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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): August 3, 2022

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   000-06814   83-0205516

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas   77057
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 993-3200

 

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

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class   Trading Symbol(s)   Name of exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value   USEG  

The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

(Nasdaq Capital Market)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

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 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

 

On August 3, 2022, U.S. Energy Corp. (the “Company”) changed its state of incorporation from the State of Wyoming to the State of Delaware (the “Reincorporation”) by means of a Plan of Conversion, effective August 3, 2022 (the “Plan of Conversion”). The Reincorporation, including the Plan of Conversion, was submitted to a vote of, and approved by, the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on June 21, 2022 (the “2022 Annual Meeting”), as set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, 2022 (the “Definitive Proxy Statement”).

 

The Reincorporation was accomplished by filing: (i) an Application for Certificate of Transfer with the Secretary of State of the State of Wyoming (the “Wyoming Certificate of Transfer”); (ii) a Certificate of Conversion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Certificate of Conversion”); and (iii) a Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Certificate of Incorporation”). In connection with the Reincorporation, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted new amended and restated bylaws in the form attached to the Plan of Conversion, which are as were set forth in the Definitive Proxy Statement (the “Delaware Bylaws”).

 

Upon the effectiveness of the Reincorporation on August 3, 2022:

 

  The Company’s affairs ceased to be governed by the Wyoming Business Corporation Act and the Company’s Wyoming articles of incorporation and bylaws, in each case as in effect immediately prior to the Reincorporation, and the Company’s affairs became governed by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Delaware Certificate of Incorporation, and the Delaware Bylaws;
     
  The resulting Delaware corporation (“U.S. Energy-Delaware”) (i) is deemed to be the same entity as the Company as incorporated in Wyoming (“U.S. Energy-Wyoming”) for all purposes under Wyoming and Delaware law, (ii) continues to have all of the rights, privileges, and powers of U.S. Energy-Wyoming, (iii) continues to possess all of the properties of U.S. Energy-Wyoming, and (iv) continues to have all of the debts, liabilities, and duties of U.S. Energy-Wyoming;
     
  Each (i) issued and outstanding share of common stock. $0.01 par value per share, of U.S. Energy-Wyoming automatically became an issued and outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of U.S. Energy-Delaware, (ii) options exercisable for common stock of U.S. Energy-Wyoming automatically became an equivalent option exercisable for shares of common stock of U.S. Energy-Delaware, (iii) warrants or other rights to acquire shares of common stock U.S. Energy-Wyoming automatically became an equivalent warrant or other right to acquire shares of common stock of U.S. Energy-Delaware, and (iv) outstanding certificates representing shares of U.S. Energy-Wyoming common stock shall be deemed equivalent certificates representing shares of U.S. Energy-Delaware common stock;
     
  All employee benefit, stock option plans and incentive plans of U.S. Energy-Wyoming continue to be employee benefit, stock option plans and incentive plans of U.S. Energy-Delaware; and
     
  Each director and officer of U.S. Energy-Wyoming continues to hold his or her respective office with U.S. Energy-Delaware.

 

 
 

 

Certain rights of the Company’s stockholders changed as a result of the Reincorporation, and such changes are described in the Definitive Proxy Statement under the section entitled “Proposal 6: Approval of the Reincorporation of U.S. Energy Corp. From a Wyoming Corporation to a Delaware Corporation” and more specifically, the section thereunder entitled, “What are the material differences between Delaware law and Wyoming law?”, and such description is incorporated by reference in this Item 3.03. Additionally, a more detailed description of the Plan of Conversion and the effects of the Reincorporation is set forth in the Definitive Proxy Statement under the section entitled “Proposal 6: Approval of the Reincorporation of U.S. Energy Corp. From a Wyoming Corporation to a Delaware Corporation,” which description is incorporated by reference in this Item 3.03. The foregoing description of the Plan of Conversion, the Delaware Certificate of Conversion, the Delaware Certificate of Incorporation, the Delaware Bylaws, and the Wyoming Certificate of Transfer is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan of Conversion, the Delaware Certificate of Conversion, the Delaware Certificate of Incorporation, the Delaware Bylaws, and the Wyoming Certificate of Transfer, which are filed as Exhibits 99.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Reincorporation does not affect the trading of the Company’s shares of common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market in any respect. The Company, as a Delaware corporation, will continue to file periodic reports and other documents as and when required by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Stockholders who are holding their shares of common stock of the Company in electronic form at brokerage firms do not have to take any action as a result of the Reincorporation.

 

Stockholders holding paper certificates representing outstanding shares of common stock of the Company also do not need to take any action as a result of the Reincorporation because each stock certificate continues to represent the same number of shares of common stock of the Company as a Delaware corporation. Do not destroy your certificates representing U.S. Energy-Wyoming shares as these now evidence shares of U.S. Energy-Delaware.

 

The Company believes that the Reincorporation will not affect any of the Company’s material contracts with any third parties, and the Company’s rights and obligations under such material contractual arrangements will continue to be rights and obligations of the Company after the Reincorporation. The Reincorporation did not result in any change in headquarters, business, jobs, management, location of any of the offices or facilities, number of employees, assets, liabilities or net worth (other than as a result of the costs incident to the Reincorporation) of the Company.

 

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

 

As disclosed in Item 3.03 above, effective August 3, 2022, the Company changed its state of incorporation from Wyoming to Delaware pursuant to the Plan of Conversion. As of that date, the rights of the Company’s stockholders began to be governed by Delaware corporation laws, the Delaware Certificate of Incorporation and the Delaware Bylaws. The Delaware Certificate of Incorporation and the Delaware Bylaws are filed herewith as Exhibits 3.2 and 3.3, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference. Certain rights of the Company’s stockholders were changed as a result of the Reincorporation. A more detailed description of the Delaware Certificate of Incorporation and Delaware Bylaws, and the changes in rights of the Company’s stockholders as a result of the Reincorporation, is set forth in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement, which description is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 
 

 

The information contained in Item 3.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference in this Item 5.03.

 

Item 8.01 Other Events.

 

Description of Capital Stock

 

The Company currently has on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (i) a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-265532) that relates to the resale of shares of common stock that may be offered for sale from time to time by the selling stockholders named in the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, (ii) a shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (333-248906) and (iii) five Registration Statements on Form S-8 that register shares of common stock to be issued to the Company’s officers and employees under its long-term incentive plans, all as listed below:

 

  (1) Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-108979);
  (2) Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-166638);
  (3) Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-180735);
  (4) Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-183911); and
  (5) Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-261600).

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K is automatically incorporated by reference into each of the registration statements listed above, thereby amending each of them.

 

The following is a current description of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, as registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and shall be incorporated by reference into any Registration Statement on Form S-3 or Form S-8 (or applicable successor forms) that may be filed in the future by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, until and to the extent that such description of common stock is subsequently amended or modified by any amendment or report filed by the Company with the SEC under the Exchange Act for the purpose of updating such description.

 

The rights of the holders of our common stock are governed by Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), our Certificate of Incorporation and our Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”).

 

The Company is authorized to issue up to 245,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

Common Stock

 

Voting Rights. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on all stockholder matters. Shares of our common stock do not possess any cumulative voting rights.

 

Except for the election of directors, if a quorum is present, an action on a matter is approved if it receives the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of capital stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the matter, unless otherwise required by applicable law, Delaware law, our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. The election of directors will be determined by a plurality of the votes cast in respect of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote, meaning that the nominees with the greatest number of votes cast, even if less than a majority, will be elected. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may be impacted by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we have designated, or may designate and issue in the future.

 

Dividend Rights. Each share of our common stock is entitled to equal dividends and distributions per share with respect to the common stock when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors, subject to any preferential or other rights of any outstanding preferred stock.

 

Liquidation and Dissolution Rights. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata on a share-for-share basis, the assets available for distribution to the stockholders after payment of liabilities and payment of preferential and other amounts, if any, payable on any outstanding preferred stock.

 

 
 

 

No Preemptive, Conversion, or Redemption Rights. Holders of our outstanding common stock have no preemptive, conversion, or redemption rights. Shares of our common stock are not assessable. To the extent that additional shares of our common stock may be issued in the future, the relative interests of the then existing stockholders may be diluted.

 

Fully Paid Status. All outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Trading Market. Our common stock is listed for trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “USEG”.

 

Preferred Stock

 

The Board of Directors of the Company is empowered, without approval of the Company’s stockholders, to cause shares of Preferred Stock to be issued in one or more series and to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of the shares of any such series, subject to the limitations of DGCL. Because the Board of Directors has the power to establish the preferences and rights of each series, it may afford the holders of any series of Preferred Stock rights and preferences, voting or otherwise, senior to the rights of holders of common stock.

 

While providing desirable flexibility for possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, and eliminating delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances, the issuance of Preferred Stock could adversely affect the voting, dividend and liquidation rights of holders of common stock.

 

Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

 

Certain provisions of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and the DGCL, which are summarized below, could have the effect of making it more difficult to change the composition of the Company’s Board of Directors or for any person or entity to acquire control of the Company.

 

Preferred Stock

 

As noted above, the Board of Directors may issue Preferred Stock without stockholder approval. Consequently, the Company’s Preferred Stock could be issued quickly and utilized, under certain circumstances, as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company or make removal of management and directors more difficult.

 

Advance Notice of Stockholder Proposals and Nominations for Directors

 

Stockholders who seek to nominate directors or to bring business before a stockholder meeting must comply with specified timing requirements and submit to the Company certain information in advance of such meeting, as set forth in the Bylaws. These provisions may impede a stockholder’s ability to bring matters before an annual or special meeting or make nominations for directors.

 

Authorized but Unissued Shares of Common Stock

 

Shares of our authorized and unissued common stock are available for future issuances without additional stockholder approval. While the additional shares are not designed to deter or prevent a change of control, under some circumstances we could use the additional shares to create voting impediments or to frustrate persons seeking to affect a takeover or otherwise gain control by, for example, issuing those shares in private placements to purchasers who might side with our Board of Directors in opposing a hostile takeover bid.

 

 
 

 

Authorized but Unissued Shares of Preferred Stock.

 

Under our Certificate of Incorporation, our Board of Directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the voting powers, designations, preferences and the relative participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications, limitations and restrictions of each series, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series. The existence of authorized but unissued preferred stock could reduce our attractiveness as a target for an unsolicited takeover bid since we could, for example, issue shares of preferred stock to parties who might oppose such a takeover bid or shares that contain terms the potential acquirer may find unattractive. This may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control, may discourage bids for the common stock at a premium over the market price of the common stock, and may adversely affect the market price of, and the voting and other rights of the holders of, our common stock.

 

Classified Board of Directors

 

In accordance with the terms of our Certificate of Incorporation, our Board of Directors is divided into three classes, Class One, Class Two and Class Three, with members of each class serving staggered three-year terms. Under our Certificate of Incorporation, our Board of Directors consists of such number of directors as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors, but in no event may the number of directors be less than one or more than fifteen. Any additional directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that any vacancy on our board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of our board of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected to fill a vacancy will hold office until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Our classified Board of Directors could have the effect of delaying or discouraging an acquisition of us or a change in our management.

