OMB APPROVAL
  

UNITED STATES    

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION    

Washington, D.C. 20549    

  

OMB Number: 3235-0060

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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 9, 2015

BFC FINANCIAL CORPORATION

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Florida

 

001-09071

 

59-2022148

(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission   (IRS Employer
of incorporation)   File Number)   Identification No.)

 

401 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 800, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

33301

(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 954-940-4900

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

On February 9, 2015, the Board of Directors of BFC Financial Corporation (the “Company”) approved amendments to the Company’s By-Laws which add to the By-laws an exclusive forum selection provision which will be applicable to certain litigation and a provision for fee shifting in the case of certain litigation as described below.

Pursuant to the exclusive forum selection provision, which was added as Article IX, Section 1 of the By-Laws, unless the Company’s Board of Directors consents to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court located in Broward County, Florida (or, if such Circuit Court does not have jurisdiction, another Circuit Court located within Florida or, if no Circuit Court located within Florida has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the Southern District of Florida) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or its shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Company or any of its directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the Florida Business Corporation Act or the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws (in each case, as may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Company or any of its directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Florida (each, a “Covered Proceeding”). The new forum selection provision provides that if any Covered Proceeding is filed in a court other than a court located within Florida (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any shareholder, then such shareholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within Florida in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the exclusive forum provision described in the preceding sentence and (ii) having service of process made upon such shareholder in any such enforcement action by service upon such shareholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such shareholder.

In addition, pursuant to Article IX, Section 2 of the By-Laws, the Company and its officers, directors and other employees have the right to the extent permitted by applicable law (and unless the Company’s Board of Directors consents to the contrary) to reimbursement of all amounts incurred by the Company or its officers, directors or other employees, from any person or entity that initiates or asserts any claim or counterclaim against the Company or any of its officers, directors or other employees, or joins, offers substantial assistance to or has a direct financial interest in any such claim or counterclaim, if such person or entity does not obtain a judgment on the merits that substantially achieves, in substance and amount, the full remedy sought.

The Company’s Board of Directors believes that the foregoing provisions are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, and specifically that the forum selection and fee-shifting provisions are advisable in light of the substantial expenses associated with litigation, including the expenses to respond to expansive electronic and other discovery requests in potentially frivolous or unsubstantiated actions, which unnecessarily place a strain on the Company’s financial resources and divert management time and attention. In addition, the forum selection provision protects the Company against having to defend potentially concurrent multi-jurisdictional litigation in non-Florida courts. It was noted that the new forum selection provision does not govern every type of legal action that could be brought against the Company or any of its directors, officers or other employees, but rather only applies to certain enumerated categories of legal actions, namely Covered Proceedings (as defined above).

The foregoing description of the amendments to the Company’s By-Laws is a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, and should be read in conjunction with, the complete text of the Company’s By-Laws, as amended, which are filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference herein.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits .

 

3.1 By-Laws of BFC Financial Corporation, as amended


SIGNATURES

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

 

BFC FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Date: February 12, 2015 By: /s/ John K. Grelle
John K. Grelle,

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

  

Description

3.1    By-Laws of BFC Financial Corporation, as amended

Exhibit 3.1

BY-LAWS

OF

BFC FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(as amended on December 3, 2007, February 11, 2008, September 21, 2009 and February 9, 2015)

ARTICLE I

MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS

S ECTION  1.  Annual Meeting.  The annual meeting of the shareholders of this Corporation shall be held at the time and place designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The annual meeting of the shareholders for any year shall be held no later than thirteen months after the last preceding annual meeting of shareholders. Business transacted at the annual meeting shall include the election of directors of the Corporation.

S ECTION  2.  Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the shareholders shall be held when directed by the President or the Board of Directors or when requested in writing by the holders of not less than ten percent of all the shares entitled to vote at the meeting. A special meeting requested by shareholders shall be called for a date not less than ten nor more than sixty days after the request is made, unless (in the case of the sixty day maximum) the shareholders requesting the meeting designate a later date and unless (in the case of the ten day minimum) the number of shareholders constituting a quorum shall waive the ten day minimum notice period. The call for the meeting shall be issued by the Secretary, unless the President, Board of Directors or shareholders requesting the meeting shall designate another person to do so.

S ECTION  3.  Notice.  Written notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be delivered not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the meeting, unless the number of shareholders constituting a quorum shall waive the ten day minimum notice period. The notice shall be delivered personally or by first class mail by or at the direction of the President, the Secretary or the officer or persons calling the meeting to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at his address as it appears on the stock transfer books of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid.

