and shall deliver the unrestricted certificate to the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such shares still may be subject to restrictions on transfer as a result of applicable securities laws.

(e) Dividends. If and to the extent the Board or the Committee so specifies upon grant, the Holder of shares of Restricted Stock shall be entitled to receive from the Company, after the grant date and until the Vesting Date, dividends or other distributions with respect to the shares identical or comparable in financial value to the dividends and other distributions that would have been received by the Holder had the shares not been subject to the restrictions on Restricted Stock imposed under the Plan, and the Holder shall not be required to return any such distributions to the Company in the event of forfeiture of the Restricted Stock; provided that any such dividends or distribution payable to the Holder that constitute Stock or other equity securities of the Company shall be issued in the same manner and subject to the same restrictions and conditions as apply to the shares of Restricted Stock as to which such dividends and distributions are paid. The Board or the Committee in its discretion may require that any dividends paid on shares of Restricted Stock shall be held in escrow until all restrictions on such shares have lapsed.

(f) Voting Rights. If and to the extent the Board or the Committee so specifies upon grant, the Holder of shares of Restricted Stock shall be entitled to vote or direct the voting of such shares after the grant date and until the Vesting Date.

 

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(g) Termination. Except to the extent otherwise provided in the Award Agreement and pursuant to this section, in the event of a Termination of employment or directorship during the Restriction Period, all shares still subject to restriction shall be forfeited by the Participant. If the recipient has paid cash for the Award, the stock will be repurchased at the same price originally paid by the Participant. In the event that the Company requires such a return of shares, it also shall have the right to require the return of all dividends paid on such shares, whether by termination of any escrow arrangement under which such dividends are held or otherwise, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement.

Section 8. Terminating Events

(a) Impact of Event. In the event of a “Terminating Event” as defined in Section 2(r), any surviving corporation or entity or acquiring corporation or entity, or affiliate of such corporation or entity, may assume any Options or Restricted Stock Awards outstanding under the Plan or may substitute similar awards for those outstanding under the Plan. In the event any surviving corporation or entity or acquiring corporation or entity in a Terminating Event does not assume such Options or Awards or does not substitute similar Options or other Awards for those outstanding under the Plan, then (i) the vesting of such Options or other Awards outstanding under the Plan shall be accelerated and made fully exercisable and all restrictions thereon shall lapse ten (10) days prior to the closing of the Terminating Event; and (ii) upon the closing of the Terminating Event, any Options outstanding under the Plan shall be terminated if not exercised prior to the closing, unless the Board in its sole discretion determines prior to the effective date of the Terminating Event that all outstanding Options and the Plan itself should continue in full force and effect. In the case of such a determination by the Board, or in the event that any pending Terminating Event does not occur, the Plan and all outstanding Options and other Awards thereunder shall continue in force with all original vesting schedules in effect.

(b) Notice to Participants of Terminating Event. Not less than thirty (30) days prior to a Terminating Event, the Board or the Committee shall notify each Participant of the pendancy of the Terminating Event. With respect to Holders of Restricted Stock, the notice shall simply inform such Participants of the pendancy of the Terminating Event and of the fact that the restrictions on their Restricted Stock will lapse. In the case of Optionees, the notice shall inform such Optionees that their Options shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 5(c)(iv) hereof, become exercisable in full and not only as to those shares with respect to which installments, if any, have then accrued, subject, however, to earlier expiration or termination as provided elsewhere in the Plan, and further subject to the condition that the Terminating Event in fact occurs. Optionees shall then be entitled to exercise any Options or portions thereof commencing on the tenth (10th) day, and ending on the third (3rd) day, prior to the Terminating Event, or at such other times as may be specified by the Board in connection with the Terminating Event.

