UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 12, 2018

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK

MELLON CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-35651   13-2614959

(State or other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

225 Liberty Street

New York, New York

  10286
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 495-1784

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:

 

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))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


ITEM 5.02 DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.

On February 12, 2018, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (the “Corporation”) amended and restated the Executive Severance Plan (the “ESP”), effective immediately, to include specific non-solicit and non-compete provisions that run for the duration of benefits under the ESP, continuing confidentiality provisions for so long as information remains proprietary, and certain other changes. The foregoing summary of the amendments is qualified in its entirety by reference to the amended and restated ESP, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 5.03 AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OR BYLAWS; CHANGE IN FISCAL YEAR.

On February 12, 2018, the Board of the Corporation approved and adopted amendments to the Corporation’s Amended and Restated By-Laws (the “By-Laws”), effective immediately. The following is a summary of the changes:

(1) Article Two, Section 11 was amended to permit the Lead Director to call a special meeting of the Board; (2) Article Two, Section 14 was amended to permit unanimous written consent by the Board of Directors through electronic transmission; (3) Article Three was amended to remove references to the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, which has been combined with the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee; (4) Article Three, Section 3 was amended to change the name of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee to the Corporate Governance, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee; (5) Articles Three, Four and Eight were amended to remove references to the Executive Committee, which has been dissolved; (6) Article Six, Section 1 was amended to permit any two authorized officers to sign stock certificates; and (7) Article Six, Section 5 was amended to address uncertificated preferred stock.

The foregoing summary of the amendments is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended and Restated By-Laws, which are filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 (marked to show changes from the prior version) and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(d) EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  3.1    Amended and Restated By-Laws of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, as amended on February 12, 2018
10.1    The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation Executive Severance Plan, as amended and restated on February 12, 2018


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.

 

   

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION

(Registrant)

Date: February 13, 2018     By:  

/s/ Craig T. Beazer

   

Name:

Title:

 

Craig T. Beazer

Secretary

Exhibit 3.1

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION

AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS

(As Amended April 14, 2009, August 11, 2009, February 9, 2010,

July 2, 2010, October 12, 2010, October 8, 2013, March 5, 2015 and ,

October 13, 2015 and February 12 , 2018 )

ARTICLE ONE

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

Section 1. ANNUAL MEETINGS. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for the election of Directors and the transaction of all other business that may properly come before the meeting shall be held on such date, time and place (or may not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication), as may be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS.

(a) General .

(i) A special meeting of the stockholders may be called for any purpose by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Chairman. In addition, a special meeting of the stockholders (a “Stockholder Requested Special Meeting”) shall be called by the Secretary upon the receipt by the Corporation of one or more valid written requests (each, a “Special Meeting Request”) from holders of record of the Corporation’s common stock with an aggregate “net long position” equal to at least 20% of the outstanding common stock of the Corporation (the “Requisite Percent”), subject to the provisions of this Section 2.

(ii) For purposes of calculating the Requisite Percent, a requesting stockholder’s “net long position” shall be determined in accordance with the definition set forth in Rule 14e-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); provided that (A) for purposes of such definition, “the date that a tender offer is first publicly announced or otherwise made known by the bidder to holders of the security to be acquired” shall be the date on which the applicable Special Meeting Request is received by the Corporation and the “highest tender offer price or stated amount of the consideration offered for the subject security” shall refer to the closing price of a share of common stock of the Corporation on the New York Stock Exchange (or any successor thereto) on such date, and (B) to the extent not covered by such definition, the “net long position” shall be reduced by the number of shares of common stock of the Corporation that such requesting stockholder does not, or will not, have the right to vote (or to direct the voting of) on the date of the relevant Stockholder Requested Special Meeting or as to which such requesting stockholder has entered into a derivative or other agreement, arrangement or understanding that hedges or transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares. If a Special Meeting Request is being made by a holder of record on behalf of a beneficial owner of stock, then references in this Section 2 to the “net long position” or stock ownership of a requesting stockholder shall be deemed to refer to the “net long position” or stock ownership of such beneficial owner.

(iii) In determining whether a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting has been requested by the Requisite Percent of stockholders, multiple Special Meeting Requests delivered to the Secretary will be considered together only if (A) each request identifies substantially the same purpose(s) of the proposed Stockholder Requested Special Meeting and substantially the same matters proposed to be acted on at the proposed Stockholder Requested Special Meeting (in each case to be determined by the Board of Directors), and (B) such Special Meeting Requests have been dated and delivered to the Secretary within 60 days of the earliest dated Special Meeting Request. The earliest date on which valid, unrevoked Special Meeting Requests representing an aggregate net long position of at least the Requisite Percent have been delivered to the Secretary in accordance with this Section 2 is referred to herein as the “Delivery Date”.

(iv) Any requesting stockholder may revoke a Special Meeting Request at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. Any reduction in a requesting stockholder’s net long position prior to the meeting date shall be deemed a revocation of the Special Meeting Request to the extent of such reduction. If following such revocation, the aggregate net long position represented by the valid, unrevoked Special Meeting Requests is less than the Requisite Percent, then there shall be no requirement to hold a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting.

(b) Validity of Special Meeting Requests .

(i) In order for a Special Meeting Request to be valid, it must be signed and dated by a record holder of common stock of the Corporation (or the record holder’s duly authorized agents), must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, and must include: (A) the information specified in Section 4(a)(ii) of Article Two of these By-Laws if the purpose of the meeting includes the election of directors (provided that a Solicited Stockholder (as


defined below) need not provide the information in clauses (2), (3), (6) and (7) of Section 4(a)(ii) of Article Two so long as another requesting stockholder provides such information); (B) the information specified in Section 12(a)(ii) of this Article One if the purpose of the meeting includes matters other than the election of directors (provided that a Solicited Stockholder need not provide the information in clauses (B), (C), (E) and (F) of Section 12(a)(ii) of this Article One so long as another requesting stockholder provides such information); (C) the calculation of the requesting stockholder’s net long position, including the number of shares held of record and disclosure of any short positions, hedges, voting or other arrangements that impact the calculation of such net long position; and (D) an agreement (unless and until such Special Meeting Request is revoked) to notify the Corporation of any reduction in such net long position prior to the meeting date (x) within 10 business days following the record date for the meeting in the case of a reduction during the period from the Delivery Date through such record date, (y) by the eighth business day prior to the meeting date, in the case of a reduction during the period from the record date through the tenth business day prior to the meeting date, and (z) promptly following such change in the case of any reduction thereafter, and otherwise to provide the Corporation with such additional information as it may reasonably request. If the record holder is not the signatory to the Special Meeting Request, such Special Meeting Request will not be valid unless documentary evidence of such signatory’s authority to execute the Special Meeting Request on behalf of the record holder is supplied to the Secretary at the time such Special Meeting Request is received (or within 10 business days thereafter). A Solicited Stockholder is any stockholder that (1) has submitted a Special Meeting Request in response to a solicitation statement filed by another stockholder seeking support from the Requisite Percent of stockholders for the relevant special meeting pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and (2) is not an affiliate or associate of or acting in concert with the stockholder filing such solicitation statement.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Special Meeting Request shall not be valid if: (A) it is received by the Secretary during the period commencing 90 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting and ending on the date of the next annual meeting; (B) the purpose(s) specified in the Special Meeting Request include matters other than the election or removal of directors and an identical or substantially similar item (as determined in good faith by the Board, a “Similar Item”) was presented at a meeting of stockholders held not more than 12 months before the Special Meeting Request is received by the Corporation; (C) the purpose(s) specified in the Special Meeting Request include the election or removal of directors, and a proposal for the election or removal of directors was presented at a meeting of the stockholders held not more than 90 days before the Special Meeting Request is received by the Corporation; (D) a Similar Item is included in the Company’s notice as an item of business to be brought before a stockholder meeting that has been or is called for a date within 90 days after the Special Meeting Request is received; or (E) the request relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law or was made in a manner that involved a violation of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act or other applicable law.

(c) Holding a Special Meeting . Any special meeting shall be held at such date, time and place (or may not be held at any place, but may instead be held by means of remote communications) and upon such notice as the Board of Directors shall determine, provided that a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting shall be called for a date not more than 90 days after the Delivery Date.

(d) Business Transacted at a Special Meeting . Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting pursuant to Section 3 of this Article One. Nothing herein shall prohibit the Board of Directors from including additional matters in the notice for any Stockholder Requested Special Meeting. If none of the stockholders who submitted a Special Meeting Request appears or sends a qualified representative to present the business proposed to be conducted at the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting, the Corporation need not present such business for a vote at such Stockholder Requested Special Meeting.

Section 3. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting shall be given in any manner permitted by law which shall state the place, if any (or, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting), date and hour of the meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting and, in the case of a special meeting (including a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting), the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise provided by law, the notice of any meeting shall be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. Such notice shall be deemed to be given: (i) if mailed, when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation; (ii) if sent by electronic mail, when delivered to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive such notice; and (iii) if posted on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, the later of (1) such posting and (2) the giving of such separate notice. If such notice is transmitted by any other form of electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be given when directed to the address or account of a stockholder at which the stockholder has consented to receive such notice. Notice shall be deemed to have been given to all stockholders of record who share an address if notice is given in accordance with the “householding” rules set forth in the rules of the Exchange Act and Section 233 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), or in each case any successor provision thereto. For purposes of these By-Laws, “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form through an automated process.

Section 4. ADJOURNMENTS. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special (including a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting), may be adjourned from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, thereof are announced at the

 

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meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 30 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting.

Section 5. ORGANIZATION. Only such business shall be conducted and only such nominations of candidates for election to the Board of Directors shall be considered at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in (i) Section 12(a) of this Article One or Sections 4 or 5 of Article Two with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders and (ii) Section 12(b) of this Article One or Section 4 of Article Two with respect to a special meeting of the stockholders. The officer presiding at the meeting shall have the power and the duty to determine whether any business proposed to be brought before or any nomination proposed to be considered at a meeting was proposed in accordance with the procedures set forth in these By-Laws and, if any business or nomination is not in compliance with such procedures, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded. The officer presiding at the meeting shall have authority on his or her own motion to adjourn the meeting from time to time without the approval of the stockholders who are present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote, whether or not constituting a quorum, and without notice other than announcement at the meeting. The Board of Directors may, to the extent not prohibited by law, adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meetings of stockholders as it deems appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with the rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors, the officer presiding at the meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe rules, regulations and procedures and to do all acts as, in the judgment of such officer, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting.

Section 6. VOTING. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation (including any certificate of designations with respect to any series of preferred stock), each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder that has voting power on the matter in question. Stockholders may vote at any meeting in person or may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy in any manner permitted by law. No proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary of the Corporation a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot.

Section 7. RECORD DATES.