S ECTION  4.  Place.  Meetings of shareholders may be held within or without the State of Florida.

S ECTION  5. Closing of Transfer Books and Fixing Record Date. The Board of Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for the determination of shareholders for any purpose. Such date in any case to be not more than sixty days and, in case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days prior to the date on which the particular action requiring such determination of shareholders is to be taken.

S ECTION  6.  Voting Record. The Secretary shall make, at least ten days before each meeting of shareholders, a complete list of shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting or any adjournment thereof, with the address of and the number and class and series, if any, of shares held by each. The list shall be kept on file at the principal place of business of the Corporation for a period of ten days prior to such meeting. Any shareholder shall be entitled to inspect the list during usual business hours and said list shall be available at the time and place of the meeting and shall be subject to inspection by any shareholder at any time during the meeting. This Section 6 shall not be applicable, however, if, as of the record date established pursuant to Section 5 of Article I hereof, the Corporation has less than six shareholders.

S ECTION  7.  Shareholder Quorum and Voting.

a. A majority of the shares entitled to vote represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders. When a specified item of business is required to be voted on by a class or series of stock, a majority of the shares of such class or series shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of such item of business by that class or series. If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares (or, when applicable, a class or series of stock) represented at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the shareholders unless otherwise provided by the Florida General Corporation Act, as amended from time to time.


b. After a quorum has been established at a shareholders’ meeting, the subsequent withdrawal of shareholders so as to reduce the number of shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting below the number required for a quorum shall not affect the validity of any action taken at the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

S ECTION  8.  Voting of Shares.

a. Each outstanding share of Common and/or Preferred stock shall have only such voting rights as are specified by the Board of Directors in connection with the designation of each series of Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares which is authorized and issued pursuant to Article III of the Articles of Incorporation. If the voting rights so designated with respect to each series provide for more or less than one vote for any such share in the series, every reference herein to a majority or other proportion of shares shall refer to such a majority or other proportion of votes entitled to be cast.

b. Treasury shares, shares of stock of this Corporation owned by another corporation the majority of voting stock of which is owned or controlled by this Corporation, and shares of stock of this Corporation held by it in a fiduciary capacity shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

c. A shareholder may vote either in person or by proxy executed in writing by the shareholder or his duly authorized attorney-in-fact.

d. At each election for directors, every shareholder entitled to vote at such election shall have the right to vote in person or by proxy the number of shares owned by him for as many persons as there are directors to be elected at that time and for whose election he has a right to vote or, if cumulative voting is authorized by the Board of Directors in connection with the designation of any series of Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares which is authorized and issued pursuant to Article III of the Articles of Incorporation, to accumulate his votes by giving one candidate as many votes as the number of directors to be elected at that time multiplied by the number of his votes shall produce or by distributing such votes on the same principle among any number of such candidates.

e. Shares standing in the name of another corporation, domestic or foreign, may be voted by the officer, agent or proxy designated by the By-laws of the corporate shareholder or, in the absence of any applicable by-law, by such person as the board of directors of the corporate shareholder may designate. Proof of such designation may be made by presentation of a certified copy of the By-laws or other instrument of the corporate shareholder. In the absence of any such designation or in case of conflicting designation by the corporate shareholder, the chairman of the board, president, any vice president, secretary and treasurer of the corporate shareholder shall be presumed to possess, in that order, authority to vote such shares.

S ECTION  9.  Proxies.

a. Every shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders or to express consent or dissent without a meeting or a shareholder’s duly authorized attorney-in-fact may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy.

b. Every proxy must be signed by the shareholder or his attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be valid after the expiration of eleven months from the date thereof unless otherwise provided in the proxy. Every proxy shall be revocable at the pleasure of the shareholder executing it, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

S ECTION  10.  Action by Shareholders Without a Meeting.

a. Any action required by law, these By-Laws or the Articles of Incorporation of this Corporation to be taken at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock 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. If any class or series of shares is entitled to vote thereon as a class or series, such written consent shall be required of the holders of a majority of the shares of each class or series of shares entitled to vote as a class or series thereon and of the total shares entitled to vote thereon.


b. Within ten days after obtaining such authorization by written consent, notice shall be given to those shareholders who have not consented in writing. The notice shall fairly summarize the material features of the authorized action and, if the action be a merger, consolidation or sale or exchange of assets for which dissenters rights are provided under applicable law, the notice shall contain a clear statement of the right of shareholders dissenting therefrom to be paid the fair value of their shares upon compliance with further provisions of applicable law regarding the rights of dissenting shareholders.

