UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Date of
Report November 12, 2008
(Date of earliest
event reported)
PENN NATIONAL
GAMING, INC.
(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
Pennsylvania
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0-24206
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23-2234473
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(State or other
jurisdiction
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(Commission File
Number)
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(IRS Employer
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of
incorporation)
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Identification
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Number)
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825
Berkshire Blvd., Suite 200, Wyomissing,
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PA
19610
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(Address of
principal executive offices)
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(Zip Code)
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Area Code
(610) 373-2400
(Registrants
telephone number)
Check the appropriate box below if the form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 to Form 8-K):
o Written communications
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material
pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On November 12,
2008, the Board of Directors of Penn National Gaming, Inc. (the Company)
approved an amendment to Section 5.02(a) of the Companys Second
Amended and Restated Bylaws to expand the definition of Executive Officers to
include such other officers as may be designated from time to time by the
board of directors. The expanded
definition provides the Board of Directors with the flexibility to designate Executive
Officers to comply with the U.S. securities laws or as the Board of Directors
otherwise deems appropriate.
A copy of the Second
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended, is filed as Exhibit 3.1
hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item
9.01 Financial
Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No.
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Description
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3.1
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Second Amended and
Restated Bylaws of Penn National Gaming, Inc., as amended, effective as
of November 12, 2008.
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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, thereunto
duly authorized.
Dated: November 18,
2008
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PENN NATIONAL GAMING,
INC.
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By:
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/s/ Robert S. Ippolito
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Robert S. Ippolito
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Vice President,
Secretary and Treasurer
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EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit No.
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Description
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3.1
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Second Amended and
Restated Bylaws of Penn National Gaming, Inc., as amended, effective as
of November 12, 2008.
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Exhibit 3.1
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
PENN NATIONAL GAMING, INC.
(a Pennsylvania corporation)
Effective as of May 26, 2004
Last revised November 12, 2008
ARTICLE I
Offices
Section 1.01. Registered Office. The registered office of the corporation in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall be at Wyomissing Professional Center,
825 Berkshire Boulevard, Suite 200, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania 19610, until
otherwise established by an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation (as
amended, the Articles) or by the board of directors and a record of such
change is filed with the Department of State in the manner provided by law.
Section 1.02. Other Offices. The corporation may also have offices at such
other places within or without the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the board of
directors may from time to time appoint or the business of the corporation may
require.
ARTICLE II
Notice Waivers Meetings Generally
Section 2.01. Manner of Giving Notice.
(a) General Rule. Whenever written notice is required to be
given to any person under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business
Corporation Law of 1988 (as amended from time to time, the Business
Corporation Law) or by the Articles or these Bylaws, it may be given to the
person: (i) by personal delivery, (ii) by facsimile number, e-mail or
other electronic communication to his or her facsimile number or address for
e-mail or other electronic communications supplied by him or her to the
corporation for the purpose of notice, or (iii) by sending a copy thereof
by first class or express mail, postage prepaid, or by telegram (with messenger
service specified), telex or TWX (with answerback received) or courier service,
charges prepaid, to the address (or to the telex or TWX number) of the person appearing
on the books of the corporation or, in the case of notice to be given to a
director, to the address (or to the telex or TWX number) supplied by the
director to the corporation for the purpose of notice. If the notice is sent by mail, telegraph or courier
service, it shall be deemed to have been given to the person entitled thereto
when deposited in the United States mail or with a telegraph office or courier
service for delivery to that person or, in the case of telex or TWX, when
dispatched. Notice given by facsimile
transmission, e-mail or other electronic communication shall be deemed to have
been given to the person entitled thereto when sent. A notice of meeting shall specify the place,
day and hour of the meeting and any other information required by any other
provision of the Business Corporation Law, the Articles or these Bylaws.
(b) Adjourned Shareholder Meetings. When a meeting of shareholders is adjourned,
it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the adjourned meeting or of the
business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting, other than by announcement
at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless the
board fixes a new record date for the
adjourned meeting, in which event the notice shall be given in accordance with
this section.
Section 2.02. Notice of Meetings of Board of
Directors. Notice of a regular meeting of the board of
directors need not be given. Notice of
every special meeting of the board of directors shall be given to each director
personally, by telephone, telex, TWX, facsimile, e-mail or other electronic
communication, or in writing at least 24 hours (in the case of notice by
telephone, telex, TWX, facsimile transmission, e-mail or other electronic
communication) or 48 hours (in the case of notice by telegraph, courier service
or express mail) or five days (in the case of notice by first class mail)
before the time at which the meeting is to be held. Every such notice shall state the time and
place of the meeting. Neither the
business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special
meeting of the board need be specified in a notice of a meeting.
Section 2.03. Notice of Meetings of
Shareholders.