(a) Record Date for Meetings of Stockholders . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the day immediately preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, the day immediately preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided , however , that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

(b) Record Date for Consents of Stockholders in Lieu of Meetings . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to any corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than 10 days after the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which such proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

(c) Record Date for Dividends, Distributions and Other Rights in Respect of Stock . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than 60 days prior to such action. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

Section 8. QUORUM; STOCKHOLDER ACTION. The presence, in person or by proxy, of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes that all stockholders are entitled to cast shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of stockholders. Without limiting the power and authority of the officer presiding at a meeting, pursuant to Section 5 of this Article

 

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One, to adjourn such meeting without a vote of stockholders, in the absence of a quorum of the holders of all outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote on a matter, the holders of such shares so present or represented may, by majority vote, adjourn such meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be so present or represented, without notice other than announcement at the meeting. When a quorum is once present, it shall not be broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any stockholder from the meeting. Shares of its own capital stock belonging on the record date for the meeting to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation to vote stock, including but not limited to its own stock, held by it in a fiduciary capacity. Unless otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, any action of the stockholders to be taken at a meeting of stockholders (other than an election of Directors to the extent set forth in Section 9 of this Article One) may be taken by a majority of the votes cast with respect to the matter at any duly convened stockholders’ meeting.

Section 9. REQUIRED VOTE FOR DIRECTORS. Except as otherwise provided by these By-Laws, each director shall be elected by the vote of the majority of the votes cast with respect to that director’s election at any meeting for the election of directors at which a quorum is present, provided that if, as of the record date of such meeting as initially announced, the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected at such meeting (a “Contested Election”), the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast. For purposes of this Section 9 of this Article One of these By-Laws, a majority of votes cast shall mean that the number of votes cast “for” a director’s election exceeds the number of votes cast “against” that director’s election (with “abstentions” not counted as a vote cast either “for” or “against” that director’s election).

Section 10. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS. The Secretary or other officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger shall prepare and make, at least 10 days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to examination by any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, for a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting, either (at the election of the Corporation) (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is included in the notice of the meeting or (ii) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation. The list of stockholders shall also be open to examination by any stockholder at the meeting (and for the duration thereof) as required by applicable law. Except as otherwise provided by law, the identity of stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 10, to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders or to execute written consents to corporate action without a meeting shall be conclusively determined by reference to the stock ledger.

Section 11. INSPECTOR OF ELECTIONS. The Corporation may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation, to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. In the event that no inspector so appointed or designated is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspector or inspectors so appointed or designated shall (i) ascertain the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and the voting power of each such share, (ii) determine the shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (iii) count all votes and ballots, (iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors, and (v) certify their determination of the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and such inspectors’ count of all votes and ballots. Such certification and report shall specify such other information as may be required by law. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, the inspectors may consider such information as is permitted by applicable law. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.

Section 12. NOTICE OF BUSINESS TO BE PRESENTED AT STOCKHOLDER MEETINGS.

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders . The proposal of business (other than nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors) to be considered by the stockholders at an annual meeting of stockholders may be made (x) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting for such annual meeting, (y) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (z) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 12, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12. For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (z) of the preceding sentence, such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action and the stockholder must have given timely notice in compliance with the following requirements in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation:

(i) To be timely, a stockholder’s notice given pursuant to this Section 12 must be received at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, addressed to the Secretary, not less than 90 calendar days or more than 120 calendar days before the anniversary date of the Corporation’s proxy statement released to stockholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the date of the annual meeting at which such business is to be presented has been changed by more than 30 calendar days from the date of the most recent previous annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice shall be considered timely if so received by the Corporation (A) on or before the later of (1) 120 calendar days before the date of the annual meeting at which such business is to be presented or (2) 30 calendar days following the first public announcement by the Corporation of the date of such annual meeting and (B) not later than 15 calendar days prior to the scheduled mailing date of the Corporation’s proxy materials for such annual meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

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(ii) A stockholder’s notice given pursuant to this Section 12 shall set forth (A) the name and address of the stockholder who intends to make the proposal and the classes and numbers of shares of the Corporation’s stock beneficially owned by such stockholder, (B) a representation that the stockholder is and will at the time of the annual meeting be a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting on the proposal(s) specified in the notice and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to present such proposal(s), (C) a description of the business the stockholder intends to bring before the meeting, including the text of any proposal or proposals to be presented for action by the stockholders, (D) the name and address of any beneficial owner(s) of the Corporation’s stock on whose behalf such business is to be presented and the class and number of shares beneficially owned by the stockholder and each such beneficial owner (collectively, the “Interested Persons”), (E) the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder or any such beneficial owner and (F) whether and the extent to which any hedging, derivative or other transaction is in place or has been entered into within the prior six months preceding the date of delivery of the stockholder’s notice by or for the benefit of any Interested Person with respect to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or any of their respective securities, debt instruments or credit ratings, the effect or intent of which transaction is to give rise to gain or loss as a result of changes in the trading price of such securities or debt instruments or changes in the credit ratings of the Corporation, its subsidiaries or any of their respective securities or debt instruments (or, more generally, changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the Corporation or its subsidiaries), or to increase or decrease the voting power of such Interested Person, and if so, a summary of the material terms thereof.

(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders . The matters to be considered and brought before any special meeting of the stockholders shall be limited to only such matters as shall be brought properly before such meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of such special meeting (including, in the case of a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting, compliance with the requirements of Section 2 of this Article One).

(c) General .

(i) For purposes of this Section, (A) “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and (B) “beneficial ownership” shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 12.

(iii) Nothing in this Section 12 shall be deemed to affect any rights of a stockholder to request inclusion of a proposal in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, or any successor rule, or to present for action at an annual meeting any proposal so included.

ARTICLE TWO

DIRECTORS

Section 1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. Except as expressly limited by law, all corporate powers of the Corporation shall be vested in and may be exercised by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. NUMBER. The Board of Directors shall consist of such number of Directors as shall be fixed from time to time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. ELECTION; TERM OF OFFICE. Each Director hereafter elected shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is elected and has qualified, or until his or her death or until he or she shall resign or shall have been removed or disqualified.

Section 4. NOMINATIONS.

(a) Nominations of Director Candidates . Nominations for the election of Directors may be made (x) by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or any officer of the Corporation to whom the Board of Directors or such committee shall have delegated such authority, (y) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 4, who is entitled to vote on the election of Directors and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 4, or (z) in the case of stockholder nominations to be included in the Corporation’s proxy statement for an annual meeting, any Eligible Holder (as defined in Section 5 of this Article Two) who satisfies the requirements set forth in Section 5 of this Article Two.

 

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(i) For nominations to be properly brought before a meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (y) of this Section 4(a), written notice of a stockholder’s intent to make a nomination or nominations for Director must be given to the Corporation either by United States mail or personal delivery to the Secretary of the Corporation (1) in the case of an annual meeting, not less than 90 calendar days or more than 120 calendar days before the anniversary date of the Corporation’s proxy statement released to stockholders in connection with the previous year’s annual meeting and (2) in the case of a special meeting at which directors are to be elected, not later than the close of business on the tenth calendar day following the earlier of the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed and the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting was made. Notwithstanding clause (1) of the preceding sentence, if the date of the annual meeting at which Directors are to be elected has been changed by more than 30 calendar days from the date of the most recent previous annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice of intent to make a nomination or nominations for Director shall be considered timely if so received by the Corporation (A) on or before the later of (x) 120 calendar days before the date of the annual meeting at which such business is to be presented or (y) 30 calendar days following the first public announcement by the Corporation of the date of such annual meeting and (B) not later than 15 calendar days prior to the scheduled mailing date of the Corporation’s proxy materials for such annual meeting.

(ii) The stockholder’s notice referenced in Section 4(a)(i) must include: (1) the name and address of the stockholder who intends to make the nomination, (2) a representation that the stockholder is and will at the time of the annual meeting be a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such annual meeting and that the stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to make the nomination or nominations set forth in the notice, (3) the name and address of the person or persons to be nominated for election as Director and such other information regarding the proposed nominee or nominees as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, (4) the name and address of any Interested Persons with respect to the nomination and the class and number of shares beneficially owned by each Interested Person (including the nominating stockholder), (5) a description of all arrangements or undertakings between each Interested Person and each proposed nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made, (6) a consent signed by each of the proposed nominees agreeing to serve as a Director if so elected and (7) whether and the extent to which any hedging, derivative or other transaction is in place or has been entered into within the prior six months preceding the date of delivery of the stockholder’s notice by or for the benefit of any Interested Person or the nominee with respect to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or any of their respective securities, debt instruments or credit ratings, the effect or intent of which transaction is to give rise to gain or loss as a result of changes in the trading price of such securities or debt instruments or changes in the credit ratings of the Corporation, its subsidiaries or any of their respective securities or debt instruments (or, more generally, changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the Corporation or its subsidiaries), or to increase or decrease the voting power of such Interested Persons or the nominee, and if so, a summary of the material terms thereof. The Corporation may require any proposed director nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation and to comply with applicable law. The Board of Directors will be under no obligation to recommend any proposed director nominee, even though a notice has been given in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 4(a).

(b) Proxy Access Nominations . For nominations to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (z) of Section 4(a), the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation in accordance with Section 5(d) of this Article Two and satisfy all other requirements of Section 5 of this Article Two.

Section 5. STOCKHOLDER NOMINATIONS INCLUDED IN THE CORPORATION’S PROXY MATERIALS.

(a) Inclusion of Nominees in Proxy Statement . Subject to the provisions of this Section 5, if expressly requested in the relevant Nomination Notice (as defined below), the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement for any annual meeting of stockholders:

(i) the names of any persons nominated for election (each, a “Nominee”), which shall also be included on the Corporation’s form of proxy and ballot, by any Eligible Holder (as defined below) or group of up to 20 Eligible Holders that has (individually and collectively, in the case of a group) satisfied, as determined by the Board of Directors, acting in good faith, all applicable conditions and complied with all applicable procedures set forth in this Section 5 (such Eligible Holder or group of Eligible Holders being a “Nominating Stockholder”);

(ii) disclosure about each Nominee and Nominating Stockholder required under the rules of the SEC or other applicable law to be included in the proxy statement;

(iii) any statement in support of the Nominee’s (or Nominees’, as applicable) election to the Board of Directors included by the Nominating Stockholder in the Nomination Notice for inclusion in the proxy statement (subject, without limitation, to Section 5(e)(ii)), provided that such statement does not exceed 500 words; and

 

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(iv) any other information that the Corporation or the Board of Directors determines, in their discretion, to include in the proxy statement relating to the nomination of the Nominee(s), including, without limitation, any statement in opposition to the nomination and any of the information provided pursuant to this Section 5.

(b) Maximum Number of Nominees .

(i) The Corporation shall not be required to include in the proxy statement for an annual meeting of stockholders more Nominees than that number of directors constituting 20% of the total number of directors of the Corporation on the last day on which a Nomination Notice may be submitted pursuant to this Section 5 (rounded down to the nearest whole number, but not less than two) (the “Maximum Number”). The Maximum Number for a particular annual meeting shall be reduced by (1) the number of Nominees that the Board of Directors itself decides to nominate for election at such annual meeting (for the avoidance of doubt, after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 5(d) below and after giving effect to the selection process set forth in Section 5(b)(ii), if applicable) and (2) the number of incumbent directors who had been Nominees with respect to any of the preceding two annual meetings of stockholders and whose reelection at the upcoming annual meeting is being recommended by the Board of Directors. In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occurs on the Board of Directors after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 5(d) below but before the date of the annual meeting, and the Board of Directors resolves to reduce the size of the Board of Directors in connection therewith, the Maximum Number shall be calculated based on the number of directors in office as so reduced.