 

Removal of Directors

 

As a result of our classified Board of Directors, our Bylaws provide that directors may be removed only for cause and upon the affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock then entitled to vote at an election of directors.

 

Special Meeting of Stockholders

 

Special meetings of stockholders may only be called by a majority vote of our board of directors.

 

Action by Written Consent

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken by our common stockholders may be effected by written consent of the stockholders having not less than the minimum percentage of the vote required by DGCL for the proposed corporate action.

 

Vacancies on the Board of Directors

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that, subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding series of preferred stock and unless otherwise required by law or resolution of our board of directors, vacancies on the board of directors arising through death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal, an increase in the number of directors or otherwise may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum.

 

Amendment to Bylaws by Stockholders

 

Subject to certain limitations preventing amendments which decrease or diminish indemnification rights provided for in our Bylaws, our Bylaws provide that any amendment to such Bylaws undertaken solely by our stockholders requires the affirmative vote of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company.

 

 
 

 

Forum Selection Clause

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company, each as amended, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, in each such case, unless the Court of Chancery (or such other state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, as applicable) has dismissed a prior action by the same plaintiff asserting the same claims because such court lacked personal jurisdiction over an indispensable party named as a defendant therein.

 

The following provisions would not however apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act, and an investor cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Notwithstanding the above, to prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our Certificate of Incorporation provides that unless the Company gives an Alternative Forum Consent, the U.S. federal district courts will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. However, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such a provision. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation. This may require significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions.

 

These exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. If a court were to find either exclusive-forum provision to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur further significant additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, all of which could seriously harm our business.

 

Anti-Takeover Effects Under Section 203 of Delaware General Corporation Law

 

Section 203 of Delaware General Corporation Law prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, with the following exceptions:

 

  before such date, the Board of Directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
     
  upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85 percent of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction began, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or an exchange offer; or

 

 
 

 

  on or after such date, the business combination is approved by our Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or a special meeting of the stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3 percent of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

In general, Section 203 defines “business combination” to include the following:

 

  any merger or consolidation involving the corporation or any direct or indirect majority owned subsidiary of the corporation and the interested stockholder or any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation the transaction is not excepted as described above;
     
  any sale, transfer, pledge, or other disposition (in one transaction or a series) of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation involving the interested stockholder;
     
  subject to certain exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;
     
  any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock or any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; or
     
  the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loss, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits by or through the corporation.

 

In general, Section 203 defines an “interested stockholder” as an entity or a person who, together with the person’s affiliates and associates, beneficially owns, or within three years prior to the time of determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15 percent or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

 

A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of these provisions with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws resulting from a stockholders’ amendment approved by at least a majority of the outstanding voting shares. We have opted out of these provisions. As a result, mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts of us will not be limited by Section 203 of Delaware law.

 

* * * * *

 

The provisions of Delaware law and the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they might also inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions might also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number  

Description

3.1   Certificate of Conversion, filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware and effective August 3, 2022
3.2   Certificate of Incorporation of U.S. Energy Corp, Delaware, filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware and effective, August 3, 2022
3.3   Amended and Restated Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp, Delaware, effective August 3, 2022
3.4   Wyoming Certificate of Transfer, effective August 3, 2022
99.1   Plan of Conversion of U.S. Energy Corp. (a Wyoming corporation) to U.S. Energy Corp. (a Delaware corporation), dated July 27, 2022 and effective August 3, 2022
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

 
 

 

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.

 

  U.S. ENERGY CORP.
   
Dated: August 4, 2022 /s/ Ryan Smith
  Ryan Smith
  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

Text

Description automatically generated

 

STATE OF DELAWARE

CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION

FROM A NON-DELAWARE CORPORATION

TO A DELAWARE CORPORATION

PURSUANT TO SECTION 265 OF THE

DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW

 

1.)The jurisdiction where the Non-Delaware Corporation first formed is

Wyoming                                                  .

 

2.)The jurisdiction immediately prior to filing this Certificate is Wyoming           .

 

3.)The date the Non-Delaware Corporation first formed is 01/26/1966                  .

 

4.)The name of the Non-Delaware Corporation immediately prior to filing this Certificate is U.S. Energy Corp.              .

 

5.)The name of the Corporation as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation is

U.S. Energy Corp.                                    .

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned being duly authorized to sign on behalf of the converting Non-Delaware Corporation have executed this Certificate on the 3rd day of August, A.D. 2022.

 

  By: /s/ Ryan Smith
     
  Name: Ryan Smith
    Print or Type
     
  Title: CEO
  Print or Type

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.2

 

 

 

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

 
  (a Delaware corporation)  

 

August 3, 2022

 

The undersigned Incorporator, desiring to form a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) of the State of Delaware, hereby certifies as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

NAME

 

The name of the Corporation is U.S. Energy Corp. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

 

The Registered Office of the corporation in the State of Delaware is located at 8 The Green STE A, in the City of Dover, County of Kent County, Zip Code 19901. The name of the Registered Agent at such address upon whom process against this corporation may be served is A Registered Agent, Inc.

 

ARTICLE III

 

PURPOSE AND POWERS

 

The purpose of the corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CAPITAL STOCK

 

  A. Classes of Stock. The total number of shares of stock of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 250,000,000 shares. The authorized capital stock is divided into: (i) 245,000,000 shares of common stock having a par value of $0.01 per share (hereinafter, the “Common Stock”) and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock having a par value of $0.01 per share (hereinafter, the “Preferred Stock”).

 

  B. Common Stock. All shares of Common Stock of the Corporation shall be of one and the same class, shall be identical in all respects and shall have equal rights, powers and privileges.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 1 of 11

 

 

  1. Except as otherwise provided for by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors pursuant to this Article IV with respect to the issuance of any series of Preferred Stock or by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote on all matters requiring stockholder action. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL. On each matter on which holders of Common Stock are entitled to vote, each outstanding share of such Common Stock will be entitled to one vote.
     
  2. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of outstanding Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Common Stock shall have equal rights of participation in the dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property of the Corporation when, as and if declared thereon by the Board of Directors from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall have equal rights to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.
     
3. No holder of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to preemptive or subscription rights, except as otherwise set forth in a separate agreement between such holder and the Corporation.

 

  C. Preferred Stock

 

  1. Shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation may be issued from time to time in one or more series, the shares of each series to have such voting powers, full or limited, if any, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as are stated and expressed herein or in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series, adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 2 of 11

 

 

  2. Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of this Article IV and to the limitations prescribed by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, to authorize by resolution or resolutions from time to time the issuance of one or more series of Preferred Stock out of the authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and with respect to each such series to fix, by filing a certificate of designation pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware setting forth such resolution or resolutions and providing for the issuance of such series, the voting powers, full or limited, if any, of the shares of such series and the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, the determination or fixing of the following:

 

  i. the designation of such series;
     
  ii. the number of shares of such series, which number the Board of Directors may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the certificate of designation for such series) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding);
     
  iii. the dividend rate, if any, payable to holders of shares of such series, any conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, the relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any other class or classes of stock or any other series of any class of stock of the Corporation, and whether such dividends shall be cumulative or non-cumulative;
     
  iv. whether the shares of such series shall be subject to redemption by the Corporation, in whole or in part, at the option of the Corporation or of the holder thereof, and, if made subject to such redemption, the times, prices, form of payment and other terms and conditions of such redemption;
     
  v. the terms and amount of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of the shares of such series;
     
  vi. whether or not the shares of such series shall be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of any other class or classes of any stock or any other series of any class of stock of the Corporation or any other security, and, if provision is made for conversion or exchange, the times, prices, rates, adjustments, and other terms and conditions of such conversion or exchanges;
     
  vii. the extent, if any, to which the holders of shares of such series shall be entitled to vote generally, with respect to the election of directors, upon specified events or otherwise;
     
  viii. the restrictions, if any, on the issue or reissue of any additional Preferred Stock; and

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 3 of 11

 

 

  ix. the rights and preferences of the holders of the shares of such series upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of, or upon the distribution of assets of, the Corporation.

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolutions providing for issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and the terms of any other series of Preferred Stock.

 

The Board of Directors may, from time to time, increase the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock already created by providing that any unissued shares of Preferred Stock shall constitute part of such series, or may decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) the number of shares of any series of any Preferred Stock already created providing that any unissued shares previously assigned to such series shall no longer constitute a part thereof. The Board of Directors is hereby empowered to classify or reclassify any unissued Preferred Stock by fixing or altering the terms thereof with respect to the above-mentioned particulars and by assigning the same to an existing or newly created series from time to time before the issuance of such stock.

 

ARTICLE V

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

  A. Power of the Board of Directors. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In furtherance, and not in limitation, of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors shall be expressly authorized to:

 

  1. determine the rights, powers, duties, rules and procedures that affect the power of the Board of Directors to manage and direct the business and affairs of the Corporation;
     
  2. establish one or more committees of the Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors, to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board of Directors to the fullest extent permitted by law; and
     
  3. exercise all such powers and do all such acts as may be exercised by the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware, this Certificate of Incorporation, and the Bylaws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”).

 

  B. Number of Directors. The number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be not less than one (1) nor greater than fifteen (15) directors, the exact number of which shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by a vote of a majority of the Board of Directors in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 4 of 11

 

 

  C.

Classes of Directors. Other than those directors, if any, elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the Board shall be and is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated as: Class One, Class Two and Class Three.

     
  D. Terms of Office. Except for the terms of such additional directors, if any, as elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting at which the director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class One shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class Two shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class Three shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor and be subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. If the number of directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any additional director of any class elected to fill a vacancy resulting from an increase in such class or from the removal from office, death, disability, resignation or disqualification of a director or other cause shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case will a decrease in the number of directors have the effect of removing or shortening the term of any incumbent director.
     
  E. Vacancies. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, vacancies on the Board by any reason, including by death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or otherwise, and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall be filled solely by a majority of the directors then in office, in their sole discretion, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, in his or her sole discretion, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. A director elected to fill a vacancy or a newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.
     
  F. Removal of Directors. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, only with cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting as a single class.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 5 of 11

 

 

  G. Appointment of Directors. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of directors.
     
  H. Committees. Pursuant to the Bylaws of the Corporation, as amended from time to time (the “Bylaws”), the Board may establish one or more committees to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board to the full extent permitted by law.
     
  I. Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws.
     
  J. Preferred Stock — Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of the Preferred Stock as set forth in this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) and such directors shall not be included in any of the classes created pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

 

  A. Limitation of Liability of Directors. A Director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a Director to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware as the same now exists or hereafter may be amended. No repeal or modification of this Article VI shall apply or have any adverse effect on any right or protection of, or any limitation of the liability of, any person entitled to any right or protection under this Article VI existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 6 of 11

 

 

  B.

Indemnification.

