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): October 12, 2022
Global
System Dynamics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-40707 | 86-1458374 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
815 Walker Street, Ste. 1155 Houston, TX |
77002 |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (703) 287-5800
Gladstone Acquisition Corp. 1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100 McLean, Virginia 22102 (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
[ ] | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17CFR 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 each exchange on which registered | ||
Units, each consisting of one share of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant
|
GLEEU | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
Shares of Class A common stock included as part of the units |
GLEE | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
Redeemable warrants included as part of the units, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 |
GLEEW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
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 [X]
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. [ ]
SECTION 1 – Registrant’s Business and Operations
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
Purchase Agreement
On October 12, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), Gladstone Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into and closed a Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Gladstone Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Original Sponsor"), and DarkPulse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “New Sponsor”), pursuant to which the New Sponsor purchased from the Original Sponsor 2,623,120 shares of Class B common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and 4,298,496 Private Placement Warrants, each of which is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $1,500,000 (the “Purchase Price”).
In addition to the payment of the Purchase Price, the New Sponsor also assumed the following obligations: (i) responsibility for all of Company’s public company reporting obligations, (ii) the right to provide an extension payment and extend the deadline of the Company to complete an initial business combination from 15 months from August 9, 2021 to 18 months for an additional $1,150,000, and (iii) all other obligations and liabilities of the Original Sponsor related to the Company.
Pursuant to the Agreement, the New Sponsor has replaced the Company’s current directors and officers with directors and officers of the Company selected in its sole discretion. In connection with the closing of the Agreement, the Company has changed its name to “Global Systems Dynamics, Inc.”
In addition to the Agreement, the New Sponsor also entered into the Assignment, Assumption, Release and Waiver of the Letter Agreement pursuant to which the Original Sponsor and each of the parties to the Letter Agreement (defined below) agreed that all rights, interests and obligations of the Original Sponsor under the Letter Agreement (as defined below) were hereby assigned to the New Sponsor and that the Original Sponsor will have no further rights, interests or obligations under the Letter Agreement as of the Closing Date.
The letter agreement dated August 4, 2021 (the “Letter Agreement”), was by and among the Original Sponsor, et. al., and delivered to the Company in accordance with an Underwriting Agreement, dated August 4, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), entered into by and among the Company and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, as representative of the underwriters, et. al.
Finally, in addition to the Agreement, the New Sponsor entered into the Joinder to the Registration Rights Agreement pursuant to which the Company agreed to become a party to the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of August 4, 2021 by and among the Company, the Original Sponsor, et. al.
The Agreement contains customary representations and warranties of the parties, including, among others, with respect to corporate organization, corporate authority, and compliance with applicable laws. The representations and warranties of each party set forth in the Agreement were made solely for the benefit of the other parties to the Agreement, and investors are not third-party beneficiaries of the Purchase Agreement. In addition, such representations and warranties (a) are subject to materiality and other qualifications contained in the Agreement, which may differ from what may be viewed as material by investors, (b) were made only as of the date of the Agreement or such other date as is specified in the Agreement and (c) may have been included in the Agreement for the purpose of allocating risk between the parties rather than establishing matters as facts. Accordingly, the Agreement is included with this filing only to provide investors with information regarding the terms of the Agreement, and not to provide investors with any other factual information regarding any of the parties or their respective businesses.
The foregoing description of the Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of such document, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and which is incorporated herein by reference.
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Support Agreements
On October 12, 2022, in connection with the Agreement, the Company and the Original Sponsor terminated the administrative support agreement dated August 4, 2021.
On October 12, 2022, the Company entered into a letter agreement (the “Support Agreement”) with the New Sponsor that commenced on the date the Original Sponsor sold all of its securities in the Company in connection with the aforementioned Agreement. Under the Sponsor Agreement, the New Sponsor shall make available, or cause to be made available, to the Company, at 815 Walker Street, Suite 114, Houston, Texas 77002 (or any successor location of Darkpulse), certain office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support as may be reasonably required by the Company. In exchange, the Company shall pay the New Sponsor the sum of $10,000 per month.
Further under the Support Agreement, the New Sponsor agreed to waive any and all claims to seek payment of any amounts due to it out of the trust account established for the benefit of the public stockholders of the Company.
The foregoing description of the Support Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of such document, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and which is incorporated herein by reference.
Indemnity Agreements
The Company has entered into agreements with its officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation. The Company’s bylaws also permit it to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit such indemnification. The Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures its officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures the Company against its obligations to indemnify its officers and directors.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against the Company’s directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit the Company and its stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent the Company pays the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
The Company believes that these provisions, the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
SECTION 5 - Corporate Governance and Management
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
The disclosures set forth in Item 1.01 are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.
Change in Company Officers and Directors
On October 12, 2022, David Gladstone, Terry L. Brubaker, Paul W. Adelgren, Michela A. English, John H. Outland, Anthony W. Parker, and Walter H. Wilkinson, Jr. tendered their resignations as officers and directors of the Company, Michael Malesardi, Michael LiCalsi, Bill Frisbie and Bill Reiman resigned as officers of the Company, and Geoff Mullins, Wayne Bale, and John Bartrum were appointed as members of the board of directors of the Company. Finally, Rick Iler was appointed as Principal Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the Company.
There was no known disagreement with any of our outgoing directors on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.
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The following sets forth certain information concerning each new director and officer’s past employment history, directorships held in public companies, if any, and for directors, their qualifications for service on the Company’s board.
Our directors are appointed for a one-year term to hold office until the next annual general meeting of our stockholders or until they resign or are removed from office in accordance with our bylaws. Our officers are appointed by our board of directors and hold office until they resign or are removed by the board.
Rick Iler
J.Richard (Rick) Iler has spent his professional career in the capital markets working in positions as corporate finance, chief financial officer of both public and private companies, and institutional corporate bond salesman with leading wall street firms, e.g., BearStearns, Prudential, Kidder Peabody and Smith Barney.
His operational experience began working for an heir, (Shelton Ranch Corporation) of the legendary King Ranch working in budgeting, cash management and financing activities. He worked with prominent joint ventures administering operating results with such notable companies as Shell, Prudential, Gulf & Western, and the Pritzker family. He has overseen financial reporting to regulatory agencies for numerous microcap public companies as chief financial officer where his duties evolved around facilitating various financings.
His treasury experience with SavingsBank, a Texas savings bank, entailed chairing the asset/liability and investment committees, where he managed a several hundred million dollar mortgage bond arbitrage guiding it through a period of an inverted yield curve returning an annualized 25% internal rate of return. His experience entailed substantial hedging experience with exchanged traded derivatives.
Throughout his career, he has been part of various investment classes of stock, debt and off balance sheet instruments in the aggregate eclipsing several hundred million in equities and debt. He has been part of high net worth, venture capital firms and leading investment banking concerns.
He has a B.S. from Grand Valley State University and attended South Texas College of Law completing nearly 2 of the 3 year JD program.
From 2018 to present, he has been self-employed as an independent consultant for various public companies.
Geoff Mullins
Geoffrey Mullins (48) is a seasoned government relations and communications professional with nearly three decades of policy, issue advocacy, and campaign experience at both the federal and state level. After several years on Capitol Hill as a Congressional staff member, he worked in the business community for national and state-level trade associations and grassroots organizations. In the private sector, Geoff worked for a political communications and technology company providing strategic public affairs support to Fortune 500 and national trade association clients. In the year 2000, he had the pleasure of helping plan and successfully implement the Republican National Convention held in Philadelphia.
For the last fifteen years, he has combined his professional experience with his love of the outdoors through work with NGOs advocating for fish and wildlife habitat conservation, clean water protections, Everglades restoration, fisheries management, Farm Bill conservation, public lands issues, and sportsmen's access.