(ii) If the number of Nominees pursuant to this Section 5 for any annual meeting of stockholders exceeds the Maximum Number then, promptly upon notice from the Corporation, each Nominating Stockholder will select one Nominee for inclusion in the proxy statement until the Maximum Number is reached, going in order of the amount (largest to smallest) of the ownership position as disclosed in each Nominating Stockholder’s Nomination Notice, with the process repeated if the Maximum Number is not reached after each Nominating Stockholder has selected one Nominee. If, after the deadline for submitting a Nomination Notice as set forth in Section 5(d), a Nominating Stockholder ceases to satisfy, as determined by the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, the eligibility requirements in this Section 5 or withdraws its nomination or a Nominee ceases to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 5, as determined by the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, or becomes unwilling to serve on the Board of Directors, whether before or after the mailing of the definitive proxy statement, then the nomination shall be disregarded, and the Corporation (1) shall not be required to include in its proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy the disregarded Nominee or any successor or replacement nominee proposed by the applicable Nominating Stockholder or by any other Nominating Stockholder and (2) may otherwise communicate to its stockholders, including without limitation by amending or supplementing its proxy statement or ballot or form of proxy, that the Nominee will not be included as a Nominee in the proxy statement or on any ballot or form of proxy and will not be voted on at the annual meeting.

(c) Eligibility of Nominating Stockholder .

(i) An “Eligible Holder” is a person who has either (1) been a record holder of the shares of common stock used to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 5(c) continuously for the three-year period specified in paragraph (ii) below or (2) provides to the Secretary of the Corporation, within the time period referred to in Section 5(d), evidence of continuous ownership of such shares for such three-year period from one or more securities intermediaries in a form that the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, determines would be deemed acceptable for purposes of a shareholder proposal under Rule 14a-8(b)(2) under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule).

(ii) An Eligible Holder or group of up to 20 Eligible Holders may submit a nomination in accordance with this Section 5 only if the person or group (in the aggregate) has continuously owned at least the Minimum Number (as defined below) of shares of the Corporation’s common stock throughout the three-year period preceding and including the date of submission of the Nomination Notice, and continues to own at least the Minimum Number through the date of the annual meeting. A group of funds under common management and investment control shall be treated as one Eligible Holder. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a nomination by a group of Eligible Holders, any and all requirements and obligations for an individual Eligible Holder that are set forth in this Section 5, including the minimum holding period, shall apply to each member of such group; provided, however, that the Minimum Number shall apply to the ownership of the group in the aggregate. Should any stockholder cease to satisfy the eligibility requirements in this Section 5, as determined by the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, or withdraw from a group of Eligible Holders at any time prior to the annual meeting of stockholders, the group of Eligible Stockholders shall only be deemed to own the shares held by the remaining members of the group.

(iii) The “Minimum Number” of shares of the Corporation’s common stock means 3% of the number of outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation as of the most recent date for which such amount is given in any filing by the Corporation with the SEC prior to the submission of the Nomination Notice.

(iv) For purposes of this Section 5, an Eligible Holder “owns” only those outstanding shares of the Corporation as to which the Eligible Holder possesses both: (A) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (B) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit and risk of loss on) such shares; provided , that the number

 

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of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (A) and (B) shall not include any shares: (1) sold by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, (2) borrowed by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates for any purpose or purchased by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell, or (3) subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar agreement entered into by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates, whether any such instrument or agreement is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of outstanding shares of the Corporation, in any such case which instrument or agreement has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of: (x) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such Eligible Holder’s or any of its affiliates’ full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares, and/or (y) hedging, offsetting, or altering to any degree, gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such Eligible Holder or any of its affiliates. An Eligible Holder “owns” shares held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as the Eligible Holder retains the right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares. An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has delegated any voting power by means of a proxy, power of attorney, or other similar instrument or arrangement that is revocable at any time by the Eligible Holder. An Eligible Holder’s ownership of shares shall be deemed to continue during any period in which the Eligible Holder has loaned such shares provided that the Eligible Holder has the power to recall such loaned shares on three business days’ notice and has recalled such shares as of the date of the annual meeting. The terms “owned,” “owning” and other variations of the word “own” shall have correlative meanings. Whether outstanding shares of the Corporation are “owned” for these purposes shall be determined by the Board of Directors or its designee.

(v) No person shall be permitted to be in more than one group constituting a Nominating Stockholder, and if any person appears as a member of more than one group, it shall be deemed to be a member of the group that has the largest ownership position as reflected in the Nomination Notice.

(d) Nomination Notice . To nominate a Nominee, the Nominating Stockholder must, no earlier than 150 calendar days and no later than 120 calendar days before the anniversary of the date that the Corporation mailed its proxy statement for the prior year’s annual meeting of stockholders, submit to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive office of the Corporation all of the following information and documents (collectively, the “Nomination Notice”); provided, however, that if (and only if) the annual meeting is not scheduled to be held within a period that commences 30 days before such the anniversary date of such annual meeting and ends 30 days after such anniversary date (an annual meeting date outside such period being referred to herein as an “Other Meeting Date”), the Nomination Notice shall be given in the manner provided in this Section 5(d) by the later of the close of business on the date that is 180 days prior to such Other Meeting Date or the tenth day following the date such Other Meeting Date is first publicly announced or disclosed:

(i) a Schedule 14N (or any successor form) relating to the Nominee, completed and filed with the SEC by the Nominating Stockholder as applicable, in accordance with SEC rules;

(ii) a written notice, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, of the nomination of such Nominee that includes the following additional information, agreements, representations and warranties by the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member):

(1) the information required with respect to the nomination of directors pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii) of this Article Two;

(2) the details of any relationship that existed within the past three years and that would have been described pursuant to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) if it existed on the date of submission of the Schedule 14N;

(3) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder acquired the securities of the Corporation in the ordinary course of business and did not acquire, and is not holding, securities of the Corporation for the purpose or with the effect of influencing or changing control of the Corporation;

(4) a representation and warranty that the Nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, Board membership would not violate applicable state or federal law or the rules of any national securities exchange on which the Corporation’s securities are traded;

(5) a representation and warranty that the Nominee: (A) does not have any direct or indirect relationship with the Corporation that will cause the Nominee to be deemed not independent pursuant to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines as most recently published on its website prior to the submission of the Nomination Notice and otherwise qualifies as independent under the rules of any national securities exchange on which the Corporation’s shares of common stock are traded; (B) is a “non-employee director” for the purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule); (C) is an “outside director” for the purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (or any successor provision); and (D) is not and has not been subject to any event specified in Rule 506(d)(1) of Regulation D (or any successor rule) under the Securities Act of 1933 or Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K (or any successor rule) under the Exchange Act, without reference to whether the event is material to an evaluation of the ability or integrity of the Nominee;

 

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(6) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 5(c) and has provided evidence of ownership to the extent required by Section 5(c)(i);

(7) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder intends to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 5(c) through the date of the annual meeting;

(8) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not engage in a “solicitation” within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act in support of the election of any individual as a director at the applicable annual meeting, other than its Nominee(s) or any nominee of the Board of Directors;

(9) a representation and warranty that the Nominating Stockholder will not use any proxy card other than the Corporation’s proxy card in soliciting stockholders in connection with the election of a Nominee at the annual meeting;

(10) if desired, a statement for inclusion in the proxy statement in support of the Nominee’s (or Nominees’, as applicable) election to the Board of Directors, provided that such statement shall not exceed 500 words and shall fully comply with Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Rule 14a-9; and

(11) in the case of a nomination by a group, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all group members with respect to matters relating to the nomination, including withdrawal of the nomination;

(iii) an executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, pursuant to which the Nominating Stockholder (including each group member) agrees:

(1) to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with the nomination, solicitation and election;

(2) to file any written solicitation or other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders relating to one or more of the Corporation’s directors or director nominees or any Nominee with the SEC, regardless of whether any such filing is required under any rule or regulation or whether any exemption from filing is available for such materials under any rule or regulation;

(3) to assume all liability stemming from an action, suit or proceeding concerning any actual or alleged legal or regulatory violation arising out of any communication by the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Nominees with the Corporation, its stockholders or any other person in connection with the nomination or election of directors, including, without limitation, the Nomination Notice;

(4) to indemnify and hold harmless (jointly with all other group members, in the case of a group member) the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees individually against any liability, loss, damages, expenses or other costs (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of or relating to a failure or alleged failure of the Nominating Stockholder or any of its Nominees to comply with, or any breach or alleged breach of, its respective obligations, agreements or representations under this Section 5; and

(5) in the event that any information included in the Nomination Notice ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), or that the Nominating Stockholder (including any group member) has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 5(c), to promptly notify the Corporation of the misstatement or omission in such previously provided information and of the information that is required to correct the misstatement or omission; and

(iv) an executed agreement, in a form deemed satisfactory by the Board of Directors or its designee, acting in good faith, by the Nominee:

(1) to provide to the Corporation such other information, including completion of the Corporation’s director questionnaire, as it may reasonably request;

(2) that the Nominee has read and agrees, if elected, to adhere to the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and Directors’ Code of Conduct and any other Corporation policies and guidelines applicable to directors; and

 

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(3) that the Nominee is not and will not become a party to (i) any compensatory, payment or other financial agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity in connection with service or action as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, (ii) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity as to how the Nominee would vote or act on any issue or question as a director (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or (iii) any Voting Commitment that could reasonably be expected to limit or interfere with the Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with its fiduciary duties under applicable law.

The information and documents required by this Section 5(d) shall be: (i) provided with respect to and executed by each group member, in the case of information applicable to group members; and (ii) provided with respect to the persons specified in Instruction 1 to Item 6(c) and (d) of Schedule 14N (or any successor item) in the case of a Nominating Stockholder or group member that is an entity. The Nomination Notice shall be deemed submitted on the date on which all of the information and documents referred to in this Section 5(d) (other than such information and documents contemplated to be provided after the date the Nomination Notice is provided) have been delivered to or, if sent by mail, received by the Secretary of the Corporation.

(e) Exceptions .