S ECTION  11.  New Business.

a. To be properly brought before any annual meeting of the shareholders, business must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof), (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof) or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by any shareholder of the Corporation (A) who is a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 11 and on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting and (B) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11. In addition to any other applicable requirements, including but not limited to the requirements of Rule 14a-8 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, for business to be properly brought before any annual meeting of the shareholders by a shareholder pursuant to clause (iii) of this Section 11(a), such shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary.

b. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 11(a) must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal office of the Corporation, not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of the shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting of the shareholders is called for a date that is not within 30 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder in order to be timely must be so received no later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting of the shareholders is mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting of the shareholders is made, whichever first occurs.

c. To be in proper written form, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 11(a) must set forth as to each matter such shareholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting of the shareholders (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting of the shareholders and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting of the shareholders, (ii) the name and record address of such shareholder, (iii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by such shareholder, together with evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Secretary of such beneficial ownership, (iv) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such shareholder and any other person or persons (including their name or names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder and any material interest of such shareholder in such business, (v) a representation that such shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting of the shareholders to bring such business before the annual meeting of the shareholders and (vi) any material interest of the shareholder proposing to bring such business before such annual meeting of the shareholders (or any other shareholders known to be supporting such proposal) in such proposal.

d. Notwithstanding anything in these By-laws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of the shareholders except business brought before such meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 11; provided, however, that, once business has been properly brought before such annual meeting of the shareholders in accordance with such procedures, nothing in this Section 11 shall be deemed to preclude discussion by any shareholder of any such business. If the Chairman of such meeting determines that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting of the shareholders in accordance with the foregoing procedures, then the Chairman shall declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the meeting and such business shall not be transacted.


ARTICLE II

DIRECTORS

S ECTION  1.  Function.  All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of and the business and affairs of a corporation shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors.

S ECTION  2.  Qualification. Directors need not be residents of this State or shareholders of this Corporation.

S ECTION  3.  Compensation.  The Board of Directors shall have authority to fix the compensation of the directors.

S ECTION  4.  Duties of Directors.

a. A director shall perform his duties as a director, including his duties as a member of any committee of the Board upon which he may serve, in good faith, in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the Corporation and with such care as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances.

b. In performing his duties, a director shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared by and presented by:

(i) one or more officers or employees of the Corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;

(ii) counsel, public accountants or other persons as to matters which the director reasonably believes to be within such person’s professional or expert competence; or

(iii) a committee of the Board upon which he does not serve, duly designated in accordance with a provision of the Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws, as to matters within its designated authority, which committee the director reasonably believes to merit confidence.

c. A director shall not be considered to be acting in good faith if he has knowledge concerning the matter in question that would cause such reliance described above to be unwarranted.

d. A person who performs his duties in compliance with this section shall have no liability by reason of being or having been a director of the Corporation.

e. The Board of Directors shall elect a Chairman to preside at all meetings of the Board and at all shareholder meetings and to fix the dates of meetings of the Board. In the absence of the President and upon the request of a majority of the Board of Directors, the Chairman may assume the authority of the President, as stated in these By-Laws, and transact any business in which the President would otherwise be permitted to engage.

S ECTION  5.  Presumption of Assent.  A director of the Corporation who is present at a meeting of its Board of Directors at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless he votes against such action or abstains from voting in respect thereto because of an asserted conflict of interest.

S ECTION  6.  Number.  This Corporation shall have not less than three (3) nor more than fifteen (15) directors as determined by the Board of Directors. The number of directors may be increased or decreased from time to time by amendment to these By-Laws, but no decrease shall have the effect of shortening the terms of any incumbent director.


S ECTION  7.  Election and Term.  Each director hereafter elected to the Board of Directors shall hold office for a term expiring at the Corporation’s next annual meeting of shareholders.

S ECTION  8.  Vacancies.  Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors, including any vacancy created by reason of an increase in the number of directors, may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors. A director elected or appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation or removal of a director shall hold office for the same term as that to which such director’s predecessor was elected or appointed. In the case of a director elected or appointed to fill a vacancy created by reason of an increase in the number of directors, the director shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s next annual meeting of shareholders.