Geoff is an avid sportsman, fly fisherman, and boater and serves on the Board of Directors of Fly Fishers International. He and his wife and son live in Washington, DC and south Florida.
From 2007 to 2018, he was employed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership as its Chief Operating and Communications Officer. From 2019 to present, he was employed by The Everglades Foundation as its Chief Programs Officer.
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Wayne Bale
Wayne E. Bale (60), has over 30 years’ experience leading projects for the U.S. Air Force and the Federal Government with extensive Federal contracting experience in all phases of project management from inception to acquisition through implementation. A career leader, he has managed teams facilitating customer interaction, proposal development, and operation execution, and served as Chief of Global Communications for the Air National Guard (ANG) Bureau in Washington DC. In this role he was responsible for the integration of ANG fixed and tactical communications systems and units. He led an integrated team of military, government civilian, and contractor engineers responsible for Base Communications field support at 88 flying Wings, 8 Combat Communications Groups, 23 Combat Communications Squadrons and 19 Engineering Installations Squadrons with a total life cycle value of over $1B in communications assets. As Commander of the 241st Engineering Installation Squadron, he led a worldwide engineering and installation mission. He is responsible for major system upgrades for numerous military installations. He is credited with leading his team to an Outstanding rating on a critical Air Force compliance inspection; a first for an engineering installation unit. A master strategist, Wayne developed operational plans, requirements, and logistical support for over 15,000 ANG personnel. He led the implementation of the Joint Incident Site Communication (JISC) system, and wireless networks. Additionally, he led the acquisition strategy development for the “One Air Force, One Network (1AF1N)” program. Wayne is a graduate of Western Illinois University with a degree in Business Administration.
From 2015 to 2019, he was employed by Rivada Networks as its VP of Federal Services. From November 2019 to April 2021, he was employed by Kizano Corp. as its Executive Vice President of Business Development. From April 2021 to present, he has been working as an Independent Consultant in Federal Markets and Various sales capacities.
John Bartrum
The CEO of Brightstar Innovations Group, LLC, John J. Bartrum (56 yrs), is a Capitol Hill veteran and retired federal Senior Executive Service career official with over 38 years of federal appropriations, healthcare, life science, defense, veterans and regulatory experience. An Air Force Major General, John is the Reserve Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force and Space Force Surgeon General. Elected as a Fellow in the National Academy of Public Administration.
In his prior federal positions, he advised both parties as a majority senior professional staffer to the US House Appropriations Committee from 2009 to 2017. He was responsible for policy and funding issues relating to the National Institutes of Health and its 27 institutes, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, among others; and the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector more broadly. While in the House of Representatives position, he was instrumental in developing the Ebola supplemental bill, including designing the infectious disease hospital network; the emergency management and public health response to the Zika virus; and Superstorm Sandy funding. Prior to this position, he was an Associate Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as its Budget Director.
John previously served in the National Security Division of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Executive Office of the President, responsible for advising on key activities in the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, including wartime supplemental requests for medical, research and healthcare operations.
In addition to his substantial general government operations and healthcare experience, John has over 38 years of military experience in both active duty and as a reserve officer. Major General Bartrum, a combat veteran, is the senior Air Force Reserve Medical and Medical Service Corps (Healthcare Executive) officer. As the mobilization assistant to the Surgeon General of the Air Force and Space Force, he assists in the leadership for a $6.1 billion health system involving a 44,000-person integrated health care delivery system serving 2.6 million beneficiaries at 76 Air Force military treatment facilities worldwide. In 2020, he was mobilized as the Government-wide COVID-19 Emergency Support Function-8 (Public Health and Medical Services) Deputy Incident Manager. John enhanced the interagency doctrine and oversaw the coordination of the joint federal agency medical response. He was recognized with many awards for this activity to include the Department of Health and Human Services Pinnacle Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Federal Health Care Executive Award for Excellence from the American Hospital Association.
John was a Partner in a global law firm where he advised numerous corporate clients on federal government policy and operational issues related to health/life sciences, biomedical, veterans/defense, education/training, and general government issues. John currently is a board member on two biomedical start-ups.
From February 2017 to May 2019, he was a partner at Squire Patton Boggs where he provided strategic and legal advice in areas related to public policy, health care, government finance, and defense related areas. From June 2019 to present, he was employed by Brightstar Innovations Group, LLC as its Chief Executive Officer.
There are no family relationships between or among the outgoing directors and executive officers and the persons appointed to become directors and executive officers.
None of the Company’s newly appointed officers and directors have had any material direct or indirect interest in any of the Company’s transactions or proposed transactions over the last two years.
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Committee Appointments
The Company already has an audit committee and a compensation committee. The board of directors recently formed its nominating and corporate governance committee. The nominating and corporate governance committee acts under a written charter, which more specifically sets forth its responsibilities and duties, as well as requirements for the nominating and corporate governance committee’s composition and meetings. The nominating and corporate governance committee charter, along with the charters for the other committees, is available on our website www. gsd.xyz.com.
The nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities, which are discussed in detail in its charter, include the responsibility to:
• Develop qualifications and criteria for selecting and evaluating directors and nominees;
• Consider and propose director nominees;
• Make recommendations to the Board regarding Board compensation;
• Make recommendations to the Board regarding Board committee memberships;
• Develop and recommend to the Board corporate governance guidelines;
• Facilitate an annual assessment of the performance of the Board and each of its standing committees;
• Consider the independence of each director and nominee for director; and
• Perform other functions or duties deemed appropriate by the Board.
The nominating and governance committee was just formed, and the entire board fulfilled these functions prior.
As a result of recent departures from the board and the new appointments, the committees of the board of directors currently consists of the following members:
John Bartrum: Chair of nominating and corporate and governance committee, member of audit committee and compensation committee
Wayne Bale: Chair of compensation committee, member of audit committee and nominating and corporate governance committee
Geoff Mullins: Chair of audit committee, member of compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee.
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of the Company’s board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. The Company’s board of directors has determined that Geoff Mullins, Wayne Bale, and John Bartrum are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules.
Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.
On October 12, 2022, we filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Amendment”) to change the legal name of the Company from Gladstone Acquisition Corp. to Global Systems Dynamic, Inc. (the “Name Change”). The Company’s board of directors also has adopted amended and restated By-Laws of the Company (“Amended By-Laws”) reflecting the name change. Other than the Name Change, there were no changes to the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws. Copies of the Certificate of Amendment, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and the Amended By-Laws, are attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and Exhibit 3.2, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.
In connection with the Name Change, the Company launched a new corporate website: www.gsd.xyz. The Company’s investor relations information, including press releases and links to the Company’s SEC filings, will now be found on this website. The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Company’s corporate governance documents, including the charters of the committees of the Company’s board of directors, Corporate Governance Principles and Code of Conduct, are available on this website. Any amendment to or waivers of the Code of Conduct will be disclosed on this website.
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Section 9 – Financial Statements and Exhibits
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Description
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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.
Global System Dynamic, Inc
/s/ Rick Iler
Rick Iler
Principal Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Date: October 13, 2022
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State of Delaware |
Secretary of State |
Division of Corporations |
Delivered 09:41 AM 10/12/2022 |
FILED 09:41 AM 10/12/2022 |
SR 20223750936 - File Number 4734754 |
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
GLADSTONE ACQUISITION CORPORATION
Gladstone Acquisition Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:
FIRST: That the following resolution was duly adopted by unanimous written consent of the Board of Directors of the Corporation on October 12, 2022, proposing the following amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation:
RESOLVED, that the Board declares that it is appropriate to amend the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation to change the Corporation’s name to “Global System Dynamics, Inc.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board hereby approves the preparation and filing of a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Amendment”) to effect the name change of the Corporation.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers of the Corporation be, and each of them hereby is, authorized to execute, deliver and file the Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State of Delaware and to pay any fees related to such filing.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the officers of the Corporation be, and each of them hereby is, authorized to amend the Corporation’s Bylaws to reflect the name change of the Corporation.