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 5, the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement any Nominee and any information concerning such Nominee (including a Nominating Stockholder’s statement in support) and no vote on such Nominee will occur (notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation), and the Nominating Stockholder may not, after the last day on which a Nomination Notice would be timely, cure in any way any defect preventing the nomination of the Nominee, if:

(1) the Corporation receives a notice pursuant to clause (y) of Section 4(a) of this Article Two that a stockholder intends to nominate a candidate for director at the annual meeting;

(2) the Nominating Stockholder or the designated lead group member, as applicable, or any qualified representative thereof, does not appear at the meeting of stockholders to present the nomination submitted pursuant to this Section 5, the Nominating Stockholder withdraws its nomination or the officer presiding at the meeting determines that such nomination shall be disregarded pursuant to Section 5 of Article One;

(3) the Board of Directors, acting in good faith, determines that such Nominee’s nomination or election to the Board of Directors would result in the Corporation violating or failing to be in compliance with the Corporation’s bylaws By-Laws or certificate of incorporation or any applicable law, rule or regulation to which the Corporation is subject, including any rules or regulations of any national securities exchange on which the Corporation’s securities are traded;

(4) (A) the Nominee has been, within the past three years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined for purposes of Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, as amended, (B) the Nominee’s election as a member of the Board of Directors would cause the Corporation to seek, or assist in the seeking of, advance approval or to obtain, or assist in the obtaining of, an interlock waiver pursuant to the rules or regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or (C) the Nominee is a director, trustee, officer or employee with management functions for any depository institution, depository institution holding company or entity that has been designated as a Systemically Important Financial Institution, each as defined in the Depository Institution Management Interlocks Act, provided, however, that this clause (C) shall apply only so long as the Corporation is subject to compliance with Section 164 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; or

(5) the Corporation is notified, or the Board of Directors acting in good faith determines, that a Nominating Stockholder has failed to continue to satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Section 5(c), any of the representations and warranties made in the Nomination Notice ceases to be true and accurate in all material respects (or omits a material fact necessary to make the statements made not misleading), the Nominee becomes unwilling or unable to serve on the Board of Directors or any material violation or breach occurs of the obligations, agreements, representations or warranties of the Nominating Stockholder or the Nominee under this Section 5.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 5, the Corporation may omit from its proxy statement, or may supplement or correct, any information, including all or any portion of the statement in support of the Nominee(s) included in the Nomination Notice, if the Board of Directors in good faith determines that:

(1) such information is not true in all material respects or omits a material statement necessary to make the statements made not misleading;

 

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(2) such information directly or indirectly impugns the character, integrity or personal reputation of, or directly or indirectly makes charges concerning improper, illegal or immoral conduct or associations, without factual foundation, with respect to, any person; or

(3) the inclusion of such information in the proxy statement would otherwise violate the SEC proxy rules or any other applicable law, rule or regulation.

The Corporation may solicit against, and include in the proxy statement its own statement relating to, any Nominee.

Section 6. VACANCIES. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification or removal from office or other cause, as well as any vacancy resulting from an increase in the number of Directors which occurs between annual meetings of the stockholders at which Directors are elected, shall be filled only by a majority vote of the remaining Directors then in office, whether or not a quorum, except that those vacancies resulting from removal from office by a vote of the stockholders may be filled by a vote of the stockholders at the same meeting at which such removal occurs. The Directors chosen to fill vacancies shall hold office for a term expiring at the end of the next annual meeting of stockholders. No decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.

Section 7. REMOVAL. Any Director may be removed from office at any time without assigning any cause by the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors.

Section 8. EXCEPTIONS FOR PREFERENCE DIRECTORS. The provisions of Sections 4 through 7 of this Article Two shall not apply to any Director of the Corporation who may be elected under specified circumstances by holders of any class or series of stock having a preference over the common stock as to dividends or upon liquidation of the Corporation.

Section 9. [RESERVED.]

Section 10. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as the Board of Directors shall determine in accordance with the Corporate Governance Guidelines or which are otherwise furnished to the Directors at its Organization Meeting each year, and if so determined or furnished, notice of such meetings need not be given.

Section 11. SPECIAL MEETINGS. The Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman or , the President or the Lead Director may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors at any time. Any such officer or the Secretary shall call a special meeting of the Board upon the written request of any three members of the Board. A special meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be designated by the person or persons calling the meeting. The person or persons calling the meeting shall cause such notice of the meeting and of its purpose to be given as hereinafter provided in this Section 11, but, except as otherwise expressly provided by law or by these By-Laws, the purposes thereof need not be stated in such notice. Except as otherwise provided by law, notice of the special meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each Director either (i) by mail or courier not less than 48 hours before the date of the meeting or (ii) by telephone, telegram or facsimile or electronic transmission, not less than 24 hours before the time of the meeting or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances (provided that notice of any meeting need not be given to any director who shall either submit, before or after such meeting, a waiver of notice or attend the meeting without protesting, at the beginning thereof, the lack of notice).

Section 12. QUORUM; BOARD ACTION. A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting. Unless otherwise provided by law, by these By-Laws or in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, any action of the Board may be taken upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors present at a duly convened meeting or upon the unanimous written consent of all Directors. In case at any meeting of the Board of Directors a quorum shall not be present, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall be present.

Section 13. PARTICIPATION OTHER THAN BY ATTENDANCE. To the full extent permitted by law, any Director may participate in any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee of the Board of Directors of which he or she is a member by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting are able to hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 13 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

Section 14. ACTION BY DIRECTORS WITHOUT A MEETING. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing (which writing may include , or by electronic mail), transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be.

Section 15. COMPENSATION. Each Director who does not receive a salary from the Corporation or any affiliate thereof shall be entitled to such compensation as the Board shall determine for his or her service upon the Board of Directors and any of its committees, for his or her attendance at meetings of the Board and any of its committees and for his or her expenses incident thereto. Directors shall also be entitled to such compensation as the Board shall determine for services rendered to the Corporation in any capacity other than as Directors.

 

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Section 16. RESIGNATION. Any Director may resign by submitting his or her resignation to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall become effective upon its submission or at any later time specified therein.

ARTICLE THREE

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. APPOINTMENT; POWERS. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more standing or temporary committees consisting of two or more Directors. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. The Board of Directors may invest such committees with such powers and authority, subject to such conditions, as it may see fit, but no such committee shall have the power or authority with respect to the following matters: (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by law to be submitted to stockholders for approval or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing these By-Laws.

Section  2. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members an Executive Committee which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section  1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and may exercise all the authority of the Board of Directors during the intervals between the meetings thereof. All acts done and powers conferred by the Executive Committee shall be deemed to be, and may be certified as being, done by or conferred under authority of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Section 2. AUDIT COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, none of whom shall be an officer of the Corporation, an Audit Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Audit Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Audit Committee.

Section 4. Section 3. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE , AND NOMINATING AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, none of whom shall be an officer of the Corporation, a Corporate Governance , Nominating and Nominating Social Responsibility Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Corporate Governance , Nominating and Nominating Social Responsibility Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Corporate Governance , and Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee.

Section 5. Section 4. HUMAN RESOURCES AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, none of whom shall be an officer of the Corporation, a Human Resources and Compensation Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

Section 6. Section 5. RISK COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, a Risk Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Risk Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Risk Committee.

Section  7. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, a Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section  1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.

Section 8. Section 6. TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, a Technology Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Technology Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Technology Committee.

 

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Section 9. Section 7. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Board of Directors shall appoint from among its members, a Finance Committee, which, so far as may be permitted by law and except as specifically limited by the Board of Directors pursuant to Section 1 of this Article Three, shall have all the powers and responsibilities and shall perform the functions specified in the Charter of the Finance Committee, as approved by the Board of Directors, and in any supplemental statement that the Board of Directors may adopt with regards to the functions of the Finance Committee.

Section 10. Section 8. TERM; VACANCIES. (a) All committee members appointed by the Board of Directors shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors; and (b) the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy.

Section 11. Section 9. ORGANIZATION. All committees shall determine their own organization, procedures and times and places of meeting, unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors and except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws. In the absence of a provision by the Board of Directors or a provision in the rules of such committee to the contrary, a majority of the entire authorized number of members of such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, the vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at the time of such vote if a quorum is then present shall be the act of such committee, and in other respects each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board of Directors conducts its business pursuant to Article Two of these By-Laws.

ARTICLE FOUR

OFFICERS

Section 1. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall report directly to the Board of Directors and shall be responsible for the general management of the affairs of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors and of any committee thereof are carried into effect. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general executive powers concerning all the operations and business of the Corporation and shall have and exercise such further powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors or as may be provided by law, and he or she may delegate to any other officer such executive and other powers and duties as he or she deems advisable.

Section 2. CHAIRMAN. The Board of Directors shall appoint one of its members to be Chairman. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall have and exercise such further powers as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors or as may be provided by law. In the event of the absence or temporary disability of the Chairman, the Lead Director shall preside at the applicable meetings of the stockholders and/or the Board of Directors during which such absence or disability exists and, in the event of the absence or temporary disability of the Chairman and the Lead Director, any other officer of the Corporation or Director designated by the Board of Directors shall preside at the applicable meetings of the stockholders and/or Board of Directors during which such absence or disability exists.

Section 3. PRESIDENT. The Board of Directors shall appoint a President. The President shall have and exercise such powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or as may be provided by law.

Section 4. SENIOR OFFICERS. The Board of Directors may appoint, or the Chief Executive Officer may appoint, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors, one or more senior officers of the Corporation, any of whom may be designated as Vice Chairmen or as senior executive vice presidents or given any other descriptive titles, as the Board of Directors or the Human Resources and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors shall specify from time to time. Each senior officer shall have and exercise such powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 5. SECRETARY; ASSISTANT SECRETARIES. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Secretary. The Secretary shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders , and of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee , and he or she shall keep minutes of all such meetings. The Secretary shall give such notice of the meetings as is required by law or these By-Laws. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the minute book, stock record and transfer books and all other general corporate records. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the corporate seal and shall have the power to affix and attest the same, and he or she may delegate such power to one or more officers, employees or agents of the Corporation. The Secretary shall have and exercise such further powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or as may be provided by law. The Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries who shall assist the Secretary in the performance of his or her duties. At the direction of the Secretary or in the event of his or her absence or disability, an Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of the Secretary. Each Assistant Secretary shall have and exercise such further powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary.

 

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Section 6. TREASURER; ASSISTANT TREASURERS. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have and exercise such powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may appoint one or more Assistant Treasurers who shall assist the Treasurer in the performance of his or her duties. At the direction of the Treasurer or in the event of his or her absence or disability, an Assistant Treasurer shall perform the duties of the Treasurer. Each Assistant Treasurer shall have and exercise such further powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Treasurer.

Section 7. CHIEF AUDITOR. Subject to any requirement of law or the rules of any exchange on which shares of common stock of the Corporation are listed, the Board of Directors shall appoint a Chief Auditor who shall be the chief auditing officer of the Corporation. He or she shall report to the Audit Committee and shall continuously examine the affairs of the Corporation under the general supervision and direction of the Board of Directors. He or she shall have and exercise such further powers and duties as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, him or her by the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may also appoint other officers who shall perform such auditing duties as may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors or the Chief Auditor of the Corporation.

Section 8. OTHER OFFICERS. The Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the delegate of either of them may appoint or hire such additional officers of the Corporation, who may be designated as executive vice presidents, managing directors, senior vice presidents, first vice presidents, vice presidents, assistant vice presidents, officers, assistant officers, senior associates, associates, or given any other descriptive titles, and may hire such additional employees, as it or he or she may deem necessary or desirable to transact the business of the Corporation, and may establish the conditions of employment of any of the persons mentioned above and may fix their compensation and dismiss them. Such persons may have such descriptive titles as may be appropriate, and they shall, respectively, have and exercise such powers and duties as pertain to their several offices or as may be conferred upon, or assigned to, them by the appropriate appointing authority and as are not inconsistent with any provisions of these By-Laws.

Section 9. TENURE OF OFFICE. The Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman and the President shall each hold office for the year for which the Board of Directors was elected and until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. All other officers and employees shall hold office at the pleasure of the appropriate appointing authority. The Board of Directors may remove any officer with or without cause at any time.

Section 10. COMPENSATION. The Board of Directors shall fix the compensation of those officers appointed pursuant to Sections 1, 2, 3 and 7 of this Article Four and of any other officers of the Corporation or any officers of any subsidiary of the Corporation that the Board of Directors shall deem appropriate, and it may award additional compensation to any officer or employee of the Corporation or any officer of any subsidiary for any year or years based upon the performance of that person during any such period, the success of the operations of the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof during any such period or any other reason that the Board of Directors shall deem appropriate. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise direct, the Chief Executive Officer or his or her delegate shall fix the compensation of all other officers or employees of the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof.