(a) General Rule. Written notice of every meeting of the
shareholders shall be given by, or at the direction of, the secretary or other
authorized person to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting
(and, in case of a meeting called to consider a merger, consolidation, share
exchange or division, to each shareholder of record not entitled to vote at the
meeting) at least (i) ten days prior to the day named for a meeting called
to consider a fundamental change under Chapter 19 of the Business Corporation
Law or (ii) five days prior to the day named for the meeting in any other
case. If the secretary neglects or
refuses to give notice of a meeting, the person or persons calling the meeting
may do so. In the case of a special
meeting of shareholders, the notice shall specify the general nature of the
business to be transacted.
(b) Notice of Action by Shareholders
on Bylaws. In the case of a meeting of shareholders that
has as one of its purposes action on these Bylaws, written notice shall be
given to each shareholder that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the
meeting is to consider the adoption, amendment or repeal of these Bylaws. There shall be included in, or enclosed with,
the notice a copy of the proposed amendment or a summary of the changes to be
effected thereby.
Section 2.04. Waiver of Notice.
(a) Written Waiver. Whenever any written notice is required to be
given under the provisions of the Business Corporation Law, the Articles or
these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons
entitled to the notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall
be deemed equivalent to the giving of the notice. Except as provided in the next sentence,
neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, a meeting need be
specified in the waiver of notice of the meetings. In the case of a special meeting of
shareholders, the waiver of notice shall specify the general nature of the
business to be transacted at the meeting.
(b) Waiver by Attendance. Attendance of a person at any meeting shall
constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting except where a person attends a
meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting,
to the transaction of any business because the meeting was not lawfully called
or convened.
Section 2.05. Modification of Proposal Contained
in Notice. Whenever the language of a proposed
resolution is included in a written notice of a meeting required to be given
under the provisions of the Business Corporation, the Articles or these Bylaws,
the meeting considering the resolution may without further notice adopt it with
such clarifying or other amendments as do not enlarge its original purpose.
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Section 2.06. Exception to requirement of
Notice.
(a) General Rule. Whenever any notice or communication is
required to be given to any person under the provisions of the Business
Corporation Law or by the Articles or these Bylaws or by the terms of any
agreement or other instrument or as a condition precedent to taking any
corporate action and communication with that person is then unlawful, the
giving of the notice or communication to that person shall not be required.
(b) Shareholders Without Forwarding
Addresses. Notice or other communications need not be
sent to any shareholder with whom the
corporation has been unable to communicate for more than 24 consecutive months
because communications to the shareholder are returned unclaimed or the
shareholder has otherwise failed to provide the corporation with a current mail
or e-mail address or facsimile, telex or TWX number. Whenever the shareholder provides the
corporation with a current mail or e-mail address or facsimile, telex or TWX
number, the corporation shall commence sending notices and other communications
to the shareholder in the same manner as to other shareholders.
Section 2.07. Use of Conference Telephone and
Similar Equipment.
(a) Any director may
participate in meetings of the board of directors by conference telephone,
similar communications equipment or other electronic communications technology
in a fashion pursuant to which the directors have the opportunity to read or
hear the proceedings substantially concurrently with their occurrence, vote on
matters submitted to the directors and pose questions to the participants in
the meeting. Directors so participating
will be deemed present at the meeting.
(b) Shareholders
may participate in any shareholders meeting by conference telephone, similar
communications equipment or other electronic means, including, without limitation,
the Internet. Shareholders so
participating will be deemed present at the meeting.
ARTICLE III
Shareholders
Section 3.01. Place of Meeting. All meetings of the shareholders of the
corporation shall be held at the registered office of the corporation, such
other place within or without the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as may be
designated by the board of directors in the notice of a meeting, or by means of
the Internet or other electronic communications technology in a fashion
pursuant to which the shareholders have the opportunity to read or hear the
proceedings substantially concurrently with their occurrence, vote on matters
submitted to the shareholders and pose questions to the directors of the
corporation.
Section 3.02. Annual Meeting.
(a) The board of
directors may fix and designate the date and time of the annual meeting of the
shareholders, but if no such date and time is fixed and designated by the
board, the meeting for any calendar year shall be held on the fourth Thursday
in May in such year, if not a legal holiday under the laws of
Pennsylvania, and, if a legal holiday, then on the next succeeding business
day, not a Saturday, at an appropriate time and place designated by the board
of directors, and at said meeting the shareholders then entitled to vote shall
elect directors and shall transact such other business as may properly be
brought before the meeting as set forth in Section 3.02(b) below. If the annual meeting shall not have been
called and held within six months after the designated time, any shareholder
may call the meeting at any time thereafter.
(b) No business may be
transacted at an annual meeting of the shareholders, other than business that
is either:
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(1) specified in the
notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of
the board of directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof);
(2) otherwise properly
brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the board of
directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof); or
(3) otherwise properly
brought before the annual meeting by any shareholder of the corporation who (A) is
a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice of such meeting
and on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote
at such annual meeting and (B) complies with the notice procedures set
forth in Sections 3.02(c) and 3.02(d) below.