Section 9. Acceleration of Options or other Awards.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 6(c)(iv) or 7(b) hereof or any provision to the contrary contained in any Award Agreement, the Board or the Committee, in its sole discretion, may accelerate the vesting of all or any Award then outstanding. The decision by the Board or the Committee to accelerate an Award or to decline to accelerate an Award shall be final. In the event of the acceleration of Options as the result of a decision by the Board or the Committee pursuant to this Section 9, each outstanding Option so accelerated shall be

 

9


exercisable for a period from and after the date of such acceleration and upon such other terms and conditions as the Board or the Committee may determine in its sole discretion, provided that such terms and conditions (other than terms and conditions relating solely to the acceleration of exercisability and the related termination of an Option) may not adversely affect the rights of any Participant without the consent of the Participant so adversely affected. Any outstanding Option which has not been exercised by the holder at the end of such period shall terminate automatically at that time.

Section 10. General Provisions

(a) Award Grants. Any Award may be granted either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Subject to the terms and restrictions set forth elsewhere in the Plan, the Board or the Committee shall determine the consideration, if any, payable by the Participant for any Award and, in addition to those set forth in the Plan, any other terms and conditions of the Awards. The Board or the Committee may condition the grant or payment of any Award upon the attainment of specified performance goals or such other factors or criteria, including vesting based on continued service on the Board or employment, as the Board or the Committee shall determine. Performance objectives may vary from Participant to Participant and among groups of Participants and shall be based upon such Company, subsidiary, group or division factors or criteria as the Committee may deem appropriate, including, but not limited to, earnings per share or return on equity. The other provisions of Awards also need not be the same with respect to each recipient. Unless specified otherwise in the Plan or by the Board or the Committee, the date of grant of an Award shall be the date of action by the Board or the Committee to grant the Award, provided that Participants do not have the ability to further negotiate the terms of their awards, and provided further that the awards will be communicated to Participants within a relatively short period of time following the Board’s or the Committee’s action.

(b) Award Agreement. As soon as practicable after the date of an Award grant, the Company and the Participant shall enter into a written Award Agreement identifying the date of grant, and specifying the terms and conditions of the Award. Options are not exercisable until after execution of the Award Agreement by the Company and the Participant, but a delay in execution of the Award Agreement shall not affect the validity of the Option grant.

(c) Certificates; Transfer Restrictions. All certificates for shares of Stock or other securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stock transfer orders, legends and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC, any market in which the Stock is then traded and any applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws.

(d) Tax Withholding. Whenever shares of Stock are issued or to be issued pursuant to Awards, the Company shall have the right to require the Participant to remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local or other withholding tax requirements if, when, and to the extent required by law (whether so required to secure for the Company an otherwise available tax deduction or otherwise) prior to the delivery of any certificate or certificates for such shares. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on satisfaction of all such withholding obligations and the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant. With the approval of the Board or the Committee, which it shall have sole discretion to grant, the Participant may elect to satisfy an applicable withholding requirement,

 

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in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold from delivery shares of Stock having a value equal to the amount of tax to be withheld. Such shares shall be valued at their fair market value on the date as of which the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Fractional share amounts shall be settled in cash.

(e) Notification of Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code. If any Participant shall, in connection with the acquisition of shares of Restricted Stock under the Plan, make the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code (i.e., an election to include in gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Section 83(b)), such Participant shall notify the Company of such election within ten days of filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under the authority of Section 83(b).

(f) Transferability. No Award shall be assignable or otherwise transferable by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. During the life of a Participant, an Award shall be exercisable, and any elections with respect to an Award may be made, only by the Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.

(g) Adjustment of Awards; Waivers. The Board or the Committee may adjust the performance goals and measurements applicable to Awards (i) to take into account changes in law and accounting and tax rules, (ii) to make such adjustments as the Board or the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to reflect the inclusion or exclusion of the impact of extraordinary or unusual items, events or circumstances in order to avoid windfalls or hardships, and (iii) to make such adjustments as the Board or the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to reflect any material changes in business conditions. In the event of hardship or other special circumstances of a Participant and otherwise in its discretion, the Board or the Committee may waive in whole or in part any or all restrictions, conditions, vesting, or forfeiture with respect to any Award granted to such Participant.