ARTICLE FIVE

[RESERVED]

ARTICLE SIX

STOCK, STOCK CERTIFICATES AND HOLDERS OF RECORD

Section 1. STOCK CERTIFICATES. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates or, to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 6 of this Article Six or as otherwise required by law, shall be uncertificated. Stock certificates shall be in such form as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe in accordance with law and the requirements of any exchange upon which such shares are listed. Such certificates shall be signed by the Chairman, President or Vice President, countersigned by the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer or any other officer so two officers authorized by the Board of Directors and permitted by law and may be sealed with the seal of the Corporation, and such signatures and seal may be facsimile or otherwise as permitted by law. In case any officer, registrar or transfer agent who has signed, or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon, any stock certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, registrar or transfer agent, as the case may be, before the certificate is issued, as a result of death, resignation or otherwise, the certificate may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if the officer, registrar or transfer agent, as the case may be, had not ceased to be such at the date of the certificate’s issue.

Section 2. TRANSFER OF STOCK. Except as otherwise provided by law, transfers of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be made only upon the books of the Corporation only by the registered holder thereof, or by his or her attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with the Secretary, or with a transfer agent duly appointed, and upon surrender of the certificate or certificates for such shares properly endorsed, if such shares are represented by a certificate, and payment of all taxes thereon.

Section 3. LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATES. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or shares.

 

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Section 4. HOLDERS OF RECORD. The Corporation shall be entitled to treat any person in whose name shares of stock of the Corporation stand on its books as the holder and owner in fact thereof for all purposes.

Section 5. UNCERTIFICATED SECURITIES. All or part of the shares of common stock and/or preferred stock of the Corporation may be uncertificated shares to the extent determined by the Board of Directors from time to time; however, in no event shall shares of common stock and/or preferred stock represented by a certificate be deemed uncertificated until the certificate is surrendered to the Corporation.

Section 6. DETERMINATIONS AS TO ISSUANCE, TRANSFER AND REGISTRATION. The Board of Directors (or any officer or other person as the Board of Directors may designate) from time to time may make such rules, policies and procedures as it, he or she may deem appropriate concerning the issue, transfer and registration of shares of stock of the Corporation, whether certificated or uncertificated.

ARTICLE SEVEN

SIGNING AUTHORITY AND CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS

Section 1. SIGNING AUTHORITY. The Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman, the President, any senior officer or any Vice President of the Corporation shall have full power and authority, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, under seal of the Corporation or otherwise, to execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all agreements, instruments or other documents relating to property or rights of all kinds held or owned by the Corporation or to the operation of the Corporation, all as may be incidental to the operation of the Corporation and subject to such limitations as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may impose. Any such agreement, instrument or document may also be executed, acknowledged and delivered in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, under seal of the Corporation or otherwise, by such other officers, employees or agents of the Corporation as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the delegate of either of them may from time to time authorize. In each such case, the authority so conferred shall be subject to such limitations as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the delegate may impose. Any officer, employee or agent authorized hereunder to execute, acknowledge and deliver any such agreement, instrument or document is also authorized to cause the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary or any other authorized person to affix the seal of the Corporation thereto and to attest it.

Section 2. VOTING AND ACTING WITH RESPECT TO STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION. The Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman, the President, any senior officer or any Vice President shall have the power and authority to vote and act with respect to all stock and other securities in any other corporation owned by this Corporation, subject to such limitations as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may impose. Such power and authority may be conferred upon any other officer, employee or agent by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the delegate of either of them, and such authority may be general or may be limited to specific instances. Any person so authorized shall have the power to appoint an attorney or attorneys, with general power of substitution, as proxies for the Corporation with full power to vote and act on behalf of the Corporation with respect to such stock and other securities.

ARTICLE EIGHT

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. RECORDS. The Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws and the proceedings of all meetings of the stockholders, the Board of Directors , the Executive Committee, and any other committee of the Board of Directors shall be recorded in appropriate minute books provided for this purpose or in any other information storage device (whether in paper or electronic form), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible form within a reasonable period of time. The Corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect the same. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Secretary or other person acting as secretary of the meeting.

Section 3. SEAL. The Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe the form of a suitable corporate seal. The corporate seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

Section 4. NUMBER. Any reference in these By-Laws to the singular includes the plural and vice versa unless the context indicates otherwise.

Section 5. WAIVER OF NOTICE OF MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS, DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES. Whenever notice is required to be given by law or under any provision of the certificate of incorporation or these By-laws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or

 

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after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these By-laws.

ARTICLE NINE

BY-LAWS

Section 1. AMENDMENTS. These By-Laws may be amended, altered and repealed, and new By-Laws may be adopted at any time, either by action of the stockholders or (except as otherwise provided by law or these By-Laws) by action of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. INSPECTION. A copy of the By-Laws, with all amendments thereto, shall at all times be kept in a convenient place at the principal office of the Corporation and shall be open for inspection to all stockholders during normal business hours.

 

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Exhibit 10.1

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORPORATION

EXECUTIVE SEVERANCE PLAN

(AS AMENDED BY HRCC ON FEBRUARY 12, 2018)

1.     Purpose . The purpose of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation Executive Severance Plan (the “ Plan ”) is to retain certain senior executives of the Corporation by reason of providing appropriate severance benefits and to ensure their continued dedication to their duties in connection with certain types of termination of employment after a Change in Control (as defined in Section 2(e) below).

2.     Definitions . As used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

(a)    “ Annual Incentive Award ” means the annual incentive awarded to a Participant by the Corporation from time to time, including any cash and non-cash portions of such incentive, whether payable currently or on a deferred basis; provided , however , that any long-term component of an annual incentive award (other than time-vested restricted stock or restricted stock units) shall not be deemed to be annual incentives for purposes of this definition.

(b)    “ Base Salary ” means the Participant’s annual rate of base salary for the year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs (or, if greater, for the year before the year of termination).

(c)    “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation and, after a Change in Control, the “board of directors” of the Parent Corporation or Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, as defined for purposes of Section 2(e).

(d)    “ Cause ” means any of the following with respect to a Participant:

(i)    The Participant’s continued failure, in a material way, to perform his or her responsibilities to the Corporation or a Subsidiary, after demand for substantial performance has been given by the Board, any officer of the Corporation to whom the Participant reports or any higher level officer that specifically identifies how the Participant has not substantially performed his or her responsibilities; provided , however , that following a Change in Control, in order to terminate a Participant’s employment under this Section 2(d)(i), such failure must be determined to be willful. A Participant’s failure to perform under this
Section 2(d)(i) does not, however, include failure resulting from the Participant’s incapacity due to mental or physical illness or injury or from any permitted leave required by law or any failure after the Participant gives notice of termination for Good Reason or the Corporation gives notice of termination other than for Cause or Disability.

(ii)    The Participant’s violation of the Code of Conduct and Interpretative Guidance of the Corporation or any rule or regulation governing the conduct of the Corporation’s business or the Participant’s employment with the Corporation.

(iii)    The Participant’s conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a crime (other than a minor traffic offense).


(iv)    The Participant being subject to the prohibitions of Section 19(a)(1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act or any similar statute, rule or regulation.

(v)    The Participant’s fraud or material dishonesty in connection with the business of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, including but not limited to, the Participant taking actions or failing to take actions in a manner intending to result in personal gain at the expense of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries.

(vi)    The Participant’s breach of his or her fiduciary duties to the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries.

For this definition, no act or omission by a Participant will be “willful” unless it is made by the Participant in bad faith or without a reasonable belief that such act or omission was in the best interests of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries and any act or omission by a Participant based on authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or the HRCC, on the advice of counsel for the Corporation or on the instruction of any officer of the Corporation to whom the Participant reports or any higher level officer will be deemed made in good faith and in the best interests of the Corporation.

(e)    “ Change in Control ” means the occurrence of any one of the following events:

(i)    During any period of not more than two (2) years, the Incumbent Directors no longer represent a majority of the Board. “ Incumbent Directors ” are (A) the members of the Board as of July 1, 2007 and (B) any individual who becomes a director subsequent to the date hereof whose appointment or nomination was approved by at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by specific vote or by approval, without prior written notice to the Board objecting to the nomination, of a proxy statement in which the member was named as nominee). However, the Incumbent Directors will not include anyone who becomes a member of the Board after the date hereof as a result of an actual or threatened election contest or proxy or consent solicitation on behalf of anyone other than the Board, including as a result of any appointment, nomination or other agreement intended to avoid or settle a contest or solicitation;

(ii)    There is a beneficial owner of securities entitled to 30% or more of the total voting power of the Corporation’s then-outstanding securities in respect of the election of the Board (the “ Voting Securities ”), other than (A) the Corporation, any Subsidiary of it or any employee benefit plan or related trust sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Subsidiary of it; (B) any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of them; (C) anyone who becomes a beneficial owner of that percentage of Voting Securities as a result of an Excluded Transaction (as defined in Section 2(e)(iii)); or (D) anyone who becomes a beneficial owner of that percentage of Voting Securities as a result of a transaction in which Voting Securities are acquired from the Corporation, if the transaction is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors in a resolution that expressly states that the transaction is not a Change in Control under this Section 2(e); or

(iii)    Consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar transaction (including an exchange offer combined with a merger or consolidation) involving the Corporation (a “ Reorganization ”) or a sale, lease or other disposition (including by way of a series of transactions or by way of merger,

 

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consolidation, stock sale or similar transaction involving one or more subsidiaries) of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s consolidated assets (a “ Sale ”) other than an Excluded Transaction. A Reorganization or Sale is an “ Excluded Transaction ” if immediately following it: (A) 50% or more of the total voting power of the Surviving Corporation’s then-outstanding securities in respect of the election of directors (or similar officials in the case of a non-corporation) is represented by Voting Securities outstanding immediately before the Reorganization or Sale or by securities into which such Voting Securities were converted in the Reorganization or Sale; (B) there is no beneficial owner of securities entitled to 30% or more of the total voting power of the then-outstanding securities of the Surviving Corporation in respect of the election of directors (or similar officials in the case of a non-corporation); and (C) a majority of the board of directors of the Surviving Corporation (or similar officials in the case of a non-corporation) were Incumbent Directors at the time the Board approved the execution of the initial agreement providing for the Reorganization or Sale. The “ Surviving Corporation ” means in a Reorganization, the entity resulting from the Reorganization or in a Sale, the entity that has acquired all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, except that, if there is a beneficial owner of securities entitled to 95% of the total voting power (in respect of the election of directors or similar officials in the case of a non-corporation) of the then-outstanding securities of the entity that would otherwise be the Surviving Corporation, then that beneficial owner will be the Surviving Corporation. (Any Reorganization or Sale which does not satisfy all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) shall be deemed a “ Qualifying Transaction ”).

(iv)    the stockholders of the Corporation approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation.

(f)    “ CIC Termination Period ” means the period of time beginning with a Change in Control and ending two (2) years following such Change in Control.

(g)    “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(h)    “ Corporation ” means The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.

(i)    “ Date of Termination ” means (i) the effective date on which the Participant’s employment by the Corporation terminates as specified in a prior written notice by the Corporation or the Participant, as the case may be, to the other, delivered pursuant to Section 8 or (ii) if the Participant’s employment by the Corporation terminates by reason of death, the date of death of the Participant.