S ECTION  9.  Removal of Directors.  At a meeting of shareholders called expressly for that purpose, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors.

S ECTION  10.  Quorum and Voting.  A majority of the number of directors fixed by these By-Laws shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

S ECTION  11.  Director Conflicts of Interest.

a. No contract or other transaction between this Corporation and one or more of its directors or any other corporation, firm, association or entity in which one or more of the directors are directors or officers or are financially interested, shall be either void or voidable because of such relationship or interest or because such director or directors are present at the meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves or ratifies such contract or transaction or because his or their votes are counted for such purpose, if:

(i) The fact of such relationship or interest is disclosed or known to the Board of Directors or committee which authorizes, approves or ratifies the contract or transaction by a vote or consent sufficient for the purpose without counting the votes or consents of such interested directors; or

(ii) The fact of such relationship or interest is disclosed or known to the shareholders entitled to vote and they authorize, approve or ratify such contract or transaction by vote or written consent; or

(iii) The contract or transaction is fair and reasonable as to the Corporation at the time it is authorized by the board, a committee or the shareholders.

b. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves or ratifies such contract or transaction.

S ECTION  12.  Executive and Other Committees.

a. The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the full Board of Directors, may designate from among its members an executive committee and one or more other committees each of which, to the extent provided in such resolution, shall have and may exercise all the authority of the Board of Directors, except that no committee shall have the authority to:

(i) approve or recommend to shareholders actions or proposals required by law to be approved by shareholders;

(ii) designate candidates for the office of director, for purposes of proxy solicitation or otherwise;


(iii) fill vacancies in the Board of Directors or any committee thereof;

(iv) amend the By-Laws;

(v) authorize or approve the reacquisition of shares unless pursuant to a general formula or method specified by the Board of Directors; or

(vi) authorize or approve the issuance or sale of or any contract to issue or sell shares or designate the terms of a series of a class of shares, except that the Board of Directors, having acted regarding general authorization for the issuance or sale of shares, the designation thereof may, pursuant to a general formula or method specified by the Board of Directors, by resolution or by adoption of a stock option or other plan, authorize a committee to fix the terms of any contract for the sale of the shares and to fix the terms upon which such shares may be issued or sold, including without limitation the price, the rate or manner of payment of dividends, provisions for redemption, sinking fund, conversion, voting or preferential rights and provisions for other features of a class of shares or a series of a class of shares, with full power in such committee to adopt any final resolution setting forth all the terms thereof and to authorize the statement of the terms of a series for filing with the Department of State.

b. The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted in accordance with this section, may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any such committee, who may act in the place and stead of any absent member or members at any meeting of such committee.

S ECTION  13.  Chairman of the Board.  The Board of Directors shall elect a Chairman to preside at all meetings of the Board and at all shareholder meetings and to fix the dates of meetings of the Board. In the absence of the President and upon the request of a majority of the Board of Directors, the Chairman may assume the authority of the President, as stated in these By-Laws, and transact any business in which the President would otherwise be permitted to engage.

S ECTION  14.  Place of Meetings.  Regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive and other committees, created pursuant to Section 12 of Article II hereof, may be held within or without the State of Florida.

S ECTION  15.  Time, Notice and Call of Meetings.

a. Written notice of the time and place of regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be given to each director by either personal delivery, telegram, telephone or cablegram at least two days before the meeting or by notice mailed to the director at least five days before the meeting.

b. Notice of a meeting of the Board of Directors need not be given to any director who signs a waiver of notice either before or after the meeting. Attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting and waiver of any and all objections to the place of the meeting, the time of the meeting or the manner in which it has been called or convened, except when a director states, at the beginning of the meeting, any objection to the transaction of business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

c. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

d. A majority of the directors present, whether or not a quorum exists, may adjourn any meeting of the Board of Directors to another time and place. Notice of any such adjourned meeting shall be given to the directors who were not present at the time of the adjournment and, unless the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced at the time of the adjournment, to the other directors.

e. Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board, by the President of the Corporation or by any two directors.


f. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of such Board by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment y means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.

S ECTION  16.  Action Without a Meeting.  Any action required to be taken at a meeting of the directors of the Corporation or any action which may be taken at a meeting of the directors or a committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so to be taken, signed by all the directors or all the members of the committee, as the case may be, is filed in the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or of the committee. Such consent shall have the same effect as a unanimous vote.