SECOND: That the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be amended by changing the FIRST Article thereof so that, as amended, said Article shall read as follows:
“1. The name of the Corporation is “Global System Dynamics, Inc.” The original certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware January 14, 2021 (the “Certificate”).”
THIRD: The aforesaid amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation will take effect on the 7th day of October, 2022.
FOURTH: The aforesaid amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
FIFTH: All other provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed this 12th day of October, 2022.
Gladstone Acquisition Corporation | ||
By: /s/ Richard Iler | ||
Name: Richard Iler | ||
Title: Chief Financial Officer |
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
GLOBAL SYSTEM DYNAMICS, INC.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I | OFFICES | 1 | ||||
Section 1. | Registered Office | 1 | ||||
Section 2. | Other Offices | 1 | ||||
ARTICLE II | CORPORATE SEAL | 1 | ||||
Section 3. | Corporate Seal | 1 | ||||
ARTICLE III | STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS | 1 | ||||
Section 4. | Place of Meetings | 1 | ||||
Section 5. | Annual Meeting | 1 | ||||
Section 6. | Special Meetings | 3 | ||||
Section 7. | Notice of Meetings | 4 | ||||
Section 8. | Quorum | 4 | ||||
Section 9. | Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings | 5 | ||||
Section 10. | Voting Rights | 5 | ||||
Section 11. | Joint Owners of Stock | 5 | ||||
Section 12. | List of Stockholders | 6 | ||||
Section 13. | Action Without Meeting | 6 | ||||
Section 14. | Organization | 7 | ||||
ARTICLE IV | DIRECTORS | 8 | ||||
Section 15. | Number and Term of Office | 8 | ||||
Section 16. | Powers | 8 | ||||
Section 17. | Term of Directors | 8 | ||||
Section 18. | Vacancies | 8 | ||||
Section 19. | Resignation | 9 | ||||
Section 20. | Removal | 9 | ||||
Section 21. | Meetings | 9 | ||||
Section 22. | Quorum and Voting | 10 | ||||
Section 23. | Action Without Meeting | 10 | ||||
Section 24. | Fees and Compensation | 10 | ||||
Section 25. | Committees | 10 | ||||
Section 26. | Organization | 12 |
ARTICLE V | OFFICERS | 12 | ||||
Section 27. | Officers Designated | 12 | ||||
Section 28. | Tenure and Duties of Officers | 12 | ||||
Section 29. | Delegation of Authority | 13 | ||||
Section 30. | Resignations | 13 | ||||
Section 31. | Removal | 13 | ||||
ARTICLE VI | EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION | 14 | ||||
Section 32. | Execution of Corporate Instruments | 14 | ||||
Section 33. | Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation | 14 | ||||
ARTICLE VII | SHARES OF STOCK | 14 | ||||
Section 34. | Form and Execution of Certificates | 14 | ||||
Section 35. | Lost Certificates | 15 | ||||
Section 36. | Transfers | 15 | ||||
Section 37. | Fixing Record Dates | 15 | ||||
Section 38. | Registered Stockholders | 16 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII | OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION | 16 | ||||
Section 39. | Execution of Other Securities | 16 | ||||
ARTICLE IX | DIVIDENDS | 17 | ||||
Section 40. | Declaration of Dividends | 17 | ||||
Section 41. | Dividend Reserve | 17 | ||||
ARTICLE X | FISCAL YEAR | 17 | ||||
Section 42. | Fiscal Year | 17 | ||||
ARTICLE XI | INDEMNIFICATION | 17 | ||||
Section 43. | Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents | 17 | ||||
ARTICLE XII | NOTICES | 21 | ||||
Section 44. | Notices | 21 | ||||
ARTICLE XIII | AMENDMENTS | 22 | ||||
Section 45. | Amendments | 22 |
BYLAWS
OF
GLOBAL SYSTEM DYNAMICS, INC.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office. The registered office of the corporation in the State of Delaware shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle.
Section 2. Other Offices. The corporation shall also have and maintain an office or principal place of business at such place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, and may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
CORPORATE SEAL
Section 3. Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors may adopt a corporate seal. The corporate seal shall consist of a die bearing the name of the corporation and the inscription, “Corporate Seal-Delaware.” Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
ARTICLE III
STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS
Section 4. Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as provided under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).
Section 5. Annual Meeting.
(a) The annual meeting of the stockholders of the corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other business as may lawfully come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders: (i) pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders; (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors; or (iii) by any stockholder of the corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in the following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in Section 5.
(b) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 5(a) of these Bylaws, (i) the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation, (ii) such other business must be a proper matter for stockholder action under the DGCL, (iii) if the stockholder, or the beneficial owner on whose behalf any such proposal or nomination is made, has provided the corporation with a Solicitation Notice (as defined in this Section 5(b)), such stockholder or beneficial owner must, in the
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case of a proposal, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry any such proposal, or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a percentage of the corporation’s voting shares reasonably believed by such stockholder or beneficial owner to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by such stockholder, and must, in either case, have included in such materials the Solicitation Notice, and (iv) if no Solicitation Notice relating thereto has been timely provided pursuant to this section, the stockholder or beneficial owner proposing such business or nomination must not have solicited a number of proxies sufficient to have required the delivery of such a Solicitation Notice under this Section 5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposed to nominate for election or reelection as a director all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and Rule 14a-4(d) thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class and number of shares of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, and (iii) whether either such stockholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of the proposal, at least the percentage of the corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, a sufficient number of holders of the corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (an affirmative statement of such intent, a “Solicitation Notice”).
(c) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of Section 5(b) of these Bylaws to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 5 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the corporation.
(d) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5 shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 5. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made, or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, in order to include information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholders’ meeting, stockholders must provide notice as required by the regulations promulgated under the 1934 Act. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act.
(f) For purposes of this Section 5, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.
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Section 6. Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, by (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer, (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption) or (iv) by the holders of shares entitled to cast not less than ten percent (10%) of the votes at the meeting, and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall fix.
(b) If a special meeting is properly called by any person or persons other than the Board of Directors, the request shall be in writing, specifying the general nature of the business proposed to be transacted, and shall be delivered personally or sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or by telegraphic or other facsimile transmission to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary of the corporation. No business may be transacted at such special meeting otherwise than specified in such notice. The Board of Directors shall determine the time and place of such special meeting, which shall be held not less than thirty-five (35) nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days after the date of the receipt of the request. Upon determination of the time and place of the meeting, the officer receiving the request shall cause notice to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 of these Bylaws. Nothing contained in this paragraph (b) shall be construed as limiting, fixing, or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the Board of Directors may be held.
Section 7. Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by law, notice, given in writing or by electronic transmission, of each meeting of stockholders shall be given 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, such notice to specify the place, if any, date and hour, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at any such meeting. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the corporation. Notice of the time, place, if any, and purpose of any meeting of stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to notice thereof or by electronic transmission by such person, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any stockholder by his attendance thereat in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy, except when the stockholder 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. Any stockholder so waiving notice of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.
Section 8. Quorum. At all meetings of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the presence, in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting or by vote of the holders of a majority of the shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Except as otherwise provided by statute, or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series, present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter. Except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority (plurality, in the case of the election of directors) of shares of such class or classes or series present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or classes or series.
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Section 9. Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings. Any meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time either by the chairman of the meeting or by the vote of a majority of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 10. Voting Rights. For the purpose of determining those stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the corporation on the record date, as provided in Section 12 of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders. Every person entitled to vote or execute consents shall have the right to do so either in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by an agent or agents authorized by a proxy granted in accordance with Delaware law. An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
Section 11. Joint Owners of Stock. If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his act binds all; (b) if more than one (1) votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1) votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery for relief as provided in the DGCL, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the purpose of subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in interest.