(j)    “ Disability ” shall mean long-term disability under the terms of the Corporation’s long-term disability plan, as then in effect.

(k)    “ Good Reason ” means the occurrence, following a Change in Control, of one or more of the following circumstances, without the Participant’s prior written consent, and which circumstance(s) are not cured by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after receipt of a written notice from the Participant describing the circumstances that constitute Good Reason:

(i)    any material and adverse change in the Participant’s duties or responsibilities with the Corporation, except as required by law, rule or regulation;

 

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(ii)    any (1) reduction in the Participant’s rate of annual base salary, or (2) material reduction in the Participant’s overall aggregate annual compensation opportunities (including base salary, annual and long-term target incentive compensation opportunities). With respect to clause (2) above, the Participant acknowledges that a reduction in annual or long-term target incentive compensation opportunities does not constitute Good Reason hereunder so long as the reduction has resulted merely from a pay mix change determined in accordance with applicable opportunity guidelines or consensus market data or law, rule or regulation;

(iii)    any requirement that the Participant be based at an office located outside of the country in which the Participant’s office is located immediately prior to the Change in Control;

(iv)    any other action or inaction by the Corporation (or a Successor) that constitutes a material breach of this Plan (including but not limited to the Corporation’s failure to obtain from any Surviving Corporation the assent to this Agreement contemplated by Section 7 hereof).

If the Participant does not provide written notice to the Corporation within forty-five (45) days after the initial existence of an event constituting Good Reason has occurred and terminate employment within ten (10) business days following the end of the thirty (30) day cure period (if the event constituting Good Reason has not been cured during that period), that event will no longer constitute Good Reason. For purposes of clause (i) of Section 2(k)(ii) above, an immaterial or inadvertent reduction in a Participant’s rate of annual base salary that is not taken in bad faith and that is remedied by the Corporation promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Participant shall not constitute Good Reason. The Participant’s right to terminate employment for Good Reason shall not be affected by the Participant’s incapacity due to mental or physical illness and the Participant’s continued employment through the above-mentioned forty-five (45) day notice or thirty (30) day cure periods shall not constitute consent to, or a waiver of rights with respect to, any other event or condition constituting Good Reason.

(l)    “ HRCC ” means the Human Resources and Compensation Committee of the Board.

(m)    “ Investigation ” means an investigation authorized by the Board, a self-regulatory organization empowered with self-regulatory responsibilities under federal or state laws or a governmental department or agency.

(n)    “ Participant ” means each of the senior executives of the Corporation, who is selected by the HRCC in its sole discretion for coverage by this Plan.

(o)    “ Pro-rata Annual Incentive Award ” means (i) an Annual Incentive Award for the Corporation’s fiscal year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs pursuant to the Participant’s annual incentive scorecard or other applicable metric as recommended by management and as determined by the HRCC after initially considering whether the Participant was actively employed for a sufficient portion of the year to warrant an Annual Incentive Award and the following factors, as applicable: (A) actual full year performance results for any corporate and business unit performance goals set forth in the Participant’s Annual Incentive Award scorecard for the year of termination, (B) the Participant’s individual modifier as set forth in such scorecard, determined as of the end of

 

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such fiscal year, provided that the individual modifier shall not exceed 100%, (C) any risk assessment adjustment based on the HRCC’s assessment of any risk factors set forth in such scorecard, and (D) any other performance goals, adjustments and assessments as set forth in the scorecard and any applicable Annual Incentive Award plan, multiplied by (ii) a fraction the numerator of which shall be the number of days the Participant was employed by the Corporation during the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurred and the denominator of which is 365.

(p)    “ Qualifying Termination ” means a termination of the Participant’s employment with the Corporation (i) by the Corporation other than for Cause or (ii) by the Participant for Good Reason after a Change in Control. Termination of the Participant’s employment on account of death, Disability, by the Corporation for Cause or by the Participant other than for Good Reason shall not be treated as a Qualifying Termination. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the death of the Participant after notice of termination for Good Reason or without Cause has been validly provided shall be deemed to be a Qualifying Termination.

(q)    “ Section  409A ” means Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the final Treasury Regulations issued thereunder.

(r)    “ Subsidiary ” means any corporation or other entity in which the Corporation has a direct or indirect ownership interest of 50% or more of the total combined voting power of the then outstanding securities or interests of such corporation or other entity entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or members of any similar governing body) or in which the Corporation has the right to receive 50% or more of the distribution of profits or 50% of the assets or liquidation or dissolution.

(s)    “ Target Annual Incentive Award ” means a Participant’s target Annual Incentive Award for the year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs (or, if greater, for the year before the year of termination); provided , however , that in the event no target Annual Incentive Award has been established for the Participant for either the year of termination or the year before the year of termination, “Target Annual Incentive Award” shall mean the average Annual Incentive Award paid to the Participant for the three most recent years before the year of termination.

3.     Payments Upon Termination of Employment .

(a)     Non-Change in Control Qualifying Termination . If during a period of time which is not a CIC Termination Period under the Plan, the employment of the Participant is terminated by the Corporation other than for Cause, then, subject to the Participant’s execution of a Separation Agreement and Release substantially in the form attached to this Plan as Exhibit A (the “ Separation Agreement and Release ) , which shall be provided to the Participant no later than five (5) days after the Date of Termination and must be executed by the Participant, become effective and not be revoked by the Participant by the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the Date of Termination, the Corporation shall provide to the Participant:

(i)    a cash payment equal to the Participant’s Base Salary; and

(ii)    a Pro-rata Annual Incentive Award (including cash and non-cash portions thereof, as applicable) for the Corporation’s fiscal year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs; any such cash and non-cash portions of

 

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the Pro-rata Annual Incentive Award shall be paid or awarded and shall become payable, in each case, at the same time(s) as annual incentives for the fiscal year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs are paid or awarded and become payable to other similarly situated executives of the Corporation; provided, however, that the HRCC may determine the form(s) of such Pro-rata Annual Incentive in its discretion, and provided, further, that any portion of such Pro-rata Annual Incentive Award that is intended to be exempt from Section 409A as a “short-term deferral” (within the meaning of Section 409A) shall be paid no later than March 15 th of the year following the year during which the Date of Termination occurred; and

(iii)    for one year after Participant’s Date of Termination, Participant, his or her spouse and his or her dependents will continue to be entitled to participate in the Corporation’s group health plans in which the Participant participates immediately prior to his or her Date of Termination at the same rate as paid by similarly situated employees from time to time, provided that the Participant timely elects continuation coverage under Section 4980B(f) of the Code; and provided , further , that to the extent that such health plan does not permit continuation of the Participant’s or his or her spouse’s or dependents’ participation throughout such period, the Corporation shall provide the Participant, on the first business day of each calendar quarter, in advance, with an amount which is equal to the Company’s cost of providing such benefits, less the applicable employee rate of participation; and

(iv)    for a period of one (1) year following the Participant’s Date of Termination, the Corporation shall make certain executive-level outplacement services available to the Participant, as provided by the outplacement providers with whom the Corporation has a relationship at the time of Participant’s Date of Termination; and

The cash payment specified in paragraph (i) of this Section 3(a) shall be paid in equal installments in accordance with the Corporation’s regular payroll practice over the twelve (12) month period following the Participant’s Date of Termination, with such payments commencing on the Corporation payroll date immediately following the sixty-fifth (65 th ) day following the Date of Termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that a majority of the Incumbent Directors approves the resolution described in
Section 2(e)(ii)(D) above that expressly states that a transaction is not a Change in Control under Section 2(e), but such transaction qualifies as a “change in control event” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i), then the payment due under paragraph (i) of this Section 3(a), to the extent it shall become payable, shall be paid in a lump sum and shall be paid at the time set forth in the first sentence of the flush paragraph of Section 3(b) below.

 

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(b)     Post-Change in Control Qualifying Termination . If, during the CIC Termination Period, the employment of the Participant is terminated pursuant to a Qualifying Termination, then, subject to the Participant’s execution of a Separation Agreement and Release substantially in the form attached to this Plan as Exhibit A, which shall be provided to the Participant no later than five (5) days after the Date of Termination and must be executed by the Participant, become effective and not be revoked by the Participant by the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the Date of Termination, the Corporation shall provide to the Participant:

(i)    a lump sum cash payment equal to the result of multiplying (A) the sum of (x) the Participant’s Base Salary, plus (y) the Participant’s Target Annual Incentive Award by (B) 2.00; and

(ii)    a cash payment equal to the Participant’s Target Annual Incentive Award for the fiscal year in which the Participant’s Date of Termination occurs, multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the number of days the Participant was employed by the Corporation during the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurred and the denominator of which is 365; and

(iii)    for two (2) years after Participant’s Date of Termination, Participant, his or her spouse and his or her dependents will continue to be entitled to participate in the Corporation’s group health plans in which the Participant participates immediately prior to his or her Date of Termination at the same rate as paid by similarly situated employees from time to time, provided that the Participant timely elects continuation coverage under Section 4980B(f) of the Code; and provided , further , that to the extent that such health plan does not permit continuation of the Participant’s or his or her spouse’s or dependents’ participation throughout such period, the Corporation shall provide the Participant, on the first business day of each calendar quarter, in advance, with an amount which is equal to the Company’s cost of providing such benefits, less the applicable employee rate of participation; and

(iv)    for a period of one (1) year following the Participant’s Date of Termination, the Corporation shall make certain executive-level outplacement services available to the Participant, as provided by the outplacement providers with whom the Corporation has a relationship at the time of Participant’s Date of Termination.

The cash payments specified in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 3(b) shall be paid on the sixty-fifth (65 th ) day (or the next following business day if the sixty-fifth (65 th ) day is not a business day) following the Date of Termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Change in Control does not qualify as a “change in control event” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i), then the payments due under paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 3(b) shall be paid at the time and in the form as set forth in the flush paragraph of Section 3(a) above.

(c)    Except as otherwise expressly provided pursuant to this Plan, this Plan shall be construed and administered in a manner which avoids duplication of compensation and benefits which may be provided under any other plan, program, policy, or other arrangement or individual contract or under any statute, rule or regulation. In the event a Participant is covered by any other plan, program, policy, individually negotiated agreement or other arrangement, in effect as of his or her Date of Termination, that may duplicate the payments and benefits provided for in this Section 3, the HRCC is specifically empowered to reduce or eliminate the duplicative benefits provided for under the Plan.

4.     Withholding Taxes . The Corporation shall withhold from all payments due to the Participant (or his beneficiary or estate) hereunder all taxes which, by applicable federal, state, local or other law, the Corporation is required to withhold therefrom.

 

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5.     Expenses . If any contest or dispute shall arise under this Plan involving termination of a Participant’s employment with the Corporation or involving the failure or refusal of the Corporation to perform fully in accordance with the terms hereof, each party shall be responsible for its own legal fees and related expenses, if any, incurred in connection with such contest or dispute; provided , however , that, with respect to any contest or dispute arising after a Change in Control, in the event the Participant substantially prevails with respect to such contest or dispute, the Corporation shall reimburse the Participant on a current basis for all reasonable legal fees and related expenses incurred by the Participant in connection with such contest or dispute, which reimbursement shall be made within thirty (30) days after the date the Corporation receives the Participant’s statement for such fees and expenses.