S ECTION  17.  Resignation of Directors.  Any director may resign from the Board of Directors upon written notice being given to the President and Chairman of the Board. The resignation is effective upon receipt of the written notice by the President or the Chairman, except that resignations received after notice has been given of a Board of Director’s meeting shall not be effective until subsequent to that meeting or sooner if approved by the then remaining Board members.

S ECTION  18.  Expenses and Salaries of Directors.  By resolution of the Board of Directors, the directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as directors. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

S ECTION  19.  Nomination of Directors.

a. Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be eligible for election as directors of the Corporation, except as may be otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation or as may otherwise be required by applicable law or regulation. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at any annual meeting of the shareholders, or at any special meeting of the shareholders called for the purpose of electing directors, (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof) or (ii) by any shareholder of the Corporation (A) who is a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 19 and on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting and (B) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 19. In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by a shareholder pursuant to clause (ii) of this Section 19(a), such shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary.

b. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 19(a) must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal office of the Corporation (i) in the case of an annual meeting of the shareholders, not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of the shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting of the shareholders is called for a date that is not within 30 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting of the shareholders is mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting of the shareholders is made, whichever first occurs, or (ii) in the case of a special meeting of the shareholders called for the purpose of electing directors, not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which notice of the date of the special meeting of the shareholders is mailed or public disclosure of the date of the special meeting of the shareholders is made, whichever first occurs.

c. To be in proper written form, a shareholder’s notice to the Secretary pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 19(a) must set forth (i) as to each person whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (B) the principal occupation or employment of the person, (C) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by the person and (D) any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and (ii) as to the shareholder giving the notice, (A) the name and record address of such shareholder, (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by such shareholder, together with evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Secretary of such beneficial ownership, (C) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such shareholder and each proposed nominee and any other person(s) (including their name(s)) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are to be made by such shareholder, (D) a representation that such shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person(s) named in its notice and (E) any other information relating to such shareholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.


d. No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 19. If the Chairman of the meeting determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures, then the Chairman of the meeting shall declare to the meeting that the nomination was defective and such defective nomination shall be disregarded.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS

S ECTION  1.  Officers.  The officers of this Corporation shall consist of a President, Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer, each of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors. Such other officers and assistant officers and agents as may be deemed necessary may be elected or appointed by the Board of Directors from time to time. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The failure to elect any of the aforesaid officers shall not effect the existence of this Corporation.

S ECTION  2.  Duties.  The officers of this Corporation shall have the following duties:

a. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general and active management of the business and affairs of the Corporation subject to the directions of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and Board of Directors.

b. The Vice President shall have duties and powers incident to the specific area of employment and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the President or Board of Directors. In the event of incapacity of the President, the Vice President may be designated by the Board of Directors to perform such duties of the President as the Board shall prescribe.

c. The Secretary shall have custody of and maintain all of the corporate records, except the financial records, shall record the minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and Board of Directors, shall send all notices of meetings out and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President.

d. The Treasurer shall have custody of all corporate funds and financial records, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements and render accounts thereof at the annual meetings of stockholders and whenever else required by the Board of Directors or the President and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President.

S ECTION  3.  Delegation of Duties.  In the case of the absence of an officer of the Corporation or for any other reason that the Board may deem sufficient, the Board may delegate for the time being the powers and duties of such officers to any other officer or officers or to any director or directors or to any other individual or individuals.

S ECTION  4.  Removal of Officers.

a. Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board whenever in its judgment the best interests of the Corporation will be served thereby.


b. Any officer or agent elected by the shareholders may be removed only by vote of the directors to remove such officer or agent.

c. Any vacancy, however occurring, in any office may be filled by the Board of Directors.

d. Removal, as provided in this section, shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Election or appointment of an officer or agent shall not, in and of itself, create contract rights.

S ECTION  5.  Salary of Officers.  The salaries of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors or the executive committee. No officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary by reason of the fact that he is also a director of the Corporation.

ARTICLE IV

STOCK CERTIFICATES

S ECTION  1.  Issuance.  Shares of capital stock of the Corporation may, but need not, be represented by certificates. No certificate shall be issued for any share until such share is fully paid.