Section 12. List of Stockholders. The Secretary shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, 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 during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the corporation. 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. The list shall be open to examination of any stockholder during the time of the meeting as provided by law.
Section 13. Action Without Meeting.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required by statute to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, or by electronic transmission setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.
(b) Every written consent or electronic transmission shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and no written consent or electronic transmission shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the corporation in the manner herein required, written consents or electronic transmissions signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action are delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to a corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.
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(c) Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing or by electronic transmission and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action were delivered to the corporation as provided in Section 228(c) of the DGCL. If the action which is consented to is such as would have required the filing of a certificate under any section of the DGCL if such action had been voted on by stockholders at a meeting thereof, then the certificate filed under such section shall state, in lieu of any statement required by such section concerning any vote of stockholders, that written consent has been given in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
(d) A telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxyholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed and dated for the purposes of this section, provided that any such telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the corporation can determine (i) that the telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or proxyholder or by a person or persons authorized to act for the stockholder and (ii) the date on which such stockholder or proxyholder or authorized person or persons transmitted such telegram, cablegram or electronic transmission. The date on which such telegram, cablegram or electronic transmission is transmitted shall be deemed to be the date on which such consent was signed. No consent given by telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been delivered until such consent is reproduced in paper form and until such paper form shall be delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the state of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to a corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations on delivery, consents given by telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission may be otherwise delivered to the principal place of business of the corporation or to an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded if, to the extent and in the manner provided by resolution of the board of directors of the corporation. Any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing.
Section 14. Organization.
(a) At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the President, or, if the President is absent, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall act as chairman. The Secretary, or, in his absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
(b) The Board of Directors of the corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of record of the corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.
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ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS
Section 15. Number and Term of Office. The authorized number of directors of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors from time to time.
Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation. If for any cause, the directors shall not have been elected at an annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as convenient.
Section 16. Powers. The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 17. Term of Directors.
(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and his successor is duly elected and qualified or until his death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
Section 18. Vacancies.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, provided, however, that whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.
Section 19. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by delivering his or her notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Secretary, such resignation to specify whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the Secretary or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If no such specification is made, it shall be deemed effective at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. When one or more directors shall resign from the Board of Directors, effective at 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 for the unexpired portion of the term of the Director whose place shall be vacated and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
Section 20. Removal. Subject to any limitations imposed by applicable law, the Board of Directors or any director may be removed from office at any time (i) with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally at an election of directors or (ii) without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the corporation, entitled to vote generally at an election of directors.
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Section 21. Meetings
(a) Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or date and at any place within or without the State of Delaware which has been designated by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, including a voice-messaging system or other system designated to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means. No further notice shall be required for a regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
(b) Special Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, the President or any director.
(c) Meetings by Electronic Communications Equipment. Any member of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
(d) Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of the time and place of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means, during normal business hours, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting. If notice is sent by US mail, it shall be sent by first class mail, postage prepaid at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing or by electronic transmission at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the 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.
(e) Waiver of Notice. The transaction of all business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present who did not receive notice shall sign a written waiver of notice or shall waive notice by electronic transmission. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.
Section 22. Quorum and Voting.
(a) Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation; provided, however, at any meeting, whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the directors present may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.
(b) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
Section 23. Action Without 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 of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writing or writings or transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 24. Fees and Compensation. Directors shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.
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Section 25. Committees.
(a) Executive Committee. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors 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 which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the corporation.
(b) Other Committees. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, appoint such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees, but in no event shall any such committee have the powers denied to the Executive Committee in these Bylaws.
(c) Term. The Board of Directors, subject to any requirements of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock and the provisions of subsections (a) or (b) of this Bylaw may at any time increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of his death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
(d) Meetings. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other committee appointed pursuant to this Section 25 shall be held at such times and places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special meetings of any such committee may be held at any place which has been determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any director who is a member of such committee, upon notice to the members of such committee of the time and place of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors. Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special 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. Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolutions authorizing the creation of the committee, a majority of the authorized number of members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee.
Section 26. Organization. At every meeting of the directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the President, or if the President is absent, the most senior Vice President, (if a director) or, in the absence of any such person, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting. The Secretary, or in his absence, any Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
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ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 27. Officers Designated. The officers of the corporation shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer and the Controller, all of whom shall be elected at the annual organizational meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Controllers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary. The Board of Directors may assign such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 28. Tenure and Duties of Officers.
(a) General. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.
(b) Duties of Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, when present, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. If there is no President, then the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in paragraph (c) of this Section 28.
(c) Duties of President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present. Unless some other officer has been elected Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
(d) Duties of Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents may assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is vacant. The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(e) Duties of Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the corporation. The Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other duties provided for in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. The President may direct any Assistant Secretary to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(f) Duties of Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the President. The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to his office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time. The President may direct the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
Section 29. Delegation of Authority. The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
Section 30. Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or to the Secretary. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any contract with the resigning officer.
Section 31. Removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors in office at the time, or by the unanimous written consent of the directors in office at the time, or by any committee or superior officers upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE VI
EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING
OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION
Section 32. Execution of Corporate Instruments. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the corporation the corporate name without limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the corporation.
All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to the credit of the corporation or in special accounts of the corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to do.
Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
Section 33. Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation. All stock and other securities of other corporations owned or held by the corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.
ARTICLE VII
SHARES OF STOCK
Section 34. Form and Execution of Certificates. The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates, or shall be uncertificated. 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 in the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the corporation by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by him in the corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 35. Lost Certificates. A new certificate or certificates shall be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the corporation in such manner as it shall require or to give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Section 36. Transfers.
(a) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized, and, in the case of stock represented by a certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares.
(b) The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes 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.
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Section 37. Fixing Record Dates.
(a) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, subject to applicable law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is 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 of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(b) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which 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 of Directors. Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date. The Board of Directors shall promptly, but in all events within ten (10) days after the date on which such a request is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors within ten (10) days of the date on which such a request is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
(c) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, 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 of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
Section 38. Registered Stockholders. The corporation 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 shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
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ARTICLE VIII
OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION
Section 39. Execution of Other Securities. All bonds, debentures and other corporate securities of the corporation, other than stock certificates (covered in Section 34), may be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President or any Vice President, or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, and the corporate seal impressed thereon or a facsimile of such seal imprinted thereon and attested by the signature of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer; provided, however, that where any such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be authenticated by the manual signature, or where permissible facsimile signature, of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the persons signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or other corporate security may be the imprinted facsimile of the signatures of such persons. Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or other corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid, shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear imprinted thereon the facsimile signature of such person. In case any officer who shall have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate security, or whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such interest coupon, shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond, debenture or other corporate security so signed or attested shall have been delivered, such bond, debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be adopted by the corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer of the corporation.
ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS
Section 40. Declaration of Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors pursuant to law at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.
Section 41. Dividend Reserve. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE X
FISCAL YEAR
Section 42. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE XI
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 43. Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents.
(a) Directors and Officers. The corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law; provided, however, that the corporation may modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its directors and officers; and, provided, further, that the corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director or officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the Delaware General Corporation Law or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).
(b) Employees and Other Agents. The corporation shall have power to indemnify its employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to any such person to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.
(c) Expenses. The corporation shall advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer, of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or officer in connection with such proceeding, provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section 43 or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Bylaw, no advance shall be made by the corporation to an officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such officer is or was a director of the corporation, in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, even if not a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.