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI.B or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VI.B shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article VI.B, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

 

(b) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Article VI.B shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Certificate, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

(c) Any repeal or amendment of this Article VI.B by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this Article VI.B, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

(d) This Article VI.B shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 7 of 11

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing setting forth the action so taken, shall have been signed by the holder or holders having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take the action that is the subject of the consent at a meeting, in which each owner or holder entitled to vote on the action is present and votes. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

 

Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept at such place within or without the State of Delaware as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide or as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

FORUM SELECTION

 

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, in each such case, unless the Court of Chancery (or such other state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, as applicable) has dismissed a prior action by the same plaintiff asserting the same claims because such court lacked personal jurisdiction over an indispensable party named as a defendant therein. Unless the Corporation gives an Alternative Forum Consent, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article VIII. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the Corporation irreparable harm and the Corporation shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunction and specific performance, to enforce the forgoing provisions. The existence of any prior Alternative Forum Consent shall not act as a waiver of the Corporation’s ongoing consent right as set forth above in this Article VIII with respect to any current or future actions or claims.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 8 of 11

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

BYLAWS; AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

 

  A. Adoption and Amendment by the Board of Directors. In furtherance, and not in limitation, of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to amend, alter, change, adopt or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted shall invalidate any prior act of the directors that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.
     
  B. Amendment by Stockholders. In addition to any requirements of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware), unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the Corporation to amend, alter, change or repeal or to adopt any provision of the Bylaws of the Corporation. provided however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

ARTICLE X

 

SECTION 203 ELECTION

 

The Corporation elects not to be governed by or subject to Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation hereby reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the General Corporation Law of Delaware may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the General Corporation Law of Delaware, and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred on stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever therein granted are subject to this reservation.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 9 of 11

 

 

ARTICLE XII

 

INCORPORATOR; POWER OF INCORPORATOR; INITIAL DIRECTORS

 

A.Name and Address of Incorporator. The name and mailing address of the incorporator is Ryan L. Smith, 1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057.

 

B.Powers of Incorporator; Initial Directors of the Company. The powers of the incorporator are to terminate upon the filing of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The name and mailing address of each person who is to serve as an initial director of the Company until the first annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified, is:

 

Ryan L. Smith

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

 

John Weinzierl

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

Joshua L. Batchelor

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

James W. Denny III

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

 

Randall D. Keys

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

Duane H. King

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

D. Stephen Slack

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

       

 

* * * * *

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 10 of 11

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Certificate of Incorporation as of the date first written above.

 

  By:

/s/ Ryan L. Smith

  Name: Ryan L. Smith
    Incorporator

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 11 of 11

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.3

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

 

a Delaware Corporation

 

Adopted Effective on August 3, 2022

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I. Corporate Offices 1
   
  1.1. Registered Office. 1
  1.1. Other Offices. 1
     
ARTICLE II. Meetings of Stockholders 1
   
  2.1. Place of Meetings. 1
  2.2. Annual Meeting. 1
  2.3. Special Meeting. 1
  2.4. Advance Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting. 1
  2.5. Advance Notice of Nominations for Election of Directors at a Meeting. 4
  2.6. Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors. 6
  2.7. Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings. 7
  2.8. Procedures for Stockholders to Act by Consent in Lieu of a Meeting. 8
  2.9. Quorum. 8
  2.10. Adjourned Meeting; Notice. 9
  2.11. Conduct of Business. 9
  2.12. Voting. 9
  2.13. Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes. 10
  2.14. Proxies. 10
  2.15. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. 10
  2.16. Inspectors of Election. 11
  2.17. Delivery to the Corporation. 11
     
ARTICLE III. Directors 11
   
  3.1. Powers. 11
  3.2. Number of Directors. 12
  3.3. Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors. 12
  3.4. Resignation and Vacancies. 12
  3.5. Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone. 12
  3.6. Regular Meetings. 12
  3.7. Special Meetings; Notice. 12
  3.8. Quorum. 13
  3.1. Board Action without a Meeting. 13
  3.2. Fees and Compensation of Directors. 13
     
ARTICLE IV. Committees 13
   
  4.1. Committees of Directors. 13
  4.2. Committee Minutes. 14
  4.3. Meetings and Actions of Committees. 14
  4.4. Subcommittees. 14
     
ARTICLE V. Officers 14
   
  5.1. Officers. 14
  5.2. Appointment of Officers. 15
  5.3. Subordinate Officers. 15
  5.4. Removal and Resignation of Officers. 15
  5.5. Vacancies in Offices. 15
  5.6. Representation of Shares of Other Corporations. 15
  5.7. Authority and Duties of Officers. 15
  5.8. Compensation. 15

 

 
 

 

ARTICLE VI. Records 16
ARTICLE VII. General Matters 16
   
  7.1. Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments. 16
  7.2. Stock Certificates. 16
  7.3. Special Designation of Certificates. 17
  7.4. Lost Certificates. 17
  7.5. Shares Without Certificates. 17
  7.6. Construction; Definitions. 17
  7.7. Dividends. 17
  7.8. Fiscal Year. 17
  7.9. Seal. 18
  7.10. Transfer of Stock. 18
  7.11. Stock Transfer Agreements. 18
  7.12. Registered Stockholders. 18
  7.13. Waiver of Notice. 18
     
ARTICLE VIII. Notice 19
   
  8.1. Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission. 19
     
ARTICLE IX. Indemnification 20
   
  9.1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers. 20
  9.2. Indemnification of Others. 20
  9.3. Prepayment of Expenses. 20
  9.4. Determination; Claim. 20
  9.5. Non-Exclusivity of Rights. 20
  9.6. Insurance. 21
  9.1. Other Indemnification. 21
  9.2. Continuation of Indemnification. 21
  9.3. Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation. 21
     
ARTICLE X. Amendments 22
ARTICLE XI. Uniformity of Interpretation and Severability 22
   
  11.1. Interpretation and Severability. 22
     
ARTICLE XII. - Definitions 22

 

 
 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

 

ARTICLE I.
Corporate Offices

 

1.1. Registered Office. The address of the registered office of U.S. Energy Corp. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

 

1.1. Other Offices. The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II.
Meetings of Stockholders

 

2.1. Place of Meetings. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.

 

2.2. Annual Meeting. The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 of these bylaws may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.

 

2.3. Special Meeting. Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation and in these bylaws.

 

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.

 

2.4. Advance Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting. (i) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (a) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A)(1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4 and Section 2.5 of these bylaws, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 of these bylaws, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations for election to the Board except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 and Section 2.7 of these bylaws.

 

Page 1 of 22
Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

(ii) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (b) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting which; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

 

(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

 

(a) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the number of shares of each class or series of stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

 

Page 2 of 22
Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

(b) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

 

(c) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other record or beneficial holder(s) or person(s) who have a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation or other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

 

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(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made and (c) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

 

(v) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (A) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and (B) not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

 

(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding person of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

 

(vii) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

(viii) For purposes of these bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

2.5. Advance Notice of Nominations for Election of Directors at a Meeting. (i) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting may be made at such meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (b) by a stockholder present in person (as defined in Section 2.4) who (1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7 as to such notice and nomination. Other than nominations made by a stockholder in accordance with the Nominating Agreement, the foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at any annual meeting of stockholders.

 

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(ii) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(ii) of these bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7, and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such annual meeting.

 

(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(iv) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

 

(a) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(a), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(a));

 

(b) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(iii)(c) shall be made with respect to nomination of each person for election as a director at the meeting); and

 

(c) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.7(i).

 

(v) For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made and (c) any other participant in such solicitation.

 

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(vi) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (A) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and (B) not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

 

(vii) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

 

(viii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.5, for as long as the Nominating Agreement remains in effect with respect to a Nominating Seller, each Nominating Seller (to the extent then subject to the Nominating Agreement, as may be amended from time to time) shall not be subject to the notice provisions set forth in paragraphs (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) of this Section 2.5.

 

2.6. Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors.

 

(i) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (a) a completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the Corporation upon written request therefor) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (b) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Corporation upon written request therefor) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) other than, in the case of the Nominating Seller, the Nominating Agreement, by and among the Nominating Sellers and the Corporation, as amended from time to time, or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed therein, and (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect).

 

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(ii) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation.

 

(iii) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.7, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.7 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) (A) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and (B) not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

 

(iv) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.7 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

 

(v) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.7, as applicable. The presiding person at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with this Section 2.6, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

 

(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination by a Nominating Person shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.7.

 

2.7. Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

 

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2.8. Procedures for Stockholders to Act by Consent in Lieu of a Meeting. (i) Unless otherwise prohibited by the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at an annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents, setting forth the action so taken, (a) shall be signed by stockholders on the record date established pursuant to Section 2.8(ii) below (the “Written Consent Record Date”) of outstanding shares of the Corporation having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and (b) shall be delivered to the Corporation at its registered office in the State of Delaware, at its principal place of business, to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the minute books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded or in any other manner permitted by law. Delivery shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. No consent shall be effective to take corporate action unless consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take such action are delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in this Section 2.8 within 60 days after the first date on which a consent is so delivered to the Corporation. Only stockholders on the Written Consent Record Date shall be entitled to consent to corporate action without a meeting.

 

(ii) Without qualification, any stockholder seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take any action by consent shall first request in writing that the Board fix a Written Consent Record Date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to take such action, which request shall be in proper form and delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. Within ten (10) days after receipt of a request in proper form and otherwise in compliance with this Section 2.8(ii) from any such stockholder, the Board may adopt a resolution fixing a Written Consent Record Date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to take such action, which date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If no resolution fixing a record date has been adopted by the Board within such ten (10) day period after the date on which such a request is received, (a) the Written Consent Record Date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to such action, when no prior action of the Board is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which valid signed consents constituting applicable percentage of the outstanding shares of the Corporation and setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in this Section 2.8, and (b) the Written Consent Record Date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to such action, when prior action by the Board is required by applicable law, shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

2.9. Quorum. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by class or series is required, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum with respect to that matter. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.10 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At any recessed or adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

 

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2.10. Adjourned Meeting; Notice. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

2.11. Conduct of Business. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

2.12. Voting. Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

 

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Unless a different or minimum vote is required by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities pursuant to which the matter is being submitted to stockholders for approval, in which case such different or minimum vote shall be the required vote on such matter, each matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

 

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2.13. Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes. 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 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, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders 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 may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

 

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

2.14. Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

 

2.15. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.15 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

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2.16. Inspectors of Election. Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

 

Such inspectors shall:

 

(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

 

(ii) count all votes or ballots;

 

(iii) count and tabulate all votes;

 

(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

 

(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

 

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

 

2.17. Delivery to the Corporation. Whenever this ARTICLE II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by this ARTICLE II.

 

ARTICLE III.
Directors

 

3.1. Powers. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

 

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3.2. Number of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, or any other series or class of stock as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation to elect directors (“Preferred Stock Directors”) under specified circumstances, and the Certificate of Incorporation, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, but shall consist of not less than one (1) nor more than fifteen (15) directors (exclusive of Preferred Stock Directors). No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires. Except as to the rights of any preferred stock to appoint Preferred Stock Directors, the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast.