S ECTION  2.  Form.

a. Certificates representing shares in this Corporation shall be signed by the President or Vice President and Secretary or an Assistant Secretary and may be sealed with the seal of this Corporation or a facsimile thereof. The signatures of the President or Vice President and Secretary or Assistant Secretary may be facsimiles if the certificate is manually signed on behalf of a transfer agent or a registrar, other than the Corporation itself or an employee of the Corporation. In case any officer who signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer at the date of its issuance.

b. Every certificate representing shares issued by this Corporation shall set forth or fairly summarize upon the face or back of the certificate or shall state that the Corporation will furnish to any shareholder, upon request and without charge, a full statement of the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the shares of each class or series authorized to be issued and the variations in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each series so far as the same have been fixed and determined and the authority of the Board of Directors to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of subsequent series.

c. Every certificate representing shares which are restricted as to the sale, disposition or other transfer of such shares shall state that such shares are restricted as to transfer and shall set forth or fairly summarize upon the certificate or shall state that the Corporation will furnish to any shareholder, upon request and without charge, a full statement of such restrictions.

d. Each certificate representing shares shall state upon the face thereof: the name of the Corporation; that the Corporation is organized under the laws of this State; the name of the person or persons to whom issued; the number and class of shares and the designation of the series, if any, which such certificate represents; and the par value of each share represented by such certificate or a statement that the shares are without par value.

S ECTION  3.  Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates.  The Corporation may, but need not, issue a new stock certificate in the place of any certificate previously issued if the holder of record of the certificate:

a. Makes proof in affidavit form that it has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken;

b. Requests the issue of a new certificate before the Corporation has notice that the certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of any adverse claim;


c. Gives bond in such form as the Corporation may direct to indemnify the Corporation, the transfer agent and registrar against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of a certificate; and

d. Satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Corporation.

In the event the holder of record of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate complies with subsections (a) — (d) of this section and the Corporation does not issue a new certificate in the place of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate because the Board of Directors has authorized the class or series of capital stock of the Corporation to which the shares represented by the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate belong be uncertificated, then the Corporation shall send the person otherwise entitled thereto the written statement required by Section 4 of this Article IV.

S ECTION  4.  Shares of Stock Without Certificates.  The Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of some or all of the shares of any or all of the classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation without certificates. The authorization shall not affect shares of stock already represented by certificates until and unless said certificates are surrendered to the Corporation or its transfer agent. Within a reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of shares without certificates, the Corporation shall send the holder thereof a written statement of the information required on certificates of stock by applicable law or these Bylaws.

ARTICLE V

BOOKS AND RECORDS

S ECTION  1.  Books and Records.

a. The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of its shareholders, Board of Directors and committees of directors.

b. This Corporation shall keep at its registered office or principal place of business or at the office of its transfer agent or registrar a record of its shareholders, giving the names and addresses of all shareholders and the number, class and series, if any, of the shares held by each.

c. Any books, records and minutes may be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time.

S ECTION  2.  Shareholders’ Inspection Rights.  Any person who shall have been a holder of record of shares or of voting certificates there for at least six months immediately preceding his demand or shall be the holder of record of or the holder of record of voting trust certificates for at least five percent of the outstanding shares of any class or series of the Corporation, upon written demand stating the purpose thereof, shall have the right to examine, in person or by agent or attorney, at any reasonable time or times, for any proper purpose, its relevant books and records of accounts, minutes and records of shareholders and to make extracts therefrom.

S ECTION  3.  Financial Information.

a. Unless modified by a resolution of the stockholders not later than four months after the close of each fiscal year, this Corporation shall prepare a balance sheet showing in reasonable detail the financial condition of the Corporation as of the close of its fiscal year and a profit and loss statement showing the results of the operations of the Corporation during its fiscal year.

b. Upon the written request of any shareholder or holder of voting trust certificates for shares of the Corporation, the Corporation shall mail to such shareholder or holder of voting trust certificates a copy of the most recent such balance sheet and profit and loss statement.

c. The balance sheet and profit and loss statements shall be filed in the registered office of the Corporation in this State, shall be kept for at least five years and shall be subject to inspection during business hours by any shareholder or holder of voting trust certificates, in person or by agent.