(h) Non-Competition. The Board or the Committee may condition its discretionary waiver of a forfeiture, the acceleration of vesting at the time of Termination of a Participant holding any unexercised or unearned Award, the waiver of restrictions on any Award, or the extension of the expiration period to a period not longer than that provided by the Plan upon such Participant’s agreement (and compliance with such agreement) (i) not to engage in any business or activity competitive with any business or activity conducted by the Company and (ii) to be available for consultations at the request of the Company’s management, all on such terms and conditions (including conditions in addition to (i) and (ii)) as the Board or the Committee may determine.

(i) Regulatory Compliance. Each Award under the Plan shall be subject to the condition that, if at any time the Board or the Committee shall determine that (i) the listing, registration or qualification of the shares of Stock upon any securities exchange or for trading in any securities market or under any state or federal law, (ii) the consent or approval of any government or regulatory body or (iii) an agreement by the Participant with respect thereto, is necessary or desirable, then such Award shall not be consummated in whole or in part unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent, approval or agreement shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Board or the Committee.

 

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(j) Rights as Shareholder. Unless the Plan, the Board or the Committee expressly specifies otherwise, an Optionee shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares covered by an Option until the stock certificates representing the shares are actually delivered to the Optionee. Except as specified in Section 4(b), no adjustment shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date the certificates are delivered. The rights of Holders shall be as specified in their Award Agreements, as determined by the Board or the Committee in accordance with Section 7 hereof.

(k) Beneficiary Designation. The Board or the Committee, in its discretion, may establish procedures for a Participant to designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable in the event of the Participant’s death are to be paid.

(l) Additional Plans. Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or a subsidiary from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements for its directors and employees.

(m) No Employment Rights; No Right to Directorship. Neither the adoption of this Plan nor the grant of any Award hereunder shall (i) confer upon any employee any right to continued employment nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or a subsidiary to terminate the employment of any employee at any time; or (ii) confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuation of the Participant’s membership on the Board or interfere in any way with provisions in the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws relating to the election, appointment, terms of office, and removal of members of the Board.

(n) Rule 16b-3. With respect to persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with the applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3. To the extent any provision of this Plan or action by the Board or the Committee fails to so comply, it shall be adjusted to comply with Rule 16b-3, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Board or the Committee. It shall be the responsibility of persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, not of the Company, the Board or the Committee, to comply with the requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act; and neither the Company nor the Committee shall be liable if this Plan or any transaction under this Plan fails to comply with the applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3, or if any such person incurs any liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(o) Governing Law. The Plan and all Awards shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.

(p) Use of Proceeds. All cash proceeds to the Company under the Plan shall constitute general funds of the Company.

(q) Assumption by Successor. The obligations of the Company under the Plan and under any outstanding Award may be assumed by any successor corporation, which for purposes of the Plan shall be included within the meaning of “Company.”

 

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Section 11. Amendments and Termination

The Board may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan or any Award, but no amendment, alteration or discontinuance shall be made which would impair the rights of a Participant under an outstanding Award without the Participant’s consent. No amendment, alteration or discontinuance shall require shareholder approval unless it would:

(a) increase in the total number of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to Awards under the Plan;

(b) change the minimum option price for Options;

(c) increase the maximum term of Awards provided for herein;

(d) expand the types of awards which may be issued under the Plan; or

(e) permit Awards to be granted to anyone other than a director or an officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary corporation.

Any amendment or modification requiring shareholder approval shall be deemed adopted as of the date of the action of the Board effecting such amendment or modification and shall be effective immediately, unless otherwise provided therein, subject to approval thereof within twelve (12) months before or after the effective date by (i) a majority of the shares of the Company’s stock represented and voting in person or by proxy at a duly held shareholders’ meeting; or (ii) the written consent of the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding shares.

Section 12. Effective Date of Plan

The Plan shall be deemed adopted as of the date first shown herein and shall be effective immediately, subject to approval hereof within twelve (12) months before or after said date by (i) a majority of the shares of the Company’s stock represented and voting in person or by proxy at a duly held shareholders’ meeting; or (ii) the written consent of the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding shares.

Section 13. Term of Plan

No Award shall be granted on or after February 15, 2017, but Awards granted prior to February 15, 2017 may extend beyond that date.

 

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