 

3.3. Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors. Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders. Any class shall consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.

 

3.4. Resignation and Vacancies. Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in Section 3.3.

 

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the class, if any, to which the director is appointed and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

3.5. Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone. The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone, video conferencing or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

3.6. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.

 

3.7. Special Meetings; Notice. Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Secretary or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.

 

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Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

 

(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

 

(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

 

(iii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or

 

(iv) sent by other means of electronic transmission,

 

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

 

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

 

3.8. Quorum. At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, applicable law, the rules and regulations for listed companies as in effect from time to time of the principal United States national securities exchange on which the capital stock of the Corporation is listed for trading, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may postpone or adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

3.1. Board Action without a Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.

 

3.2. Fees and Compensation of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

 

ARTICLE IV.
Committees

 

4.1. Committees of Directors. The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. 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 to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

 

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4.2. Committee Minutes. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.

 

4.3. Meetings and Actions of Committees. Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

 

(i) Section 3.5 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);

 

(ii) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

 

(iii) Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);

 

(iv) Section 3.1 (board action without a meeting); and

 

(v) Section 7.13 (waiver of notice),

 

with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:

 

(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

 

(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

 

(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

 

At all meetings of committees, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the committee, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

4.4. Subcommittees. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee or the charter of such committee adopted by the Board, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

 

ARTICLE V.
Officers

 

5.1. Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a President and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, Chief Financial Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Treasurers, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

 

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5.2. Appointment of Officers.

 

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws.

 

5.3. Subordinate Officers.

 

The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.

 

5.4. Removal and Resignation of Officers.

 

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

 

Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. If a resignation is made effective at a later date and the Corporation accepts the future effective date, the Board may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the Board provides that the successor shall not take office until the effective date. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

 

5.5. Vacancies in Offices.

 

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.

 

5.6. Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

 

The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other person standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

 

5.7. Authority and Duties of Officers.

 

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.

 

5.8. Compensation.

 

The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.

 

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ARTICLE VI.
Records

 

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.

 

ARTICLE VII.
General Matters

 

7.1. Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

 

The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. All other contracts, agreements, certificates or instruments to be executed on behalf of the Corporation may be executed using a facsimile or other form of electronic signature to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

7.2. Stock Certificates.

 

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates or shall be uncertificated in the option of the officers of the Corporation authorizing the issuance of such shares. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

 

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7.3. Special Designation of Certificates.

 

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

7.4. Lost 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 uncertificated shares.

 

7.5. Shares Without Certificates.

 

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

 

7.6. Construction; Definitions.

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

 

7.7. Dividends.

 

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

 

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

 

7.8. Fiscal Year.

 

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

 

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7.9. Seal.

 

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

7.10. Transfer of Stock.

 

Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.

 

7.11. Stock Transfer Agreements.

 

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL or the charter of such committee adopted by the Board.

 

7.12. Registered Stockholders.

 

The Corporation:

 

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

 

(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

7.13. Waiver of Notice.

 

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, 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 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 bylaws.

 

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ARTICLE VIII.
Notice

 

8.1. Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

 

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

 

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this Section 8.1 without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

 

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

  (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;
     
  (ii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and
     
  (iii) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

 

An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

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ARTICLE IX.
Indemnification

 

9.1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity (a “covered person”), including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

 

9.2. Indemnification of Others.

 

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

 

9.3. Prepayment of Expenses.

 

The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any covered person, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this ARTICLE IX or otherwise.

 

9.4. Determination; Claim.

 

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this ARTICLE IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this ARTICLE IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

 

9.5. Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

 

The rights conferred on any person by this ARTICLE IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

Page 20 of 22
Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

9.6. Insurance.

 

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

9.1. Other Indemnification.

 

The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

 

9.2. Continuation of Indemnification.

 

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this ARTICLE IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.

 

9.3. Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

 

The provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this ARTICLE IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this ARTICLE IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

 

Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this ARTICLE IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to ARTICLE V of these bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to ARTICLE V of these bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this ARTICLE IX.

 

Page 21 of 22
Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

ARTICLE X.
Amendments

 

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

 

ARTICLE XI.
Uniformity of Interpretation and Severability

 

11.1. Interpretation and Severability. These Bylaws shall be so interpreted and construed as to conform to the Certificate of Incorporation and the statutes of Delaware or of any other state in which conformity may become necessary by reason of the qualification of the Corporation to do business in such foreign state, and where conflict between these Bylaws and the Certificate of Incorporation or a statute has arisen or shall arise, the Bylaws shall be considered to be modified to the extent, but only to the extent, conformity shall require. If any Bylaw provision or its application shall be deemed invalid by reason of the said nonconformity, the remainder of the Bylaws shall remain operable in that the provisions set forth in the Bylaws are severable.

 

ARTICLE XII.- Definitions

 

As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases) or electronic mail, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).

 

An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.

 

The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

Nominating Agreement” means that Nominating and Voting Agreement dated January 5, 2022, by and between U.S. Energy Corp., Banner Oil & Gas, LLC, Woodford Petroleum, LLC, Llano Energy LLC, Lubbock Energy Partners LLC and Synergy Offshore LLC, as amended from time to time.

 

Nominating Seller” means a Seller defined in the Nominating Agreement.

 

Page 22 of 22
Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.4

 

Wyoming Secretary of State

Herschler Building East, Suite 101

122 W 25th Street

Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020

Ph. 307.777.7311

Email: Business@wyo.gov

Text

Description automatically generated

 

 

 

Profit Corporation

Application for Certificate of Transfer

 

Pursuant to W.S. 17-16-1720 the undersigned corporation hereby applies for a Certificate of Transfer from the state of Wyoming.

 

1. Corporation name:
  U.S. Energy Corp.
   
2. The name by which the corporation will be known in the foreign jurisdiction:
  (Leave this portion blank if no change is being made to the name.)
   
3. It hereby requests a Certificate of Transfer from the state of Wyoming, and wishes to become incorporated under the laws of the state or nation of:
  Delaware
   
4. Name and address of the proper officer of the new state or nation.
  (This office shall immediately transmit a notice of issuance of a certificate of transfer to the proper officer of the jurisdiction to which the profit corporation is transferred.)

 

  Recipient: Delaware Division of Corporations
     
  Office Address: John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal Street, – Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901

 

5. The corporation shall maintain within the State of Wyoming an agent for service of process for at least one (1) year after the transfer is effected. The information for the current registered agent is as follows: (PLEASE NOTE: If this is not the registered agent currently on file with the Secretary of State’s Office, an Appointment of New Registered Agent and Office form needs to be submitted with this document.)

 

  Name: C T Corporation System
     
  Address: 1908 Thomes Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001
    (If mail is received at a Post Office Box, please list above in addition to the physical address.)

 

P-CertificateTransfer – Revised Nov 2021

 

 
 

 

6. Certifications. The following certifications must be completed in order for the Certificate of Transfer to be valid. The signatory executing the document must check the box next to each certification.
   
The corporation shall surrender its certificate of incorporation under this act upon the effectiveness of the transfer.
   
The transfer was duly approved by the directors and the shareholders - see W.S. 17-16-1720(g).
   
I hereby certify that I have attached a copy of the corporate resolution authorizing the transfer of the profit corporation from the state of Wyoming to the new jurisdiction.

 

7. Any other terms and conditions of the transfer.
   

 

Signature: /s/ Ryan Smith   Date: 08/03/2022
(Shall be executed by Chairman of the Board, President or another its officers.)     (mm/dd/yyyy)

 

Print Name: Ryan Smith   Contact Person: Ryan Smith
Title: CEO   Daytime Phone Number:

(832) 312-0720

      Email:

Ryan@usnrg.com

  (An email address is required. Email(s) provided will receive important reminders, notices and filing evidence.)

 

Checklist  
Filing Fee: $60.00 Make check or money order payable to Wyoming Secretary of State.
Processing time is up to 15 business days following the date of receipt in our office.
A copy of the company’s resolution authorizing the transfer to the new jurisdiction is required.
Please note that not all jurisdictions accept Certificate of Transfer documents. Contact the appropriate authority in the new jurisdiction before proceeding with the transfer.
Please mail with payment to the address at the top of this form. This form cannot be accepted via email.
Please review the form prior to submission. The Secretary of State’s Office is unable to process incomplete forms.

 

P-CertificateTransfer – Revised Nov 2021

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

PLAN OF CONVERSION

OF

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

(a Wyoming Corporation)

TO

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

(a Delaware Corporation)

 

This Plan of Conversion, dated as of July 27, 2022 (including all of the Exhibits attached hereto, this “Plan”), has been adopted by the Board of Directors of U.S. Energy Corp., a Wyoming corporation, in order to set forth the terms, conditions and procedures governing the conversion of U.S. Energy Corp. from a Wyoming corporation to a Delaware corporation pursuant to Section 17-16-1720 of the Wyoming Business Corporation Act (“WBCA”), and Section 265 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, U.S. Energy Corp. is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Wyoming (the “Converting Entity”);

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Converting Entity has determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Converting Entity and its stockholders for the Converting Entity to convert from a Wyoming corporation to a Delaware corporation pursuant to Section 17-16-1720 of the WBCA and Section 265 of the DGCL;

 

WHEREAS, the form, terms and provisions of this Plan have been authorized, approved and adopted by the Board of Directors of the Converting Entity; and

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Converting Entity has recommended that the stockholders of the Converting Entity approve this Plan, and have submitted this Plan to the stockholders of the Converting Entity for approval, each in accordance with Section 17-16-1720(g) of the WBCA.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Converting Entity hereby sets forth this Plan as follows:

 

PLAN OF CONVERSION

 

1. Conversion.

 

(a) At the Effective Time (as defined below), and in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 17-16-1720 of the WBCA and Section 265 of the DGCL, the Converting Entity shall be converted from a Wyoming corporation to a Delaware corporation (the “Conversion”) and the Converting Entity, as converted to a Delaware corporation (the “Converted Entity”), shall thereafter be subject to all of the provisions of the DGCL, except that notwithstanding Section 106 of the DGCL, the existence of the Converted Entity shall be deemed to have commenced on the date the Converting Entity commenced its existence in the State of Wyoming.

 

Plan of Conversion

Page 1 of 6

 

 

(b) At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, the Converted Entity shall, for all purposes of the laws of the State of Delaware, be deemed to be the same entity as the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, for all purposes of the laws of the State of Delaware, all of the rights, privileges and powers of the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time, as well as all other things and causes of action belonging to the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall remain vested in the Converted Entity and shall be the property of the Converted Entity and the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time shall not revert or be in any way impaired by reason of the Conversion; but all rights of creditors and all liens upon any property of the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be preserved unimpaired, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time shall remain attached to the Converted Entity at the Effective Time, and may be enforced against the Converted Entity to the same extent as if said debts, liabilities and duties had originally been incurred or contracted by the Converted Entity in its capacity as a corporation of the State of Delaware.

 

(c) The Conversion shall not be deemed to affect any obligations or liabilities of the Converting Entity incurred prior to the Conversion or the personal liability of any person incurred prior to the Conversion.