(d) Enforcement. Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and officers under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the corporation and the director or officer. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this Bylaw to a director or officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. The claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting the claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL or any other applicable law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. In connection with any claim by an officer of the corporation (except in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such officer is or was a director of the corporation) for advances, the corporation shall be entitled to raise a defense as to any such action clear and convincing evidence that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding that such person acted without reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was lawful. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law, nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by a director or officer to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, the burden of proving that the director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article XI or otherwise shall be on the corporation.
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(e) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any applicable statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law.
(f) Survival of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
(g) Insurance. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, or any other applicable law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this Bylaw.
(h) Amendments. Any repeal or modification of this Bylaw shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.
(i) Saving Clause. If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this Bylaw that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this Section 43 shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the corporation shall indemnify each director and officer to the full extent under applicable law.
(j) Certain Definitions. For the purposes of this Bylaw, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) The term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(2) The term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.
(3) The term the “corporation” 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, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Bylaw with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(4) References to a “director,” “executive officer,” “officer,” “employee,” or “agent” of the corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(5) References to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this Bylaw.
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ARTICLE XII
NOTICES
Section 44. Notices.
(a) Notice to Stockholders. Written notice to stockholders of stockholder meetings shall be given as provided in Section 7 herein. Without limiting the manner by which notice may otherwise be given effectively to stockholders under any agreement or contract with such stockholder, and except as otherwise required by law, written notice to stockholders for purposes other than stockholder meetings may be sent by United States mail or nationally recognized overnight courier, or by facsimile, telegraph or telex or by electronic mail or other electronic means.
(b) Notice to Directors. Any notice required to be given to any director may be given by the method stated in subsection (a), or as provided for in Section 21 of these Bylaws. If such notice is not delivered personally, it shall be sent to such address as such director shall have filed in writing with the Secretary, or, in the absence of such filing, to the last known post office address of such director.
(c) Affidavit of Mailing. An affidavit of mailing, executed by a duly authorized and competent employee of the corporation or its transfer agent appointed with respect to the class of stock affected or other agent, specifying the name and address or the names and addresses of the stockholder or stockholders, or director or directors, to whom any such notice or notices was or were given, and the time and method of giving the same, shall in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained.
(d) Methods of Notice. It shall not be necessary that the same method of giving notice be employed in respect of all recipients of notice, but one permissible method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any other permissible method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or others.
(e) Notice to Person with Whom Communication Is Unlawful. Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.
(f) Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address. Except as otherwise prohibited under DGCL, any notice given under the provisions of DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Such consent shall have been deemed to have been given if such stockholder fails to object in writing to the corporation within 60 days of having been given notice by the corporation of its intention to send the single notice. Any consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS
Section 45. Amendments. The Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the corporation. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
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Execution Version
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into effectively as of October 12, 2022 (the “Effective Date”), by and among Darkpulse, Inc. (the “Acquirer”), GLADSTONE ACQUISITION CORP., a Delaware corporation (“SPAC”), and GLADSTONE SPONSOR, LLC (“Sponsor”) (each a “Party” and, collectively, the “Parties”).
Whereas, SPAC is a Special Purpose Acquisition Company that closed on its initial public offering on August 9, 2021, with 15 months to complete an initial business combination or, 18 months if the Sponsor deposits an additional $1,150,000 in trust;
Whereas, as of the date of this Agreement, SPAC has not completed or announced a business combination;
Whereas, Sponsor owns 2,623,120 shares of Class B Common Stock and 4,298,496 Private Placement Warrants, each of which is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A Common Stock of SPAC (collectively, the “SPAC Securities”); and
Whereas, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Acquirer will purchase all of the SPAC Securities from Sponsor for a total purchase price of One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) (the “Purchase Price”).
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the premises set forth above, which are incorporated in this Agreement as if fully set forth below, and the representations, warranties, covenants and agreement contained in this Agreement, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. | Purchase and Sale. |
(a) At the Closing: (i) Acquirer shall pay the Purchase Price to Sponsor by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to the wiring instructions separately provided by Sponsor;
(ii) Sponsor shall transfer, deliver, and assign the SPAC Securities to Acquirer, free and clear of any and all liens and encumbrances; and (iii) SPAC shall record such transfer.
(b) The closing of the transactions contemplated herein (the “Closing”) shall take place on October 12, 2022, or on such earlier date as the Parties agree in writing.
2. Assumption of Obligations. In addition to the payment of the Purchase Price, Acquirer shall also assume the following obligations: (i) responsibility for all of SPAC’s public company reporting obligations, (ii) payment of the Extension Payment (defined below), at the discretion of Acquirer, and (iii) all other obligations and liabilities of Sponsor related to the SPAC. As used herein, “Extension Payment” means the extension payment described in the Prospectus dated August 4, 2021 relating to the initial public offering of the SPAC, in an amount equal to $0.10 per share (currently $1,049,028) that will become due on November 8, 2022. It being understood and agreed that in the event Acquirer believes it will be unable to complete a business combination, it will be under no obligation to fund the Extension Payment.
3. Management; Name Change. SPAC acknowledges and agrees that Acquirer shall have the right to replace SPAC’s current directors and officers with any such directors and officers as Acquirer may select in its sole discretion. Accordingly, in connection with the Closing, the existing directors and officers of SPAC shall resign from their respective positions. Additionally, Acquirer shall promptly following the Closing file a formal public vehicle name change on behalf of SPAC, and SPAC shall reasonably cooperate with Acquirer in connection therewith.
4. Liabilities. SPAC confirms to Acquirer that as of the date of this Agreement, its unaudited balance sheet, including the amounts owed from or due to (broken down by entity), was as set forth on Exhibit A to this Agreement. Sponsor represents that the SPAC Securities represent all the of the outstanding securities of SPAC held by Sponsor.
5. Limitation on Transfer. Acquirer acknowledges and agrees that the SPAC Securities are subject to the limitations on transfer set forth in Section 11 of this Agreement.
6. Title. Sponsor represents and warrants to Acquirer that Sponsor has good and marketable title to the SPAC Securities free and clear of all liens and encumbrances and that, upon updating the records of ownership, Acquirer will have good and marketable title to the SPAC Securities.
7. Representations and Warranties. Each Party hereby represents and warrants to each other Party as of the Effective Date and as of the Closing that:
(a) such Party has the power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder;
(b) the execution, delivery and performance by the Party of this Agreement and the consummation of the transfer have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the relevant Party, and no further approval or authorization is required on the part of such Party;
(c) this Agreement will be valid and binding on each Party and enforceable against such Party in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer or conveyance, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors rights generally and general equitable principles, regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity; and
(d) SPAC and Sponsor have received all third-party consents to the transfer of the SPAC Securities and such consents have been shared with Acquirer.