6.     Scope of Plan . Nothing in this Plan shall be deemed to entitle the Participant to continued employment with the Corporation or its Subsidiaries.

7.     Successors; Binding Agreement .

(a)    This Plan shall not be terminated by any Reorganization or Sale. In the event of any Reorganization or Sale, the provisions of this Plan shall be binding upon the Surviving Corporation, and such Surviving Corporation shall be treated as the Corporation hereunder.

(b)    The Corporation agrees that in connection with any Reorganization or Sale it will cause any successor entity to the Corporation unconditionally to assume all of the obligations of the Corporation hereunder. Failure of the Corporation to obtain such assumption prior to the effectiveness of any such Reorganization or Sale that constitutes a Change in Control, shall be a breach of this Plan and shall constitute Good Reason hereunder and shall entitle the Participant to compensation and other benefits from the Corporation in the same amount and on the same terms as the Participant would be entitled hereunder if the Participant’s employment were terminated following a Change in Control by reason of a Qualifying Termination. For purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date on which any such Reorganization or Sale becomes effective shall be deemed the date Good Reason occurs, and shall be the Date of Termination if requested by a Participant.

(c)    The benefits provided under this Plan shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Participant’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. If the Participant shall die while any amounts would be payable to the Participant hereunder had the Participant continued to live, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be paid in accordance with the terms of this Plan to such person or persons appointed in writing by the Participant to receive such amounts or, if no person is so appointed, to the Participant’s estate.

8.     Notice . (a) For purposes of this Plan, all notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, certified and return receipt requested, postage prepaid and addressed as follows:

If to the Participant: the address listed as the Participant’s address in the Corporation’s personnel files.

 

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If to the Corporation:

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation

Attention: General Counsel

225 Liberty Street

New York, NY, 10286

or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

(b)    A written notice of the Participant’s Date of Termination by the Corporation or the Participant, as the case may be, to the other, shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Plan relied upon. The failure by the Participant or the Corporation to set forth in such notice any fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the Participant or the Corporation hereunder or preclude the Participant or the Corporation from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the Participant’s or the Corporation’s rights hereunder.

9.     Full Settlement; Resolution of Disputes and Costs .

(a)    In no event shall the Participant be obligated to seek other employment or take other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to the Participant under any of the provisions of this Plan and, except as provided in the Separation Agreement and Release, such amounts shall not be reduced whether or not the Participant obtains other employment.

(b)    Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Plan, or its exhibits shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in New York by three arbitrators in accordance with the applicable arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association (“ AAA ”) then in effect; provided, however, that the Corporation may seek injunctive relief in aid of arbitration in any court of competent jurisdiction, with respect to Participant’s obligations pursuant to Paragraph 20. One arbitrator shall be selected by the Corporation, the other by the Participant and the third jointly by these arbitrators (or if they are unable to agree within thirty (30) days of the commencement of arbitration, the third arbitrator will be appointed by the AAA). Judgment may be entered on the arbitrators’ award in any court having jurisdiction. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, any arbitration panel that adjudicates any dispute, controversy or claim arising between a Participant and the Corporation, or any of their delegates or successors, in respect of a Participant’s Qualifying Termination that occurs after a Change in Control, will apply a de novo standard of review to any determinations made by such person. Such de novo standard shall apply notwithstanding the grant of full discretion hereunder to any such person or characterization of any such decision by such person as final, binding or conclusive on any party.

10.     Employment with Subsidiaries . Employment with the Corporation for purposes of this Plan shall include employment with any Subsidiary.

11.     Survival . The respective obligations and benefits afforded to the Corporation and the Participant as provided in Section 3 (to the extent that payments or benefits are owed as a result of a termination of employment that occurs during the term of this Plan), 4, 5, 7(c), 9 and 20 shall survive the termination of this Plan.

 

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12.     GOVERNING LAW; VALIDITY . EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THIS PLAN IS SUBJECT TO ERISA, THE INTERPRETATION, CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS PLAN SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLE OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAWS. THE INVALIDITY OR UNENFORCEABILITY OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS PLAN (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTION 20 HEREOF) SHALL NOT AFFECT THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS PLAN, WHICH OTHER PROVISIONS SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT.

13.     Amendment and Termination . The HRCC may amend or terminate the Plan at any time without the consent of the Participants; provided , however , that during a period commencing on a Change of Control and ending on the second anniversary of the Change of Control, Participants must be given at least twelve (12) months’ notice of amendments that are adverse to the interests of the Participants (except that termination of a Participant’s participation in the Plan may be made with three (3) months’ notice) or planned termination of the Plan and provided , further , that any termination or amendments to the Plan that are adverse to the interests of any Participant and made in anticipation of a Change of Control shall give a Participant the right to enforce his or her rights pursuant to Section 15. Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the period commencing on a Change in Control and ending on the second anniversary of the Change in Control, the Plan may not be amended or terminated by the HRCC (or any successor committee thereto), any Participant’s participation hereunder may not be terminated, and the Policy (as defined below) may not be amended by the Board, in each case, in any manner which is materially adverse to the interests of any Participant without the prior written consent of such Participant.

14.     Interpretation and Administration . The Plan shall be administered by the HRCC (or any successor committee). The HRCC (or any successor committee) shall have the authority (i) to exercise all of the powers granted to it under the Plan, (ii) to construe, interpret and implement the Plan, (iii) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, (iv) to make all determinations necessary or advisable in administration of the Plan, (v) to correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, and (vi) to delegate its responsibilities and authority hereunder to a subcommittee of the HRCC. Actions of the Board or the HRCC (or any successor committee) shall be taken by a majority vote of its members.

15.     Claims and Appeals . Participants may submit claims for benefits by giving notice to the Corporation pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan. If a Participant believes that he or she has not received coverage or benefits to which he or she is entitled under the Plan, the Participant may notify the HRCC in writing of a claim for coverage or benefits. If the claim for coverage or benefits is denied in whole or in part, the HRCC shall notify the applicant in writing of such denial within thirty (30) days (which may be extended to sixty (60) days under special circumstances), with such notice setting forth: (i) the specific reasons for the denial; (ii) the Plan provisions upon which the denial is based; (iii) any additional material or

 

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information necessary for the applicant to perfect his or her claim; and (iv) the procedures for requesting a review of the denial. Upon a denial of a claim by the HRCC, the Participant may: (i) request a review of the denial by the HRCC or, where review authority has been so delegated, by such other person or entity as may be designated by the HRCC for this purpose; (ii) review any Plan documents relevant to his or her claim; and (iii) submit issues and comments to the HRCC or its delegate that are relevant to the review. Any request for review must be made in writing and received by the HRCC or its delegate within sixty (60) days of the date the applicant received notice of the initial denial, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing. The HRCC or its delegate will make a written ruling on the applicant’s request for review setting forth the reasons for the decision and the Plan provisions upon which the denial, if appropriate, is based. This written ruling shall be made within thirty (30) days of the date the HRCC or its delegate receives the applicant’s request for review unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, in which case a decision will be rendered as soon as possible, but not later than sixty (60) days after receipt of the request for review. All extensions of time permitted by this Section 15 will be permitted at the sole discretion of the HRCC or its delegate. If the HRCC does not provide the Participant with written notice of the denial of his or her appeal, the Participant’s claim shall be deemed denied.

16.     Type of Plan . This Plan is intended to be, and shall be interpreted as an unfunded employee welfare plan under Section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”) and Section 2520.104-24 of the Department of Labor Regulations, maintained primarily for the purpose of providing employee welfare benefits, to the extent that it provides welfare benefits, and under Sections 201, 301 and 401 of ERISA, as a plan that is unfunded and maintained primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation, to the extent that it provides such compensation, in each case for a select group of management or highly compensated employees (i.e., a “top hat” plan).

17.     Nonassignability . Benefits under the Plan may not be assigned by the Participant. The terms and conditions of the Plan shall be binding on the successors and assigns of the Corporation.

18.     Section  409A .

(a)    To the extent a Participant would otherwise be entitled to any payment or benefit that under this Plan, or any plan or arrangement of the Corporation or its affiliates, constitutes “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A and that if paid or provided during the six (6) months beginning on the date of termination of a Participant’s employment would be subject to the Section 409A additional tax because the Participant is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A and as determined by the Corporation) the payment or benefit will be paid or provided (or will commence being paid or provided, as applicable) to the Participant on the earlier of the six (6) month anniversary of the Participant’s date of termination or the Participant’s death. In addition, any payment or benefit due upon a termination of the Participant’s employment that represents a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be paid or provided to the Participant only upon a “separation from service” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). Each severance payment made under this Plan shall be deemed to be separate payments, and amounts payable under Section 3 of this Plan shall be deemed not to be a “deferral of compensation” subject to Section 409A to the extent

 

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provided in the exceptions in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) (“short-term deferrals”) and (b)(9) (“separation pay plans,” including the exception under subparagraph (iii)) and other applicable provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1 through A-6.

(b)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan or elsewhere, any payment or benefit under this Plan or otherwise that is exempt from Section 409A pursuant to final Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(v)(A) or (C) shall be paid or provided to the Participant only to the extent that the expenses are not incurred, or the benefits are not provided, beyond the last day of the Participant’s second taxable year following the Participant’s taxable year in which the “separation from service” occurs; and provided further that such expenses are reimbursed no later than the last day of the Participant’s third taxable year following the taxable year in which the Participant’s “separation from service” occurs. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the extent any expense reimbursement or the provision of any in-kind benefit under this Plan is determined to be subject to Section 409A, the amount of any such expenses eligible for reimbursement, or the provision of any in-kind benefit, in one (1) calendar year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year (except for any lifetime or other aggregate limitation applicable to medical expenses), in no event shall any expenses be reimbursed after the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the Participant incurred such expenses, and in no event shall any right to reimbursement or the provision of any in-kind benefit be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan or elsewhere, in the event that a Participant waives the provisions of another severance or change in control agreement or arrangement to participate in this Plan and such participation in this Plan is later determined to be a “substitution” (within the meaning of Section 409A) for the benefits under such agreement or arrangement, then any payment or benefit under this Plan that such Participant becomes entitled to receive during the remainder of the waived term of such agreement or arrangement shall be payable in accordance with the time and form of payment provisions of such agreement or arrangement.

19.     Certain Reductions; Recoupment . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any payments or benefits payable to a Participant under this Plan shall be subject to reduction to the extent that such payment or benefit would exceed the amount permitted to be paid under the Corporation’s Policy Regarding Shareholder Approval of Future Senior Officer Severance Arrangements as in effect as of the date of termination or, if earlier, immediately prior to a Change in Control (the “Policy”), as in effect from time to time, and such amounts are not approved by, or are not submitted for the approval of, the Corporation’s shareholders in accordance with such policy. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, in no event shall any payment or benefit under this Plan be paid, provided or accrued, if any such payment, provision or accrual would be in violation of applicable law, rule or regulation (“ Applicable Law ”). In addition, to the extent that any provision of Applicable Law or any recoupment policy or practice of the Corporation as in effect from time to time requires any payments or benefits paid (or provided or to be paid or provided) to a Participant to be forfeited or recouped from the Participant, each such payment or benefit shall be subject to forfeiture or recoupment, as applicable, and such Participant’s right to receive or retain each such payment or benefit shall terminate. Without limiting the foregoing, if the Corporation reasonably believes that a Participant engaged in fraud, or directly or indirectly caused or contributed to any financial restatement or other irregularity during the performance period to which a cash incentive award paid hereunder relates, the Corporation may require the Participant to repay some or all of such award within three (3) years after the award date.