 

(d) At the Effective Time, the name of the Converted Entity shall remain unchanged and continue to be “U.S. Energy Corp.

 

2. Filings. Unless otherwise terminated and abandoned in accordance with Section 9(b) of this Plan, as promptly as practicable following the approval of this Plan by the stockholders of the Converting Entity, the Converting Entity shall cause the Conversion to become effective by:

 

(a) signing and filing (or causing the signing and filing of) an Application for Certificate of Transfer pursuant to the applicable provisions of Section 17-16-1720 of the WBCA, in the form of EXHIBIT A hereto (the “Certificate of Transfer”), with the Wyoming Secretary of State;

 

(b) executing and filing (or causing the execution and filing of) a Certificate of Conversion pursuant to Sections 103 and 265 of the DGCL, in the form of EXHIBIT B hereto (the “Certificate of Conversion”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; and

 

Plan of Conversion

Page 2 of 6

 

 

(c) executing and filing (or causing the execution and filing of) a Certificate of Incorporation of the Converted Entity, in the form of EXHIBIT C hereto (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

 

3. Effective Time. The Conversion shall become effective upon the last to occur of the effectiveness of the filing of the Certificate of Transfer, the Certificate of Conversion and the Certificate of Incorporation (the time of effectiveness of the Conversion, the “Effective Time”).

 

4. Effect of Conversion.

 

(a) Effect on Common Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, each share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Converting Entity (“Converting Entity Common Stock”) that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall convert into one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Converted Entity (“Converted Entity Common Stock”).

 

(b) Effect on Outstanding Stock Options. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, each option to purchase shares of Converting Entity Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall convert into an equivalent option to purchase, upon the same terms and conditions (including the vesting schedule and exercise price per share applicable to each such option) as were in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, the same number of shares of Converted Entity Common Stock.

 

(c) Effect on Shares of Restricted Stock. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, each restricted share of Converting Entity Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall convert into an equivalent restricted share of Converted Entity Common Stock with the same terms and conditions (including the vesting schedule applicable to each such share) as were in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time.

 

(d) Effect on Outstanding Convertible or Exchangeable Securities or Other Rights. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, each convertible or exchangeable security or other right to acquire or receive shares of Converting Entity Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, including the shares of Converting Entity Common Stock issuable upon exchange of outstanding convertible notes, shall convert into an equivalent convertible or exchangeable security or other right to acquire or receive, upon the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, the same number of shares of Converted Entity Common Stock.

 

Plan of Conversion

Page 3 of 6

 

 

(e) Effect on Stock Certificates. All of the outstanding certificates representing shares of Converting Entity Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be deemed for all purposes to continue to evidence ownership of and to represent the same number of shares of Converted Entity Common Stock.

 

(f) Effect on Employee Benefit, Equity Incentive or Other Similar Plans. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, each employee benefit plan, stock option plan or other similar plan to which the Converting Entity is a party shall continue to be a plan of the Converted Entity. To the extent that any such plan provides for the issuance of Converting Entity Common Stock, at the Effective Time, such plan shall be deemed to provide for the issuance of Converted Entity Common Stock.

 

(g) Effect on Directors and Officers. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Conversion and without any further action on the part of the Converting Entity or its stockholders, the directors and officers of the Converting Entity shall be and constitute all of the directors and officers, respectively, of the Converted Entity.

 

5. Tax Reporting. The Conversion is intended to be a “reorganization” for purposes of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and this Plan of Conversion is hereby adopted as a “plan of reorganization” for purposes of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code.

 

6. Further Assurances. If, at any time after the Effective Time, the Converted Entity shall determine or be advised that any deeds, bills of sale, assignments, agreements, documents or assurances or any other acts or things are necessary, desirable or proper, consistent with the terms of this Plan, (a) to vest, perfect or confirm, of record or otherwise, in the Converted Entity its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, purposes, franchises, properties or assets of the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time or (b) to otherwise carry out the purposes of this Plan, the Converted Entity and its officers (or their authorized designees) are hereby authorized to solicit in the name of the Converted Entity any third-party consents or other documents required to be delivered by any third party, to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Converted Entity, all such deeds, bills of sale, assignments, agreements, documents and assurances and do, in the name and on behalf of the Converted Entity, all such other acts and things necessary, desirable or proper to vest, perfect or confirm its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, purposes, franchises, properties or assets of the Converting Entity existing immediately prior to the Effective Time and otherwise to carry out the purposes of this Plan.

 

7. Delaware Governing Documents. At the Effective Time, (a) the certificate of incorporation of the Converted Entity shall be the Certificate of Incorporation and (b) the bylaws of the Converted Entity shall be the Amended and Restated Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp., in the form of EXHIBIT D hereto.

 

8. Delaware Indemnification Agreements. As promptly as practicable following the Effective Time, the Converted Entity shall enter into an Indemnification Agreement, substantially in the form of EXHIBIT E, hereto with each member of the Board of Directors of the Converted Entity and each executive officer of the Converted Entity.

 

Plan of Conversion

Page 4 of 6

 

 

9. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Copy of Plan of Conversion. Following the Conversion, a copy of this Plan will be kept on file at the offices of the Converted Entity, and any stockholder of the Converted Entity (or former stockholder of the Converting Entity) may request a copy of this Plan at no charge at any time.

 

(b) Termination. At any time prior to the Effective Time, this Plan may be terminated and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned by action of the Board of Directors of the Converting Entity if, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Converting Entity, such action would be in the best interests of the Converting Entity and its stockholders. In the event of termination of this Plan, this Plan shall become void and of no further force or effect.

 

(c) Third Party Beneficiaries. This Plan shall not confer any rights or remedies upon any person other than as expressly provided herein. For the avoidance of doubt, following the Conversion the Converted Entity will hold all of the rights and obligations of the Converting Entity under this Plan.

 

(d) Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Plan will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Plan is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision will be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Plan.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

Plan of Conversion

Page 5 of 6

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Plan as of the date first written above.

 

  U.S. ENERGY CORP.
     
  By: /s/ Ryan L. Smith
  Name: Ryan L. Smith
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Plan of Conversion

Page 6 of 6

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Wyoming Secretary of State

Herschler Building East, Suite 101

122 W 25th Street

Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020

Ph. 307.777.7311

Email: Business@wyo.gov

 

 

 

Profit Corporation

Application for Certificate of Transfer

 

Pursuant to W.S. 17-16-1720 the undersigned corporation hereby applies for a Certificate of Transfer from the state of Wyoming.

 

1. Corporation name:
  U.S. Energy Corp.
   
2. The name by which the corporation will be known in the foreign jurisdiction:
  (Leave this portion blank if no change is being made to the name.)
   
3. It hereby requests a Certificate of Transfer from the state of Wyoming, and wishes to become incorporated under the laws of the state or nation of:
  Delaware
   
4. Name and address of the proper officer of the new state or nation.
  (This office shall immediately transmit a notice of issuance of a certificate of transfer to the proper officer of the jurisdiction to which the profit corporation is transferred.)

 

  Recipient: Delaware Division of Corporations
     
  Office Address: John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal Street, – Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901

 

5. The corporation shall maintain within the State of Wyoming an agent for service of process for at least one (1) year after the transfer is effected. The information for the current registered agent is as follows: (PLEASE NOTE: If this is not the registered agent currently on file with the Secretary of State’s Office, an Appointment of New Registered Agent and Office form needs to be submitted with this document.)

 

  Name: C T Corporation System
     
  Address: 1908 Thomes Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001
    (If mail is received at a Post Office Box, please list above in addition to the physical address.)

 

P-CertificateTransfer – Revised Nov 2021

 

 
 

 

6. Certifications. The following certifications must be completed in order for the Certificate of Transfer to be valid. The signatory executing the document must check the box next to each certification.
   
The corporation shall surrender its certificate of incorporation under this act upon the effectiveness of the transfer.
   
The transfer was duly approved by the directors and the shareholders - see W.S. 17-16-1720(g).
   
I hereby certify that I have attached a copy of the corporate resolution authorizing the transfer of the profit corporation from the state of Wyoming to the new jurisdiction.

 

7. Any other terms and conditions of the transfer.
   

 

Signature:   Date:
(Shall be executed by Chairman of the Board, President or another its officers.)     (mm/dd/yyyy)

 

Print Name: Ryan Smith   Contact Person: Ryan Smith
Title: CEO   Daytime Phone Number:

(832) 312-0720

      Email:

Ryan@usnrg.com

  (An email address is required. Email(s) provided will receive important reminders, notices and filing evidence.)

 

Checklist  
Filing Fee: $60.00 Make check or money order payable to Wyoming Secretary of State.
Processing time is up to 15 business days following the date of receipt in our office.
A copy of the company’s resolution authorizing the transfer to the new jurisdiction is required.
Please note that not all jurisdictions accept Certificate of Transfer documents. Contact the appropriate authority in the new jurisdiction before proceeding with the transfer.
Please mail with payment to the address at the top of this form. This form cannot be accepted via email.
Please review the form prior to submission. The Secretary of State's Office is unable to process incomplete forms.

 

P-CertificateTransfer – Revised Nov 2021

 

 
 

 

Exhibit B

 

STATE OF DELAWARE

CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION

FROM A NON-DELAWARE CORPORATION

TO A DELAWARE CORPORATION

PURSUANT TO SECTION 265 OF THE

DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW

 

1.)The jurisdiction where the Non-Delaware Corporation first formed is

Wyoming                                         .

 

2.)The jurisdiction immediately prior to filing this Certificate is Wyoming          .

 

3.)The date the Non-Delaware Corporation first formed is 01/26/1966                  .

 

4.)The name of the Non-Delaware Corporation immediately prior to filing this Certificate is U.S. Energy Corp.           .

 

5.)The name of the Corporation as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation is

U.S. Energy Corp.                        .

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned being duly authorized to sign on behalf of the converting Non-Delaware Corporation have executed this Certificate on the 3rd day of August, A.D. 2022.

 

  By:
     
  Name: Ryan Smith
    Print or Type
     
  Title: CEO
  Print or Type

 

 

 

 

Exhibit C

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

(a Delaware corporation)

 

August 3, 2022

 

The undersigned Incorporator, desiring to form a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) of the State of Delaware, hereby certifies as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

NAME

 

The name of the Corporation is U.S. Energy Corp. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

 

The Registered Office of the corporation in the State of Delaware is located at 8 The Green STE A, in the City of Dover, County of Kent County, Zip Code 19901. The name of the Registered Agent at such address upon whom process against this corporation may be served is A Registered Agent, Inc.

 

ARTICLE III

 

PURPOSE AND POWERS

 

The purpose of the corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CAPITAL STOCK

 

  A. Classes of Stock. The total number of shares of stock of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 250,000,000 shares. The authorized capital stock is divided into: (i) 245,000,000 shares of common stock having a par value of $0.01 per share (hereinafter, the “Common Stock”) and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock having a par value of $0.01 per share (hereinafter, the “Preferred Stock”).