8. Acquirer Representations and Warranties. The Acquirer hereby represents and warrants to the Sponsor that as of the Effective Date and as of the Closing that:
(a) Acquirer has been duly formed or incorporated and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, with the requisite entity power and authority to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement;
(b) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Acquirer. This Agreement is enforceable against Acquirer in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited or otherwise affected by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity;
(c) The execution and delivery by Acquirer of this Agreement, and the performance by Acquirer of its obligations under this Agreement, including the purchase of the SPAC Securities and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated herein, will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Acquirer pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Acquirer is a party or by which Acquirer is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Acquirer is subject; (ii) the organizational documents of Acquirer; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Acquirer or any of Acquirer’s properties that, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii), would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the legal authority of Acquirer to comply in all material respects with the terms of this Agreement;
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(d) Acquirer, or each of the funds managed by or affiliated with Acquirer for which Acquirer is acting as nominee, as applicable, (i) is an institutional “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act), in each case, satisfying the applicable requirements set forth on Exhibit B, (ii) is acquiring the SPAC Securities only for its own account and not for the account of others and Acquirer has full investment discretion with respect to each such account, and the full power and authority to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each owner of each such account, and (iii) is not acquiring the SPAC Securities with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution thereof in violation of the Securities Act. Acquirer has not taken any of the actions set forth in, and is not subject to, the disqualification provisions of Rule 506(d)(1) of the Securities Act. Acquirer has completed Exhibit B following the signature page hereto and the information contained therein is accurate and complete. Acquirer is not an entity formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the SPAC Securities;
(e) Acquirer understands that the SPAC Securities are being offered in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act and that the SPAC Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act. Acquirer understands that the SPAC Securities may not be resold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of by Acquirer absent an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, except (i) to the SPAC or a subsidiary thereof, (ii) to non-U.S. persons pursuant to offers and sales that occur outside the United States within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that all of the applicable conditions thereof have been met or (iv) pursuant to another applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and that any certificates or book-entry records representing the SPAC Securities shall contain a legend to such effect. Acquirer acknowledges that the SPAC Securities will not be eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act. Acquirer understands and agrees that it may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the SPAC Securities for an indefinite period of time. Acquirer understands that it has been advised to consult legal counsel prior to making any offer, resale, pledge or transfer of any of the SPAC Securities;
(f) Acquirer understands and agrees that Acquirer is purchasing the SPAC Securities directly from the Sponsor. Acquirer further acknowledges that there have been no representations, warranties, covenants and agreements made to Acquirer by the Sponsor or any of its officers or directors, the SPAC or any of its officers, employees or representatives (together, the “Agents”), or any of its officers, employees or representatives, expressly or by implication, other than those representations, warranties, covenants and agreements included in this Agreement;
(g) Acquirer’s acquisition and holding of the SPAC Securities will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any applicable similar law;
(h) In making its decision to purchase the SPAC Securities, Acquirer represents that it has relied solely upon its own independent investigation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Acquirer has not relied on any statements or other information provided by the Agents or any of their respective Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or representatives concerning the Sponsor or the SPAC Securities or the offer and sale of the SPAC Securities. Acquirer acknowledges and agrees that Acquirer has received such information as Acquirer deems necessary in order to make an investment decision with respect to the SPAC Securities, including with respect to the SPAC and the Transaction. Acquirer represents and agrees that Acquirer and Acquirer’s professional advisor(s), if any, have had the full opportunity to ask such questions, receive such answers and obtain such information as Acquirer and such Acquirer’s professional advisor(s), if any, have deemed necessary to make an investment decision with respect to the SPAC Securities. Acquirer has been furnished with all materials that it considers relevant to an investment in the SPAC Securities, has had a full opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the SPAC or any person or persons acting on behalf of the SPAC concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the SPAC Securities to Acquirer; and that Acquirer is not relying upon, and has not relied upon, any statement, representation or warranty made by any person, including, without limitation, the Agents, except for the statements, representations and warranties contained in this Agreement;
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(i) Acquirer became aware of this offering of the SPAC Securities solely by means of direct contact between Acquirer and the Sponsor or one of the Agents, and the SPAC Securities were offered to Acquirer solely by direct contact between Acquirer and the Sponsor or one of the Agents. Acquirer did not become aware of this offering of the SPAC Securities, nor were the SPAC Securities offered to Acquirer, by any other means. Acquirer acknowledges that the Sponsor represents and warrants that the SPAC Securities (i) were not offered to Acquirer by any form of general solicitation or general advertising and (ii) are not being offered in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act, or any state securities laws;
(j) Acquirer acknowledges that it is aware that there are substantial risks incident to the purchase and ownership of the SPAC Securities. Acquirer has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the SPAC Securities, and Acquirer has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as Acquirer has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision;
(k) Acquirer acknowledges and agrees that neither of the Agents nor any Affiliate of either of the Agents (or any officer, director, employee or representative of any of the Agents or any Affiliate thereof) has provided Acquirer with any information or advice with respect to the SPAC Securities nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Acquirer acknowledges that the Agents, any Affiliate of either of the Agents (or any officer, director, employee or representative of either of the Agents or any Affiliate thereof) (i) have not made any representation as to the SPAC or the quality of the SPAC Securities,
(ii) may have acquired non-public information with respect to the SPAC which Acquirer agrees need not be provided to it, (iii) have made no independent investigation with respect to the SPAC or the SPAC Securities or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any information supplied to Acquirer by the Sponsor, (iv) have not acted as Acquirer’s financial advisor or fiduciary in connection with the issue and purchase of the SPAC Securities and (v) have not prepared a disclosure or offering document in connection with the offer and sale of the SPAC Securities;
(l) Alone, or together with any professional advisor(s), Acquirer represents and acknowledges that Acquirer has adequately analyzed and fully considered the risks of an investment in the SPAC Securities and determined that the SPAC Securities are a suitable investment for Acquirer and that Acquirer is able at this time and in the foreseeable future to bear the economic risk of a total loss of Acquirer’s investment in the SPAC. Acquirer acknowledges specifically that a possibility of total loss exists;
(m) Acquirer understands and agrees that no federal or state agency has passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the SPAC Securities or made any findings or determination as to the fairness of an investment in the SPAC Securities;
(n) Acquirer is not (i) a person or entity named on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, the Executive Order 13599 List, the Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, or the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List, each of which is administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) (collectively “OFAC Lists”), (ii) owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, a person, that is named on an OFAC List, (iii) organized, incorporated, established, located, resident or born in, or a citizen, national, or the government, including any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, of, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Syria, the Crimea Region of the Ukraine, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Luhansk People’s Republic,, or any other country or territory embargoed or subject to substantial trade restrictions by the United States, (iv) a Designated National as defined in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515, or (v) a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services indirectly to a non-U.S. shell bank (collectively, a “Prohibited Investor”). Acquirer represents that if it is a financial institution subject to the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. section 5311 et seq.) (the “BSA”), as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (the “PATRIOT Act”), and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “BSA/PATRIOT Act”), Acquirer maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to comply with applicable obligations under the BSA/PATRIOT Act. Acquirer also represents that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with OFAC-administered sanctions programs, including for the screening of its investors against the OFAC Lists. Acquirer further represents and warrants that, to the extent required, it maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the funds held by Acquirer and used to purchase the SPAC Securities were legally derived;
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(o) If Acquirer is an employee benefit plan that is subject to Title I of ERISA, a plan, an individual retirement account or other arrangement that is subject to section 4975 of the Code or an employee benefit plan that is a governmental plan (as defined in section 3(32) of ERISA), a church plan (as defined in section 3(33) of ERISA), a non-U.S. plan (as described in section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plan that is not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code, or an entity whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a “Plan”) subject to the fiduciary or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or section 4975 of the Code, Acquirer represents and warrants that (i) to its knowledge, neither Sponsor, nor any of its respective Affiliates that the Sponsor has disclosed to Acquirer for purposes of determining compliance with this section (the “Transaction Parties”) has acted as the Plan’s fiduciary, or has been relied on for advice, with respect to its decision to acquire and hold the SPAC Securities, and none of the Transaction Parties shall at any time be relied upon as the Plan’s fiduciary with respect to any decision to acquire, continue to hold or transfer the SPAC Securities; (ii) the decision to invest in the SPAC Securities has been made at the recommendation or direction of an “independent fiduciary” (“Independent Fiduciary”) within the meaning of US Code of Federal Regulations 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3 21(c), as amended from time to time (the “Fiduciary Rule”) who is (A) independent of the Transaction Parties; (B) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with respect to particular transactions and investment strategies (within the meaning of the Fiduciary Rule); (C) is a fiduciary (under ERISA and/or section 4975 of the Code) with respect to Acquirer’s investment in the SPAC Securities and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the investment in the SPAC Securities; and (D) is aware of and acknowledges that (I) none of the Transaction Parties is undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the purchaser’s or transferee’s investment in the SPAC Securities, and (II) the Transaction Parties have a financial interest in the purchaser’s investment in the SPAC Securities on account of the fees and other remuneration they expect to receive in connection with transactions contemplated hereunder; and
(p) | Acquirer will have at the Closing sufficient funds to pay the Purchase Price. |
9. Further Assurances. The Parties hereto agree (a) to furnish upon request to each other such further information, (b) to execute and deliver to each other such other documents, and (c) to do such other acts and things, all as the other Party to this Agreement may reasonably request, for the purpose of carrying out the intent of this Agreement.
10. Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements made in this Agreement shall survive any investigation made by any party hereto and the closing of the transactions contemplated hereby.
11. Indemnification. Acquirer and SPAC jointly and severally agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Sponsor, its affiliates, and their respective successors, officers, directors, employees and assigns, from and against any and all actions, causes of action, claims, demands, costs, liabilities, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements) and damages (collectively, “Losses”) arising out of or in connection with any act or omission of Sponsor taken in good faith related to the formation of SPAC, the ownership of the SPAC Securities, the search for a target for a business combination with the SPAC and the business operations of the SPAC, as well as any services rendered in connection with the foregoing. This section does not apply to any Losses solely attributable to gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Sponsor as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final non-appealable order.
12. Acknowledgements. Each Party acknowledges and agrees that the transfer has not been registered under the Securities Act or under any state securities laws and Acquirer represents that it:
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(a) is acquiring the SPAC Securities pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act with no present intention to distribute them to any person in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable U.S. state securities laws;
(b) will not sell or otherwise dispose of any of the SPAC Securities, except in compliance with the registration requirements or exemption provisions of the Securities Act and any applicable U.S. state securities laws and in accordance with any limitations set forth in any agreements described in the Prospectus dated August 4, 2021 relating to the initial public offering of the SPAC;
(c) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and in investments of this type that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the SPAC Securities and of making an informed investment decision, and has conducted a review of the business and affairs of SPAC that it considers sufficient and reasonable for purposes of making the transfer;
(d) | is an “accredited investor” (as defined by Rule 501 of the Securities Act); |
(e) that the SPAC Securities (i) were not offered to Acquirer by any form of general solicitation or general advertising and (ii) are not being offered in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act, or any state securities laws.
13. Severability. In case any one or more of the provisions contained herein shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such provision(s) had never been contained herein, provided that such provision(s) shall be curtailed, limited or eliminated only to the extent necessary to remove the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability in the jurisdiction where such provisions have been held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable.
14. Titles and Headings. The titles and section headings in this Agreement are included strictly for convenience purposes.
15. No Waiver. It is understood and agreed that no failure or delay in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder.
16. Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflicts of laws rules. Each Party (a) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, to the extent such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively, the “Courts”), for purposes of any action, suit or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement; and (b) agrees not to raise any objection at any time to the laying or maintaining of the venue of any such action, suit or proceeding in any of the Courts, irrevocably waives any claim that such action, suit or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum and further irrevocably waives the right to object, with respect to such action, suit or other proceeding, that such Court does not have any jurisdiction over such Party. Any Party may serve any process required by such Courts by way of notice.
17. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY ACTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH PARTY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF ANY ACTION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THAT FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
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18. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the Parties and supersedes any previous understandings, commitments or agreements, oral or written, with respect to the subject matter hereof. No modification of this Agreement or waiver of the terms and conditions hereof shall be binding upon either Party, unless mutually approved in writing.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (delivered by email or other means of electronic transmission), each of which shall be deemed an original and which, when taken together, shall constitute one and the same document.
20. Notices. All notices, consents, waivers and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered (i) in person, (ii) by email or other electronic means, with affirmative confirmation of receipt, (iii) one business day after being sent, if sent by reputable, nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) three (3) business days after being mailed, if sent by registered or certified mail, pre-paid and return receipt requested, in each case to the applicable Party at the following addresses (or at such other address for a Party as shall be specified by like notice.
If to Acquirer: | Darkpulse, Inc. | ||
815 Walker Street, Ste. 1155 | |||
Houston, TX 77002 | |||
Attn: Dennis O’Leary, CEO | |||
Email: doleary@darkpulse.com | |||
With a copy to: | The Basile Law Firm P.C. | ||
Attn: Mark R. Basile, Esq. | |||
390 N. Broadway, Ste. 140 | |||
Jericho, New York 11753 | |||
Email: mark@thebasilelawfirm.com | |||
If to SPAC: | Gladstone Acquisition Corp. | ||
1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100 | |||
McLean, Virginia 22102 | |||
Attn: David Gladstone | |||
Email: davidgladstone@gladstonecompanies.com | |||
With a copy to: | Cooley LLP | ||
1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW | |||
Suite 700 | |||
Washington, D.C. 20004 | |||
Attn: Dan Peale/Peter Byrne | |||
Email: dpeale@cooley.com/pbyrne@cooley.com | |||
If to Sponsor: | Gladstone Sponsor, LLC | ||
1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 100 | |||
McLean, Virginia 22102 | |||
Attn: David Gladstone | |||
Email: davidgladstone@gladstonecompanies.com | |||
With a copy to: | Cooley LLP | ||
1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW | |||
Suite 700 | |||
Washington, D.C. 20004 | |||
Attn: Dan Peale/Peter Byrne | |||
Email: dpeale@cooley.com/pbyrne@cooley.com |
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21. Binding Effect; Assignment. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. This Agreement shall not be assigned by operation of law or otherwise without the prior written consent of the other Parties, and any assignment without such consent shall be null and void; provided that no such assignment shall relieve the assigning Party of its obligations hereunder.
22. Third Parties. Nothing contained in this Agreement or in any instrument or document executed by any party in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall create any rights in or be deemed to have been executed for the benefit of, any person or entity that is not a Party hereto or thereto or a successor or permitted assign of such a Party.
23. Specific Performance. Each Party acknowledges that the rights of each Party to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby are unique, recognizes and affirms that in the event of a breach of this Agreement by any Party, money damages may be inadequate and the non-breaching Parties may have not adequate remedy at law, and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed by an applicable Party in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, each Party shall be entitled to seek an injunction or restraining order to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to seek to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof, without the requirement to post any bond or other security or to prove that money damages would be inadequate, this being in addition to any other right or remedy to which such Party may be entitled under this Agreement, at law or in equity.
[Remainder of Page intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]
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In Witness Whereof, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered, all as of the Effective Date.
ACQUIRER:
Darkpulse, Inc.
By: /s/ Dennis O’Leary
Name: Dennis O’Leary
Title: Chief Executive Officer
SPAC:
GLADSTONE ACQUISITION CORP.