ARTICLE VI

DIVIDENDS

The Board of Directors of this Corporation may, from time to time, declare and the Corporation may pay dividends on its shares in cash, property or its own shares, except when the Corporation is insolvent or when the payment thereof would render the Corporation insolvent or when the declaration or payment thereof would be contrary to any restrictions contained in the Articles of Incorporation, subject to the following provisions:

a. Dividends in cash or property may be declared and paid, except as otherwise provided in this section, only out of the unreserved and unrestricted earned surplus of the Corporation or out of capital surplus, howsoever arising, but each dividend paid out of capital surplus shall be identified as a distribution of capital surplus and the amount per share paid from such surplus shall be disclosed to the shareholders receiving the same concurrently with the distribution.

b. Dividends may be declared and paid in the Corporation’s own treasury shares.

c. Dividends may be declared and paid in the Corporation’s own authorized but unissued shares out of any unreserved and unrestricted surplus of the Corporation upon the following conditions:

(i) If a dividend is payable in shares having a par value, such shares shall be issued at not less than the par value thereof and there shall be transferred to stated capital at the time such dividend is paid an amount of surplus equal to the aggregate par value of the shares to be issued as a dividend.

(ii) If a dividend is payable in shares without par value, such shares shall be issued at such stated value as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors by resolution adopted at the time such dividend is declared and there shall be transferred to stated capital at the time such dividend is paid an amount of surplus equal to the aggregate stated value so fixed in respect of such shares and the amount per share so transferred to stated capital shall be disclosed to the shareholders receiving such dividend concurrently with the payment thereof.

d. No dividend payable in shares of any class shall be paid to the holders of shares of any other class unless the Articles of Incorporation so provide or such payment is authorized by the affirmative vote or the written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of the class in which the payment is to be made.

e. A split-up or division of the issued shares of any class into a greater number of shares of the same class without increasing the stated capital of the Corporation shall not be construed to be a share dividend within the meaning of this section.

f. Dividends shall be payable only with respect to such series of Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares and subject to such restrictions as the Board of Directors shall so designate pursuant to Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation.

ARTICLE VII

AMENDMENT

The By-laws may be amended by a majority vote of either the Board of Directors or the shareholders eligible to vote; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may not amend or repeal any by-law adopted by shareholders if the shareholders specifically provide that such by-law is not subject to amendment or repeal by the board of directors.


ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION

This Corporation shall indemnify any and all of its directors, officers, employees or agents or former directors, officers, employees or agents or any person or persons who may have served at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in which it owns shares of capital stock or of which it is a creditor to the full extent permitted by law. Said indemnification shall include but not be limited to the expenses, including the cost of any judgments, fines, settlements and counsel fees, actually paid or incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and any appeals thereof, to which any such person or his legal representative may be made a party or may be threatened to be made a party by reason of his being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent as herein provided. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which any director, officer, employee or agent may be entitled as a matter of law.

ARTICLE IX

CERTAIN LITIGATION MATTERS

S ECTION  1.  Exclusive Venue for Certain Litigation.

a. Unless a majority of the Board of Directors, acting on behalf of this Corporation, consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court located in Broward County in the State of Florida (or, if such Circuit Court does not have jurisdiction, another Circuit Court located within the State of Florida or, if no Circuit Court located within the State of Florida has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the Southern District of Florida) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of this Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of this Corporation to this Corporation or this Corporation’s shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against this Corporation or any of its directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the Florida Business Corporation Act, the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation or these By-Laws (in each case, as may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against this Corporation or any of its directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Florida (each, a “Covered Proceeding”), in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over all indispensable parties named as defendants.

b. If any Covered Proceeding is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Florida (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any shareholder, such shareholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Florida in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the immediately preceding clause (a) (an “Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such shareholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such shareholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such shareholder.

S ECTION  2.  Litigation Expenses. To the fullest extent permitted by law, and unless a majority of the Board of Directors, acting on behalf of this Corporation, consents in writing to the contrary, in the event that any person or entity (a “Claiming Party”) initiates or asserts any claim or counterclaim (“Claim”) or joins, offers substantial assistance to or has a direct financial interest in any Claim against this Corporation, or any director, officer or other employee (including any Claim purportedly filed on behalf of this Corporation), and such Claiming Party does not obtain a judgment on the merits that substantially achieves, in substance and amount, the full remedy sought by such Claiming Party (a “Satisfactory Judgment”), then each such Claiming Party shall be obligated to reimburse this Corporation and any such director, officer or other employee for all fees, costs and expenses of every kind and description (including, but not limited to, all attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses) that this Corporation or any such director, officer or other employee actually incurs in connection with the Covered Proceeding. The court issuing a judgment on the merits of a Claim may determine whether the Claiming Party has achieved a Satisfactory Judgment; provided, however, that if no such determination is made, the provisions of this Section shall apply. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of this Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section.