 

  B. Common Stock. All shares of Common Stock of the Corporation shall be of one and the same class, shall be identical in all respects and shall have equal rights, powers and privileges.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 1 of 11

 

 

  1. Except as otherwise provided for by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors pursuant to this Article IV with respect to the issuance of any series of Preferred Stock or by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote on all matters requiring stockholder action. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, the holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Preferred Stock Designation) or the DGCL. On each matter on which holders of Common Stock are entitled to vote, each outstanding share of such Common Stock will be entitled to one vote.
     
  2. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of outstanding Preferred Stock, holders of shares of Common Stock shall have equal rights of participation in the dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property of the Corporation when, as and if declared thereon by the Board of Directors from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall have equal rights to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.
     
3.  No holder of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to preemptive or subscription rights, except as otherwise set forth in a separate agreement between such holder and the Corporation.

 

  C. Preferred Stock

 

  1. Shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation may be issued from time to time in one or more series, the shares of each series to have such voting powers, full or limited, if any, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as are stated and expressed herein or in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series, adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 2 of 11

 

 

  2. Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of this Article IV and to the limitations prescribed by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, to authorize by resolution or resolutions from time to time the issuance of one or more series of Preferred Stock out of the authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and with respect to each such series to fix, by filing a certificate of designation pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware setting forth such resolution or resolutions and providing for the issuance of such series, the voting powers, full or limited, if any, of the shares of such series and the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board of Directors with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, the determination or fixing of the following:

 

  i. the designation of such series;
     
  ii. the number of shares of such series, which number the Board of Directors may thereafter (except where otherwise provided in the certificate of designation for such series) increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding);
     
  iii. the dividend rate, if any, payable to holders of shares of such series, any conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, the relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any other class or classes of stock or any other series of any class of stock of the Corporation, and whether such dividends shall be cumulative or non-cumulative;
     
  iv. whether the shares of such series shall be subject to redemption by the Corporation, in whole or in part, at the option of the Corporation or of the holder thereof, and, if made subject to such redemption, the times, prices, form of payment and other terms and conditions of such redemption;
     
  v. the terms and amount of any sinking fund provided for the purchase or redemption of the shares of such series;
     
  vi. whether or not the shares of such series shall be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of any other class or classes of any stock or any other series of any class of stock of the Corporation or any other security, and, if provision is made for conversion or exchange, the times, prices, rates, adjustments, and other terms and conditions of such conversion or exchanges;
     
  vii. the extent, if any, to which the holders of shares of such series shall be entitled to vote generally, with respect to the election of directors, upon specified events or otherwise;
     
  viii. the restrictions, if any, on the issue or reissue of any additional Preferred Stock; and

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 3 of 11

 

 

  ix. the rights and preferences of the holders of the shares of such series upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of, or upon the distribution of assets of, the Corporation.

 

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolutions providing for issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and the terms of any other series of Preferred Stock.

 

The Board of Directors may, from time to time, increase the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock already created by providing that any unissued shares of Preferred Stock shall constitute part of such series, or may decrease (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) the number of shares of any series of any Preferred Stock already created providing that any unissued shares previously assigned to such series shall no longer constitute a part thereof. The Board of Directors is hereby empowered to classify or reclassify any unissued Preferred Stock by fixing or altering the terms thereof with respect to the above-mentioned particulars and by assigning the same to an existing or newly created series from time to time before the issuance of such stock.

 

ARTICLE V

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

  A. Power of the Board of Directors. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In furtherance, and not in limitation, of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors shall be expressly authorized to:

 

  1. determine the rights, powers, duties, rules and procedures that affect the power of the Board of Directors to manage and direct the business and affairs of the Corporation;
     
  2. establish one or more committees of the Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors, to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board of Directors to the fullest extent permitted by law; and
     
  3. exercise all such powers and do all such acts as may be exercised by the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware, this Certificate of Incorporation, and the Bylaws of the Corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”).

 

  B. Number of Directors. The number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors shall be not less than one (1) nor greater than fifteen (15) directors, the exact number of which shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by a vote of a majority of the Board of Directors in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 4 of 11

 

 

  C.

Classes of Directors. Other than those directors, if any, elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the Board shall be and is divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated as: Class One, Class Two and Class Three.

     
  D. Terms of Office. Except for the terms of such additional directors, if any, as elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting at which the director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class One shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class Two shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class Three shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor and be subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. If the number of directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any additional director of any class elected to fill a vacancy resulting from an increase in such class or from the removal from office, death, disability, resignation or disqualification of a director or other cause shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case will a decrease in the number of directors have the effect of removing or shortening the term of any incumbent director.
     
  E. Vacancies. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, vacancies on the Board by any reason, including by death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or otherwise, and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall be filled solely by a majority of the directors then in office, in their sole discretion, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, in his or her sole discretion, and shall not be filled by the stockholders. A director elected to fill a vacancy or a newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.
     
  F. Removal of Directors. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, only with cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting as a single class.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 5 of 11

 

 

  G. Appointment of Directors. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of directors.
     
  H. Committees. Pursuant to the Bylaws of the Corporation, as amended from time to time (the “Bylaws”), the Board may establish one or more committees to which may be delegated any or all of the powers and duties of the Board to the full extent permitted by law.
     
  I. Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws.
     
  J. Preferred Stock — Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article V, and except as otherwise required by law, whenever the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately by class or series, to elect one or more directors, the term of office, the filling of vacancies, the removal from office and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of such series of the Preferred Stock as set forth in this Certificate (including any Preferred Stock Designation) and such directors shall not be included in any of the classes created pursuant to this Article V unless expressly provided by such terms.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

 

  A. Limitation of Liability of Directors. A Director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a Director to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware as the same now exists or hereafter may be amended. No repeal or modification of this Article VI shall apply or have any adverse effect on any right or protection of, or any limitation of the liability of, any person entitled to any right or protection under this Article VI existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 6 of 11

 

 

  B.

Indemnification.

 

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is or was made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with such proceeding. The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an indemnitee in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by applicable law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI.B or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred by this Article VI.B shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article VI.B, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to an indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

 

(b) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any indemnitee by this Article VI.B shall not be exclusive of any other rights that any indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under law, this Certificate, the Bylaws, an agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

(c) Any repeal or amendment of this Article VI.B by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in law, or the adoption of any other provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this Article VI.B, shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and shall not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision in respect of any proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

(d) This Article VI.B shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than indemnitees.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 7 of 11

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to such series of Preferred Stock, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing setting forth the action so taken, shall have been signed by the holder or holders having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to take the action that is the subject of the consent at a meeting, in which each owner or holder entitled to vote on the action is present and votes. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

 

Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept at such place within or without the State of Delaware as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide or as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

FORUM SELECTION

 

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, in each such case, unless the Court of Chancery (or such other state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, as applicable) has dismissed a prior action by the same plaintiff asserting the same claims because such court lacked personal jurisdiction over an indispensable party named as a defendant therein. Unless the Corporation gives an Alternative Forum Consent, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article VIII. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the Corporation irreparable harm and the Corporation shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunction and specific performance, to enforce the forgoing provisions. The existence of any prior Alternative Forum Consent shall not act as a waiver of the Corporation’s ongoing consent right as set forth above in this Article VIII with respect to any current or future actions or claims.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 8 of 11

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

BYLAWS; AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

 

  A. Adoption and Amendment by the Board of Directors. In furtherance, and not in limitation, of the powers conferred upon it by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to amend, alter, change, adopt or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted shall invalidate any prior act of the directors that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.
     
  B. Amendment by Stockholders. In addition to any requirements of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware), unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the shares of capital stock of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required for the stockholders of the Corporation to amend, alter, change or repeal or to adopt any provision of the Bylaws of the Corporation. provided however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

 

ARTICLE X

 

SECTION 203 ELECTION

 

The Corporation elects not to be governed by or subject to Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation hereby reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and any other provisions authorized by the General Corporation Law of Delaware may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the General Corporation Law of Delaware, and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred on stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever therein granted are subject to this reservation.

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 9 of 11

 

 

ARTICLE XII

 

INCORPORATOR; POWER OF INCORPORATOR; INITIAL DIRECTORS

 

A.Name and Address of Incorporator. The name and mailing address of the incorporator is Ryan L. Smith, 1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057.

 

B.Powers of Incorporator; Initial Directors of the Company. The powers of the incorporator are to terminate upon the filing of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The name and mailing address of each person who is to serve as an initial director of the Company until the first annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified, is:

 

Ryan L. Smith

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

 

John Weinzierl

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

Joshua L. Batchelor

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

James W. Denny III

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

 

Randall D. Keys

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

 

Duane H. King

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

D. Stephen Slack

1616 S. Voss, Suite 725, Houston, Texas, 77057

       

 

* * * * *

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 10 of 11

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Certificate of Incorporation as of the date first written above.

 

  By:
  Name: Ryan L. Smith
    Incorporator

 

Certificate of Incorporation of
U.S. Energy Corp.
Page 11 of 11

 

 

Exhibit D

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

 

a Delaware Corporation

 

Adopted Effective on _______________

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I. Corporate Offices 1
   
  1.1. Registered Office. 1
  1.1. Other Offices. 1
     
ARTICLE II. Meetings of Stockholders 1
   
  2.1. Place of Meetings. 1
  2.2. Annual Meeting. 1
  2.3. Special Meeting. 1
  2.4. Advance Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting. 1
  2.5. Advance Notice of Nominations for Election of Directors at a Meeting. 4
  2.6. Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors. 6
  2.7. Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings. 7
  2.8. Procedures for Stockholders to Act by Consent in Lieu of a Meeting. 8
  2.9. Quorum. 8
  2.10. Adjourned Meeting; Notice. 9
  2.11. Conduct of Business. 9
  2.12. Voting. 9
  2.13. Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes. 10
  2.14. Proxies. 10
  2.15. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. 10
  2.16. Inspectors of Election. 11
  2.17. Delivery to the Corporation. 11
     
ARTICLE III. Directors 11
   
  3.1. Powers. 11
  3.2. Number of Directors. 12
  3.3. Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors. 12
  3.4. Resignation and Vacancies. 12
  3.5. Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone. 12
  3.6. Regular Meetings. 12
  3.7. Special Meetings; Notice. 12
  3.8. Quorum. 13
  3.1. Board Action without a Meeting. 13
  3.2. Fees and Compensation of Directors. 13
     
ARTICLE IV. Committees 13
   
  4.1. Committees of Directors. 13
  4.2. Committee Minutes. 14
  4.3. Meetings and Actions of Committees. 14
  4.4. Subcommittees. 14
     
ARTICLE V. Officers 14
   
  5.1. Officers. 14
  5.2. Appointment of Officers. 15
  5.3. Subordinate Officers. 15
  5.4. Removal and Resignation of Officers. 15
  5.5. Vacancies in Offices. 15
  5.6. Representation of Shares of Other Corporations. 15
  5.7. Authority and Duties of Officers. 15
  5.8. Compensation. 15

 

 
 

 

ARTICLE VI. Records 16
ARTICLE VII. General Matters 16
   
  7.1. Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments. 16
  7.2. Stock Certificates. 16
  7.3. Special Designation of Certificates. 17
  7.4. Lost Certificates. 17
  7.5. Shares Without Certificates. 17
  7.6. Construction; Definitions. 17
  7.7. Dividends. 17
  7.8. Fiscal Year. 17
  7.9. Seal. 18
  7.10. Transfer of Stock. 18
  7.11. Stock Transfer Agreements. 18
  7.12. Registered Stockholders. 18
  7.13. Waiver of Notice. 18
     
ARTICLE VIII. Notice 19
   
  8.1. Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission. 19
     
ARTICLE IX. Indemnification 20
   
  9.1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers. 20
  9.2. Indemnification of Others. 20
  9.3. Prepayment of Expenses. 20
  9.4. Determination; Claim. 20
  9.5. Non-Exclusivity of Rights. 20
  9.6. Insurance. 21
  9.1. Other Indemnification. 21
  9.2. Continuation of Indemnification. 21
  9.3. Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation. 21
     
ARTICLE X. Amendments 22
ARTICLE XI. Uniformity of Interpretation and Severability 22
   
  11.1. Interpretation and Severability. 22
     
ARTICLE XII. - Definitions 22

 

 
 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF

 

U.S. ENERGY CORP.