 

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20.     Continuing Obligations

A Participant’s right to receive and retain the severance payments and other benefits set forth in this Plan shall be contingent on the Participant’s compliance with the terms and conditions of (i) this Plan (including, without limitation the Participant’s obligations under this Section 20), (ii) the Separation Agreement and Release, and (iii) any other additional restrictive covenants to which the Participant is bound under other agreements with the Corporation or other Corporation plans or policies applicable to the Participant, it being understood that to the extent the Participant is subject to any other restrictive covenants that are more restrictive than the Participant’s obligations under this Plan, the most restrictive of such restrictive covenants permitted by law shall apply, and those restrictive covenants are incorporated herein by reference with respect to such Participant and shall remain in full force and effect.

In the event a Participant, directly or indirectly breaches any terms or conditions of this Plan (including, without limitation, this Section 20), the Separation Agreement and Release, or any other additional restrictive covenants to which the Participant is bound under other agreements with the Corporation or other Corporation plans or policies applicable to the Participant (as contemplated in the preceding paragraph), in each case, as determined by the Corporation at its discretion, the Participant will immediately cease participating in this Plan and shall forfeit all rights and benefits under this Plan, including, without limitation, the right to receive any unpaid severance payments and other benefits under the Plan and, may be required to repay to the Corporation any severance payments (including the Pro-rata Annual Incentive Award) and any other benefits already paid or provided to the Participant under this Plan. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing remedies are in addition to the injunctive relief set forth in Section 20(h), any remedies set forth under the terms of such other applicable other agreements with the Corporation or other Corporation plans or policies applicable to the Participant, and any other remedies permitted by law.

(a)     Confidential Information . Following a Participant’s Date of Termination, the Participant (i) shall continue to hold in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the Corporation all trade secrets and confidential information, knowledge or data relating to the Corporation and its Subsidiaries and their respective businesses and investments (“ Confidential Information ”), which will have been obtained by the Participant during the Participant’s employment with the Corporation and any of its Subsidiaries and which is not generally available public knowledge (public knowledge does not include Participant or any third party making Confidential Information public), and (ii) shall not, except as may be required or appropriate in connection with carrying out the Participant’s duties, or as permitted by paragraph 20(f) below, divulge or disclose to any third party or entity any trade secrets or other proprietary or confidential information pertaining to the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or use such secrets or information without the prior written consent of the General Counsel of the Corporation.

(b)     Non-solicitation of employees and customers . For the one year period following a Participant’s Date of Termination in the event of a Qualifying Termination under Section 3(a) above or, for the two year period following a Participant’s Date of Termination in the event of a Qualifying Termination under Section 3(b) above, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, (without the prior written consent of the

 

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Corporation) (i) solicit, influence, encourage, induce, recruit or cause any employee of the Corporation or any person who was an employee of the Corporation within the six (6) month period before the Participant’s Date of Termination, to resign from the Corporation or to apply for or accept employment with any Competitive Enterprise; (ii) on behalf of a Competitive Enterprise (defined below) solicit or attempt to solicit any of the Corporation’s clients and/or customers for whom the Participant or the Corporation (a) performed services or (b) actively solicited to perform services during the six (6) month period before Participant’s Date of Termination; or (iii) on behalf of a Competitive Enterprise cause any such customer or client to reduce or terminate their business relationship with the Corporation or otherwise interfere or damage such relationship.

(c)     Non-compete . For the one year period following the Participant’s Date of Termination in the event of a Qualifying Termination under Section 3(a) above, or for the two year period following a Participant’s Date of Termination in the event of a Qualifying Termination under Section 3(b) above, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, (without the prior written consent of the Corporation) (i) associate (including as a director, officer, employee, partner, consultant, agent or advisor) with a Competitive Enterprise, (ii) transact business on behalf of Competitive Enterprise, or (iii) on behalf of a Competitive Enterprise cause a customer or client of Corporation to reduce or terminate their business relationship with the Corporation or otherwise interfere or damage such relationship. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Competitive Enterprise ” means any business enterprise that either (A) is a member of the Corporation’s competitive peer group as disclosed in the Corporation’s proxy statement that was most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission preceding the Participant’s Date of Termination or (B) is any other business enterprise for whom the Participant would be performing services similar to those performed at the Corporation within the twelve (12) months preceding the Participant’s Date of Termination.

(d)     Non-Disparagement . Subject to Section 20(f) below, following a Participant’s Date of Termination, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly make, issue, authorize or publish any comments or statements (orally or in writing) to the media, to any individual or entity with whom or which the Corporation, or any of its Subsidiaries has a business relationship, or to any other individual or entity, which disparages, criticizes or otherwise reflects adversely upon the Corporation, any of its subsidiaries, its employees officers or directors.

(e)     Cooperation . Following a Participant’s Date of Termination, Participant agrees to fully cooperate with the Corporation with respect to any past, present or future legal matters that relate to or arise out of the Participant’s employment with the Corporation, subject to reimbursement for actual, appropriate and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Participant.

(f)     Communications with regulators . Nothing in this Plan prohibits Participant or the Corporation from filing a charge or complaint with, reporting possible violations to, or participating or cooperating with the EEOC, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Congress, the Inspector General, or any other government agency (each, a “ Governmental Authority ”), nor does anything in this Plan prohibit Participant or the Corporation from making other disclosures that are protected under the provisions of any federal, state or local law or regulation; provided, however, that Participant may not disclose Corporation information that is protected by the attorney-client privilege, except as expressly authorized by law. In addition, this Plan does not prohibit Participant or the Corporation from disclosing Confidential Information (as

 

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defined in Section 20(a) above) in any of the following circumstances: (i) where disclosure is required by a court order or subpoena; (ii) where disclosure is necessary in the course of a legal proceeding regarding this Plan (provided appropriate measures are taken to protect such Confidential Information in any public filing); (iii) when necessary to make a report to, or file a charge or complaint with a Governmental Authority; or (iv) when necessary to participate, cooperate, or testify in any investigation or proceeding that is conducted before Governmental Authority. As soon as Participant reasonably believes Participant may have to disclose Confidential Information under the circumstances of clauses (i) or (ii), Participant agrees to promptly notify the Corporation’s General Counsel of the substance and circumstances of the disclosure (unless prohibited by law) so that the Corporation can take timely action to protect its interests. Participant does not need the prior authorization of the Corporation to make any reports or disclosures under the circumstances of clauses (iii) or (iv), and Participant is not required to notify the Corporation that Participant has made such reports or disclosures. Additionally, pursuant to the Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Participant shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (x)(i) in confidence to a Governmental Authority, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; (y) to Participant’s attorney in relation to a lawsuit for retaliation against Participant for reporting a suspected violation of law; or (z) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.

(g)     Validity . The potential restrictions on each Participant’s future employment imposed by this Section 20 are reasonable in both duration and geographic scope and in all other respects. If for any reason any court of competent jurisdiction will find any provisions of this Section 20 unreasonable in duration or geographic scope or otherwise, each Participant and the Corporation agree that the restrictions and prohibitions contained herein will be effective to the fullest extent allowed under applicable law in such jurisdiction.

(h)     Injunctive Relief . In the event of a breach or threatened breach of this Section 20, each Participant agrees that the Corporation will be entitled to injunctive relief in aid of arbitration pursuant to Paragraph 9(b) from a court of appropriate jurisdiction to remedy any such breach or threatened breach.

(i)     Notice to New Employers . Before a Participant accepts employment with any other person or entity while any of Section 20(a), (b) or (c) is in effect, the Participant shall provide the prospective employer with written notice of the provisions of Section 20(a), (b) and (c) and will deliver a copy of the notice to the Corporation.

21.     Effective Date . The Plan shall be effective as of July 13, 2010.

 

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Appendix A

Reduction of Certain Payments by the Corporation

(a)    Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event it shall be determined that (i) any payment, award, benefit or distribution (or any acceleration of any payment, award, benefit or distribution) by the Corporation (or any of its affiliated entities) or any entity which effectuates a Change in Control (or any of its affiliated entities) to or for the benefit of Executive (whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise) (the “ Payments ”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “ Excise Tax ”), and (ii) the reduction of the amounts payable to Executive under this Agreement to the maximum amount that could be paid to Executive without giving rise to the Excise Tax (the “ Safe Harbor Cap ”) would provide the Executive with a greater after tax amount than if such amounts were not reduced, then the amounts payable to Executive under this Agreement shall be reduced (but not below zero) to the Safe Harbor Cap. The reduction of the amounts payable hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by reducing first the payments under paragraph (i) and then paragraph (ii) of Section 3(a) or Section 3(b), as applicable, unless an alternative method of reduction is elected by the Participant within thirty (30) days after first becoming eligible to participate in this Plan.

(b)    All determinations required to be made under this Appendix A, including the reduction of the Payments to the Safe Harbor Cap and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determinations, shall be made by a public accounting firm that is retained by the Corporation as of the date immediately prior to the Change in Control (the “ Accounting Firm ”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Corporation and the Participant within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from the Corporation or the Participant that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by the Corporation (collectively, the “ Determination ”). For the avoidance of doubt, the Accounting Firm may use the Option Redetermination amount in determining the reduction of the Payments to the Safe Harbor Cap. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event (i) the HRCC shall determine prior to the Change in Control that the Accounting Firm is precluded from performing such services under applicable auditor independence rules or (ii) the Audit Committee of the Board determines that it does not want the Accounting Firm to perform such services because of auditor independence concerns or (iii) the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the person(s) effecting the Change in Control, the HRCC shall appoint another nationally recognized public accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Corporation, and the Corporation shall enter into any agreement reasonably requested by the Accounting Firm in connection with the performance of the services hereunder. If the Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by a Participant, it shall furnish the Participant with a written opinion to such effect, and to the effect that failure to report the Excise Tax, if any, on the Participant’s applicable federal income tax return will not result in the imposition of a negligence or similar penalty. In the event the Accounting Firm determines that the


Payments shall be reduced to the Safe Harbor Cap, it shall furnish the Participant with a written opinion to such effect. The Determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Corporation and the Participant.

In the event that the Corporation determines that the value of any accelerated vesting of stock options held by the Participant shall be redetermined within the context of Treasury Regulation §1.280G-1 Q/A 33 (the “ Option Redetermination ”), the Participant shall (i) file with the Internal Revenue Service an amended federal income tax return that claims a refund of the overpayment of the Excise Tax attributable to such Option Redetermination and (ii) promptly pay the refunded Excise Tax to the Corporation; provided that the Corporation shall pay on a current basis all reasonable professional fees incurred in the preparation of the Participant’s amended federal income tax return. In the event that amounts payable to the Participant under this Plan were reduced pursuant to paragraph (a) and subsequently the Participant determines there has been an Option Redetermination that reduces the value of the Payments attributable to such options, the Corporation shall pay to the Participant (on the first business day of the calendar month following the month the Option Redetermination is made) any amounts payable under this Plan that were not previously paid solely as a result of the second paragraph of Paragraph (a) up to the Safe Harbor Cap plus interest, from the date the Participant files the amended return as provided above, at the three (3) month Treasury Bill rate.

 

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