By: /s/ Michael Licalsi
Name: Michael Licalsi
Title: Secretary
SPONSOR:
GLADSTONE SPONSOR, LLC
By: /s/ Michael Licalsi
Name: Michael Licalsi
Title: Secretary
[Signature Page to Purchase Agreement]
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EXHIBIT A
SPAC BALANCE SHEET
[See attached]
10 |
Gladstone Acquisition Corp
Balance Sheet 9/30/2022
30-Sep-22 | |||
Assets | |||
Cash | $ | 23,519 | |
Prepaid expenses | 152,361 | ||
Deferred Offering Costs | — | ||
Total Current Assets | 175,880 | ||
Prepaid expenses - non-current portion | — | ||
Cash held in trust account | 107,240,343 | ||
Total assets | $ | 107,416,223 | |
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | |||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 40,774 | |
Due to related party | 13,162 | ||
Private placement proceeds received in advance | — | ||
Promissory Note - Related Party | — | ||
Total current liabilities | 53,936 | ||
Deferred underwriting discount | 3,672,368 | ||
Total liabilities | 3,726,304 | ||
Commitments | |||
Class A Common Stock subject to possible redemption,xxx shares at redemption value at xx xx, 2022 | 107,128,918 | ||
Stockholders’ Equity: | |||
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | — | ||
Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized, 209,850 issued and outstanding(1) | 21 | ||
Class B Common Stock, $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 share authorized; 2,623,120 and none issued and outstanding, | 263 | ||
Additional paid-in capital | — | ||
Accumulated deficit | (3,439,283) | ||
Total Stockholders’ equity | (3,438,999) | ||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | $ | 107,416,223 |
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Gladstone Acquisition Corp. Accrued Expenses 9/30/2022
Date Vendor Name |
Description (Invoice #, date of serv, description of serv) |
Balance at 09/30/22 |
09/30/22 State of Delaware |
Est DE franchise taxes |
34,273.98 |
09/30/22 KPMG | tax/compliance services | 6,500.00 |
- | ||
- | ||
- | ||
40,773.98 |
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EXHIBIT B
ELIGIBILITY REPRESENTATIONS OF DARKPULSE, INC.
This Schedule must be completed by DarkPulse, Inc. and forms a part of the Purchase Agreement to which it is attached. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Schedule have the meanings given to them in the Purchase Agreement. DarkPulse, Inc. must check the applicable box in either Part A below and the applicable box in Part B below.
A. |
ACCREDITED INVESTOR STATUS (Please check the applicable box) |
DarkPulse, Inc. is an institutional “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act) and has checked below the box(es) for the applicable provision under which DarkPulse, Inc. qualifies as such:
þ | DarkPulse, Inc. is an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, a corporation, Massachusetts or similar business trust, or partnership that was not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities of the SPAC being offered in this offering, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a “private business development company” as defined in Section 202(a)(22) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a “bank” as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a “savings and loan association” or other institution as defined in Section 3(a)(5)(A) of the Securities Act, whether acting in its individual or fiduciary capacity. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a broker or dealer registered pursuant to Section 15 of the Exchange Act. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is an “insurance company” as defined in Section 2(a)(13) of the Securities Act. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a “business development company” as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a “Small Business Investment Company” licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration under either Section 301(c) or (d) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a plan established and maintained by a state, its political subdivisions, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or its political subdivisions, for the benefit of its employees, and such plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 if the investment decision is made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in Section 3(21) of such act, which is one of the following. | |
☐ | A bank; | |
☐ | A savings and loan association; | |
☐ | A insurance company; or |
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☐ | A registered investment adviser. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 with total assets in excess of $5,000,000. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 that is a self-directed plan with investment decisions made solely by persons that are accredited investors. | |
☐ | DarkPulse, Inc is a trust with total assets in excess of $5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered by the SPAC in this offering, whose purchase is directed by a sophisticated person as described in Rule 506(b)(2)(ii) under the Securities Act. |
*** AND ***
B. | AFFILIATE |
(Please check the applicable box) |
DarkPulse, Inc:
☐ | is: |
þ | is not: |
an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) of the SPAC or acting on behalf of an affiliate of the SPAC.
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Global System Dynamics Inc
October 12, 2022
Darkpulse, Inc.
815 Walker Street, Suite 114
Houston, Texas 77002
Re: Administrative Support Agreement Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter agreement by and between Global System Dynamics Inc (the “Company”) and Darkpulse, Inc. (“Darkpulse”), dated as of the date hereof, will confirm our agreement that, commencing on the date Gladstone Sponsor, LLC ("Sponsor") sells all of its securities ("SPAC Securities") stated on page 1 of the purchase agreement ("Purchase Agreement") to Darkpulse:
(i) Darkpulse shall make available, or cause to be made available, to the Company, at 815 Walker Street, Suite 114, Houston, Texas 77002 (or any successor location of Darkpulse), certain office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support as may be reasonably required by the Company. In exchange therefor, the Company shall pay Darkpulse the sum of $10,000 per month on the date of closing on the above sale of SPAC Securities to Darkpulse and continuing monthly thereafter; and
(ii) Darkpulse hereby irrevocably waives any and all right, title, interest, causes of action and claims of any kind as a result of, or arising out of, this letter agreement (each, a “Claim”) in or to, and any and all right to seek payment of any amounts due to it out of, the trust account established for the benefit of the public stockholders of the Company and into which substantially all of the proceeds of the Company’s initial public offering will be deposited (the “Trust Account”) as a result of, or arising out of, this letter agreement, and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim it may have in the future, which Claim would reduce, encumber or otherwise adversely affect the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account, and further agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction of any Claim against the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
This letter agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of its subject matter and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby.
This letter agreement may not be amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by the parties hereto.
No party hereto may assign either this letter agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee.
This letter agreement constitutes the entire relationship of the parties hereto, and any litigation between the parties (whether grounded in contract, tort, statute, law or equity) shall be governed by, construed in accordance with, and interpreted pursuant to the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to its choice of law principles.
[Signature Page Follows]
Very truly yours, | ||
GLOBAL SYSTEM DYNAMICS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Scott Doney | |
Name: Scott Doney | ||
Title: General Counsel |
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY:
DARKPULSE, INC.
By: /s/ Dennis O'Leary
Name: Dennis O'Leary
Title: Chief Executive Officer
[Signature Page to Administrative Support Agreement]
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INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of October 12, 2022, by and between Global Systems Dynamic, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ___________ (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Charter”) and the Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). The Charter, Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Charter and Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated the date hereof, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. SERVICES TO THE COMPANY. Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or other official of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than DarkPulse, Inc. (the “Sponsor”) or any of its affiliates, any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries (as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such Business Combination;
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(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such stockholder approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. “Expenses,” however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan; 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 beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests 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.
(k) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporation law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
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(l) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of 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.
(m) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(n) The term “Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
3. INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
4. INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
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6. INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee was or is not a party or threatened to be made a party, Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
7. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS. Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, and except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
8. CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY.
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
9. EXCLUSIONS. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (or any successor rule) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f)-(g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law. Indemnitee shall seek payments or advances from the Company only to the extent that such payments or advances are unavailable from any insurance policy of the Company covering Indemnitee.
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10. ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within six months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Charter, the Bylaws, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, liability, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11. PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12. PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (iv) by vote of the stockholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
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(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
13. | PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS. |
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
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(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
14. | REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE. |
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, and exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, and exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
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(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Charter, or the Bylaws now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the legal rate under Delaware law for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
15. SECURITY. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
16. | NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION. |
(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Charter, the Bylaws or this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The DGCL, the Charter and the Bylaws permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement or under the DGCL, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
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(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding 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 Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
17. DURATION OF AGREEMENT. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18. SEVERABILITY. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
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19. ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Charter or Bylaws as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and 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), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) 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.
(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which Indemnitee may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
20. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the Company and Indemnitee. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21. NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
Global Systems Dynamic, Inc.
Attention: Rick Iler
815 Walker Street, Ste. 1155
Houston, TX 77002
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
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22. APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the parties hereby agree that the mailing of process and other papers in connection with any such action or proceeding in the manner provided by Section 21 or in such other manner as may be permitted by law, shall be valid and sufficient service thereof.
23. IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24. MISCELLANEOUS. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25. 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 spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two years 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 two-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.
26. ADDITIONAL ACTS. If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
27. WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT. Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such trust account for any reason whatsoever.
28. MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers/directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. The Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director or officer under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, the Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors and officers.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
Global Systems Dynamic, Inc., | ||
By: | ||
Name: Rick Iler | ||
Title: Chief Financial Officer | ||
INDEMNITEE | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature page to Indemnity Agreement]
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