 

ARTICLE I.
Corporate Offices

 

1.1. Registered Office. The address of the registered office of U.S. Energy Corp. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).

 

1.1. Other Offices. The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II.
Meetings of Stockholders

 

2.1. Place of Meetings. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.

 

2.2. Annual Meeting. The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 of these bylaws may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.

 

2.3. Special Meeting. Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation and in these bylaws.

 

No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.

 

2.4. Advance Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting. (i) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (a) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A)(1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4 and Section 2.5 of these bylaws, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 of these bylaws, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations for election to the Board except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 and Section 2.7 of these bylaws.

 

Page 1 of 22
Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

(ii) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (b) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting which; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.

 

(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

 

(a) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the number of shares of each class or series of stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);

 

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(b) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (G) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (G) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and

 

(c) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other record or beneficial holder(s) or person(s) who have a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation or other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.

 

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(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made and (c) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.

 

(v) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (A) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and (B) not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.

 

(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding person of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

 

(vii) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

(viii) For purposes of these bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

2.5. Advance Notice of Nominations for Election of Directors at a Meeting. (i) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting may be made at such meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (b) by a stockholder present in person (as defined in Section 2.4) who (1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7 as to such notice and nomination. Other than nominations made by a stockholder in accordance with the Nominating Agreement, the foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at any annual meeting of stockholders.

 

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(ii) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(ii) of these bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7, and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such annual meeting.

 

(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(iv) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:

 

(a) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(a), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(a));

 

(b) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(iii)(c) shall be made with respect to nomination of each person for election as a director at the meeting); and

 

(c) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 and Section 2.7 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (C) are referred to as “Nominee Information”), and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.7(i).

 

(v) For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made and (c) any other participant in such solicitation.

 

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(vi) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (A) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and (B) not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

 

(vii) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

 

(viii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.5, for as long as the Nominating Agreement remains in effect with respect to a Nominating Seller, each Nominating Seller (to the extent then subject to the Nominating Agreement, as may be amended from time to time) shall not be subject to the notice provisions set forth in paragraphs (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) of this Section 2.5.

 

2.6. Additional Requirements for Valid Nomination of Candidates to Serve as Director and, if Elected, to be Seated as Directors.

 

(i) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (a) a completed written questionnaire (in the form provided by the Corporation upon written request therefor) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (b) a written representation and agreement (in the form provided by the Corporation upon written request therefor) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) other than, in the case of the Nominating Seller, the Nominating Agreement, by and among the Nominating Sellers and the Corporation, as amended from time to time, or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director of the Corporation that has not been disclosed therein, and (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect).

 

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(ii) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation.

 

(iii) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.7, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.7 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) (A) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and (B) not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.

 

(iv) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.7 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.

 

(v) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.7, as applicable. The presiding person at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with this Section 2.6, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.

 

(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination by a Nominating Person shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5 and this Section 2.7.

 

2.7. Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

 

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2.8. Procedures for Stockholders to Act by Consent in Lieu of a Meeting. (i) Unless otherwise prohibited by the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at an annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents, setting forth the action so taken, (a) shall be signed by stockholders on the record date established pursuant to Section 2.8(ii) below (the “Written Consent Record Date”) of outstanding shares of the Corporation having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and (b) shall be delivered to the Corporation at its registered office in the State of Delaware, at its principal place of business, to an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the minute books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded or in any other manner permitted by law. Delivery shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. No consent shall be effective to take corporate action unless consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take such action are delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in this Section 2.8 within 60 days after the first date on which a consent is so delivered to the Corporation. Only stockholders on the Written Consent Record Date shall be entitled to consent to corporate action without a meeting.

 

(ii) Without qualification, any stockholder seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take any action by consent shall first request in writing that the Board fix a Written Consent Record Date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to take such action, which request shall be in proper form and delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. Within ten (10) days after receipt of a request in proper form and otherwise in compliance with this Section 2.8(ii) from any such stockholder, the Board may adopt a resolution fixing a Written Consent Record Date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to take such action, which date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board. If no resolution fixing a record date has been adopted by the Board within such ten (10) day period after the date on which such a request is received, (a) the Written Consent Record Date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to such action, when no prior action of the Board is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which valid signed consents constituting applicable percentage of the outstanding shares of the Corporation and setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in the manner described in this Section 2.8, and (b) the Written Consent Record Date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to such action, when prior action by the Board is required by applicable law, shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

2.9. Quorum. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. Where a separate vote by class or series is required, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum with respect to that matter. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.10 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At any recessed or adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.

 

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2.10. Adjourned Meeting; Notice. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

2.11. Conduct of Business. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

2.12. Voting. Except as may be otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.

 

Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Unless a different or minimum vote is required by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities pursuant to which the matter is being submitted to stockholders for approval, in which case such different or minimum vote shall be the required vote on such matter, each matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.

 

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2.13. Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes. 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 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, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders 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 may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

 

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

2.14. Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.

 

2.15. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.15 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

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2.16. Inspectors of Election. Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.

 

Such inspectors shall:

 

(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;

 

(ii) count all votes or ballots;

 

(iii) count and tabulate all votes;

 

(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and

 

(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.

 

Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.

 

2.17. Delivery to the Corporation. Whenever this ARTICLE II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by this ARTICLE II.

 

ARTICLE III.
Directors

 

3.1. Powers. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

 

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3.2. Number of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, or any other series or class of stock as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation to elect directors (“Preferred Stock Directors”) under specified circumstances, and the Certificate of Incorporation, the number of directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, but shall consist of not less than one (1) nor more than fifteen (15) directors (exclusive of Preferred Stock Directors). No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires. Except as to the rights of any preferred stock to appoint Preferred Stock Directors, the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the votes cast.

 

3.3. Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors. Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders. Any class shall consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.

 

3.4. Resignation and Vacancies. Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in Section 3.3.

 

Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the class, if any, to which the director is appointed and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

3.5. Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone. The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone, video conferencing or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

 

3.6. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.

 

3.7. Special Meetings; Notice. Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Secretary or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.

 

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Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:

 

(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;

 

(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;

 

(iii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or

 

(iv) sent by other means of electronic transmission,

 

directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.

 

If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.

 

3.8. Quorum. At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, applicable law, the rules and regulations for listed companies as in effect from time to time of the principal United States national securities exchange on which the capital stock of the Corporation is listed for trading, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may postpone or adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

3.1. Board Action without a Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.

 

3.2. Fees and Compensation of Directors. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

 

ARTICLE IV.
Committees

 

4.1. Committees of Directors. The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. 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 to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.

 

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4.2. Committee Minutes. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.

 

4.3. Meetings and Actions of Committees. Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:

 

(i) Section 3.5 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);

 

(ii) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);

 

(iii) Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);

 

(iv) Section 3.1 (board action without a meeting); and

 

(v) Section 7.13 (waiver of notice),

 

with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:

 

(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;

 

(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and

 

(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.

 

At all meetings of committees, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the committee, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.

 

4.4. Subcommittees. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee or the charter of such committee adopted by the Board, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.

 

ARTICLE V.
Officers

 

5.1. Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a President and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, Chief Financial Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Treasurers, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.

 

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5.2. Appointment of Officers.

 

The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws.

 

5.3. Subordinate Officers.

 

The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.

 

5.4. Removal and Resignation of Officers.

 

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

 

Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. If a resignation is made effective at a later date and the Corporation accepts the future effective date, the Board may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the Board provides that the successor shall not take office until the effective date. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

 

5.5. Vacancies in Offices.

 

Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.

 

5.6. Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.

 

The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other person standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.

 

5.7. Authority and Duties of Officers.

 

All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided herein or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.

 

5.8. Compensation.

 

The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.

 

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ARTICLE VI.
Records

 

A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.

 

ARTICLE VII.
General Matters

 

7.1. Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.

 

The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. All other contracts, agreements, certificates or instruments to be executed on behalf of the Corporation may be executed using a facsimile or other form of electronic signature to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

7.2. Stock Certificates.

 

The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates or shall be uncertificated in the option of the officers of the Corporation authorizing the issuance of such shares. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.

 

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7.3. Special Designation of Certificates.

 

If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.

 

7.4. Lost 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 uncertificated shares.

 

7.5. Shares Without Certificates.

 

The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

 

7.6. Construction; Definitions.

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.

 

7.7. Dividends.

 

The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.

 

The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.

 

7.8. Fiscal Year.

 

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.

 

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7.9. Seal.

 

The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

 

7.10. Transfer of Stock.

 

Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.

 

7.11. Stock Transfer Agreements.

 

The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL or the charter of such committee adopted by the Board.

 

7.12. Registered Stockholders.

 

The Corporation:

 

(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and

 

(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

7.13. Waiver of Notice.

 

Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, 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 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 bylaws.

 

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ARTICLE VIII.
Notice

 

8.1. Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.

 

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.

 

Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this Section 8.1 without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.

 

Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:

 

  (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;
     
  (ii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and
     
  (iii) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

 

An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.

 

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ARTICLE IX.
Indemnification

 

9.1. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity (a “covered person”), including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.

 

9.2. Indemnification of Others.

 

The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.

 

9.3. Prepayment of Expenses.

 

The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any covered person, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this ARTICLE IX or otherwise.

 

9.4. Determination; Claim.

 

If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this ARTICLE IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this ARTICLE IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.

 

9.5. Non-Exclusivity of Rights.

 

The rights conferred on any person by this ARTICLE IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

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Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

9.6. Insurance.

 

The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

9.1. Other Indemnification.

 

The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

 

9.2. Continuation of Indemnification.

 

The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this ARTICLE IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.

 

9.3. Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.

 

The provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this ARTICLE IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this ARTICLE IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

 

Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this ARTICLE IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to ARTICLE V of these bylaws or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to ARTICLE V of these bylaws, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this ARTICLE IX.

 

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Amended and Restated
Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.
 

 

ARTICLE X.
Amendments

 

The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

 

ARTICLE XI.
Uniformity of Interpretation and Severability

 

11.1. Interpretation and Severability. These Bylaws shall be so interpreted and construed as to conform to the Certificate of Incorporation and the statutes of Delaware or of any other state in which conformity may become necessary by reason of the qualification of the Corporation to do business in such foreign state, and where conflict between these Bylaws and the Certificate of Incorporation or a statute has arisen or shall arise, the Bylaws shall be considered to be modified to the extent, but only to the extent, conformity shall require. If any Bylaw provision or its application shall be deemed invalid by reason of the said nonconformity, the remainder of the Bylaws shall remain operable in that the provisions set forth in the Bylaws are severable.

 

ARTICLE XII.- Definitions

 

As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases) or electronic mail, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).

 

An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.

 

The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

Nominating Agreement” means that Nominating and Voting Agreement dated January 5, 2022, by and between U.S. Energy Corp., Banner Oil & Gas, LLC, Woodford Petroleum, LLC, Llano Energy LLC, Lubbock Energy Partners LLC and Synergy Offshore LLC, as amended from time to time.

 

Nominating Seller” means a Seller defined in the Nominating Agreement.

 

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Bylaws of U.S. Energy Corp.

 

 

Exhibit E

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Indemnification Agreement (Agreement) is entered into as of August __, 2022, by and between U.S. Energy Corp., a Delaware corporation (the Company) and ____________, an individual (Indemnitee).

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company and Indemnitee recognize the continued difficulty in obtaining liability insurance for its directors, officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries, the significant increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the coverage of such insurance.

 

B. The Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely limited.

 

C. Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to continue to serve the Company in the position of Director of the Company without additional protection.

 

D. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company and, in part, in order to induce Indemnitee to provide services to the Company, wishes to provide for the indemnification and advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law.

 

In view of the considerations set forth above, the Company desires that Indemnitee be indemnified by the Company as set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Indemnification.

 

(a) Indemnification of Expenses. The Company shall indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or other participant in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, or any hearing, inquiry or investigation that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other (hereinafter a Claim) by reason of (or arising in part out of) any event or occurrence related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while serving in such capacity (hereinafter an Indemnifiable Event) against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness in or participate in, any such action, suit, proceeding, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, hearing, inquiry or investigation), judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) of such Claim and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement (collectively, hereinafter Expenses), including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses. Such payment of Expenses shall be made by the Company as soon as practicable but in any event no later than twenty (20) days after written demand by Indemnitee therefor is presented to the Company.

 

 
 

 

(b) Reviewing Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the obligations of the Company under Section 1(a) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing Party (as described in Section 10(e) hereof) shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 10(c) hereof is involved) that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and (ii) the obligation of the Company to make an advance payment of Expenses to Indemnitee pursuant to Section 2(a) (an Expense Advance) shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commenced legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any Expense Advance until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). The Indemnitee’s obligation to reimburse the Company for any Expense Advance shall be unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. If there has not been a Change in Control (as defined in Section 10(c) hereof), the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and if there has been such a Change in Control (other than a Change in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company’s Board of Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control), the Reviewing Party shall be the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 10(c) hereof. If there has been no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted to be indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence litigation seeking an initial determination by the court or challenging any such determination by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, including the legal or factual basis therefor, and the Company hereby consents to service of process and to appear in any such proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.

 

(c) Change in Control. The Company agrees that if there is a Change in Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company’s Board of Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control) then, with respect to all matters thereafter arising concerning the rights of the Indemnitee to payments of Expenses and Expense Advances under this Agreement or any other agreement or under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or Bylaws as now or hereafter in effect, Independent Legal Counsel (as defined in Section 10(d) hereof) shall be selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent Indemnitee would be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law and the Company agrees to abide by such opinion. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

 

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(d) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement other than Section 9 hereof, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including, without limitation, the dismissal of an action without prejudice, in defense of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation referred to in Section (1)(a) hereof or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith.

 

2. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.

 

(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee as soon as practicable but in any event no later than twenty (20) days after written demand by Indemnitee therefor to the Company.

 

(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a condition precedent to Indemnitee’s right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any Claim made against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the Board of Directors of the Company at the address set forth in Section 14(d)(i) hereof (or such other address as the Company shall designate in writing to Indemnitee as provided in Section 14 hereof). In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitee’s power.

 

(c) No Presumptions; Burden of Proof. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable law. In addition, neither the failure of the Reviewing Party to have made a determination as to whether Indemnitee has met any particular standard of conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual determination by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct or did not have such belief, prior to the commencement of legal proceedings by Indemnitee to secure a judicial determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, shall be a defense to Indemnitee’s claim or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular standard of conduct or did not have any particular belief. In connection with any determination by the Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified hereunder, the burden of proof shall be on the Company to establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled.

 

(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt by the Company of a notice of a Claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company has liability insurance in effect which may cover such Claim, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Claim to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation in accordance with the terms of such policies.

 

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(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated hereunder to pay the Expenses of any Claim, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Claim with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Claim; provided that, (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ Indemnitee’s counsel in any such Claim at Indemnitee’s expense and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Claim, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. The Company shall have the right to conduct such defense as it sees fit in its sole discretion, including the right to settle any claim against Indemnitee without the consent of the Indemnitee.

 

3. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.

 

(a) Scope. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Company’s Bylaws, as amended, or by statute. In the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law, statute or rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its Board of Directors or an officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its Board of Directors or an officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties’ rights and obligations hereunder except as set forth in Section 8(a) hereof.

 

(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement shall be in addition to any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, its Bylaws, as amended, any agreement, any vote of stockholders or directors, the Delaware General Corporation Law, or otherwise. The indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action Indemnitee took or did not take while serving in an indemnified capacity even though Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.

 

(c) Change in Domicile. In the event the Company shall at any time change its state or other jurisdiction of organization from Delaware, each reference herein to “Delaware” shall refer to such state or other jurisdiction of organization which rules and regulations the Company is then organized under and each reference herein to the “Delaware General Corporation Law” shall refer to such analogous statutes of such state or other jurisdiction of organization which the Company is then organized under.

 

4. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (under any insurance policy, Articles of Incorporation, as amended, Bylaws, as amended, or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder from any party whatsoever.

 

5. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

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6. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.

 

7. Liability Insurance. The Company shall, from time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the officers and directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. In all policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, if Indemnitee is a director; of the Company’s officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an officer; of the Company’s key employees, if Indemnitee is not an officer or director but is a key employee; or of any combination of the foregoing in which Indemnitee serves, if Indemnity serves in more capacities than just a director, an officer or a key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, if the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, if the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary or parent of the Company.

 

8. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:

 

(a) Excluded Action or Omissions. To indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses resulting from acts, omissions or transactions for which Indemnitee is prohibited from receiving indemnification under this Agreement or applicable law;

 

(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses to Indemnitee with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except (i) with respect to actions or proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, (ii) in specific cases if the Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such Claim, or (iii) as otherwise required under the Delaware General Corporation Law regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may be;

 

(c) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or

 

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(d) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.

 

9. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of one (1) year from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such one-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.

 

10. Construction of Certain Phrases.

 

(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the Company shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to other enterprisesshall include employee benefit plans; references to fines shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to serving at the request of the Company shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or its beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company as referred to in this Agreement.

 

(c) For purposes of this Agreement a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if, on or after the date of this Agreement, (i) any person (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such capacity or a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities (as defined in Section 10(f) hereof), (ii) during any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company and any new director whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.

 

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(d) For purposes of this Agreement, Independent Legal Counsel shall mean an attorney or firm of attorneys, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 1(c) hereof, who shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee within the last three (3) years (other than with respect to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity agreements).

 

(e) For purposes of this Agreement, a Reviewing Party shall mean any appropriate person or body consisting of a member or members of the Company’s Board of Directors or any other person or body appointed by the Board of Directors who is not a party to the particular Claim for which Indemnitee are seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.

 

(f) For purposes of this Agreement, Voting Securities shall mean any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.

 

(g) For the purposes of this Agreement, “Articles of Incorporation” shall mean the Articles of Incorporation, or similar governing document of the Company in effect as of the date of determination.

 

(h) For the purposes of this Agreement, “Bylaws” shall mean the Bylaws of the Company in effect as of the date of determination.

 

11. Counterparts, Effect of Facsimile, Emailed and Photocopied Signatures. This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection with this Agreement, and any amendments hereto or thereto, may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Any such counterpart, to the extent delivered by means of a facsimile machine or by .pdf, .tif, .gif, .jpeg or similar attachment to electronic mail (any such delivery, an Electronic Delivery) shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original executed counterpart and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party, each other party shall re execute the original form of this Agreement and deliver such form to all other parties. No party shall raise the use of Electronic Delivery to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of Electronic Delivery as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each such party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense relates to lack of authenticity.

 

12. Binding Effect; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors, assigns, including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to Claims relating to Indemnifiable Events regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or of any other enterprise at the Company’s request.

 

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13. Attorneys’ Fees. In the event that any action is instituted by Indemnitee under this Agreement or under any liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof or thereof, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action, regardless of whether Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, and shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such action, a court of competent jurisdiction over such action determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action was not made in good faith or was frivolous. In the event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including costs and expenses incurred with respect to Indemnitee’s counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action), and shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such action, a court having jurisdiction over such action determines that each of Indemnitee’s material defenses to such action was made in bad faith or was frivolous.

 

14. Notice. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing, shall be effective when given, and shall in any event be deemed to be given (a) five (5) days after deposit with the U.S. Postal Service or other applicable postal service, if delivered by first class mail, postage prepaid, (b) upon delivery, if delivered by hand, (c) one (1) business day after the business day of deposit with Federal Express or similar overnight courier, freight prepaid, or (d) one (1) day after the business day of delivery by facsimile transmission, if delivered by facsimile transmission, with copy by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the parties and the following addresses:

 

  (i) if to the Company, to: Attention: Board of Directors
    U.S. Energy Corp.
    1616 Voss
    Suite 725
    Houston, Texas 77057
    Fax: ________________
     
  (ii) if to Indemnitee, to:  
   
    ____________________________
    Address
    ____________________________
    Address
    ____________________________
    Address
    ____________________________
    Fax

 

or at such other address as such party may designate by ten (10) days’ advance written notice to the other party hereto.

 

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15. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Texas for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the courts of the State of Texas, which shall be the exclusive and only proper forum for adjudicating such a claim.

 

16. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitations, each portion of this Agreement containing any provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable that is not itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

17. Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, as applied to contracts between Texas residents, entered into and to be performed entirely within the State of Texas, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

18. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee who shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

19. Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing signed by both the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

20. Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.

 

21. No Construction as Employment Agreement. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

  U.S. ENERGY CORP.
     
  By: _____________________
  Name: _____________________
  Title: _____________________

 

AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY:

 

_______________________________

 

Page 10 of 10U.S. Energy Corp. and
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