(c) In
addition to any other applicable requirements, for a matter to be properly
brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder, (i) such matter must be
a proper matter for shareholder action under the Business Corporation Law and (ii) such
shareholder must have owned beneficially at least 1% of the Companys common
stock for a continuous period of not less than 12 months before making such
proposal and have given timely notice thereof in proper written form (as set
forth in Section 3.02(d) below) to the secretary of the corporation.
To be timely, a shareholders notice to the secretary must be delivered to or
mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the corporation not
less than 120 days nor more than 150 days prior to the anniversary date of the
immediately preceding annual meeting of the shareholders; provided, however,
that in the event that the annual meeting is called for a date that is not
within 60 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder
in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business
on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of the
annual meeting was mailed. In no event
shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual
meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving
of a shareholders notice as described above.
(d) To
be in proper written form, a shareholders notice to the secretary must set
forth as to each matter such shareholder proposes to bring before the annual
meeting (i) a brief description of the matter desired to be brought before
the annual meeting and the reasons for considering such matter at the annual
meeting, (ii) the name and record address of such shareholder, (iii) a
representation as to the class or series and number of shares of capital stock
of the corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by such
shareholder, (iv) a description of all arrangements or understandings
between such shareholder and any other person or persons (including their
names) in connection with the proposal of such matter by such shareholder and
any material interest of such shareholder in such matter and (v) a
representation that such shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at
the annual meeting to bring such matter before the meeting. In addition, notwithstanding anything in this
Section 3.02(d) to the contrary, a shareholder intending to recommend
one or more persons for election as a director at an annual or special meeting
must comply with the provisions of Section 4.02 of these Bylaws.
(e) No
business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of shareholders except
business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures
set forth in this Section 3.02; provided, however, that,
once business has been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance
with such procedures, nothing in this Section 3.02 shall be deemed to
preclude discussion by any shareholder of any such business. If the presiding
officer of an annual meeting determines that business was not properly brought
before the annual meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the
presiding officer shall declare to the meeting that the business was not
properly brought before the meeting and such business shall not be transacted.
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(f) Nothing
in this Section 3.02 shall be deemed to affect any rights of shareholders
to request inclusion of proposals in the corporations proxy statement pursuant
to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act).
Section 3.03. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders may be
called at any time by the chairman of the board of directors or by any four or
more directors. The shareholders of the
corporation shall be entitled to call a special meeting of shareholders only to
the extent, if any, expressly provided in the Business Corporation Law.
Section 3.04. Quorum and Adjournment.
(a) General Rule. A meeting of shareholders of the corporation
duly called shall not be organized for the transaction of business unless a
quorum is present. The presence, in
person, by proxy or by means of electronic technology, including, without
limitation, the Internet, of shareholders entitled to cast at least a majority
of the votes that all shareholders are entitled to cast on a particular matter
to be acted upon at the meeting shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of
consideration and action on the matter.
Shares of the corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by it and
controlled, directly or indirectly, by the board of directors of this
corporation, as such, shall not be counted in determining the total number of
outstanding shares for quorum purposes at any given time.
(b) Withdrawal of a Quorum. The shareholders present at a duly organized
meeting can continue to do business until adjournment notwithstanding the
withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum.
(c) Adjournments Generally. Any regular or special meeting of the
shareholders, including one at which directors are to be elected, which cannot
be organized because a quorum has not attended, may be adjourned for such
period and to such place as a majority of the shareholders present and entitled
to vote shall direct.
(d) Electing Directors at Adjourned
Meeting. Those shareholders entitled to vote who
attend a meeting called for the election of directors that has been previously
adjourned for lack of a quorum, although less than a quorum as fixed in this
section, shall nevertheless constitute quorum for the purpose of electing
directors.
(e) Other Action in Absence of
Quorum. Those shareholders entitled to vote who
attend a meeting of shareholders that has been previously adjourned for one or
more periods aggregating at least 15 days because of an absence of a quorum,
although less than a quorum as fixed in this section, shall nevertheless
constitute a quorum for the purpose of acting upon any matter set forth in the
original notice of the meeting if the notice states that those shareholders who
attend the adjourned meeting shall nevertheless constitute a quorum for the
purpose of acting upon the matter.
Section 3.05. Action by Shareholders.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in
the Business Corporation Law, the Articles or these Bylaws, whenever any
corporate action is to be taken by vote of the shareholders of the corporation,
it shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a duly organized
meeting of shareholders by the holders of shares entitled to vote thereon.
Except when acting by consent, as permitted by the Articles and Section 3.05(b),
the shareholders of the corporation may act only at a duly organized meeting.
(b) Any action required or permitted
to be taken at a meeting of the shareholders or a class of shareholders may be
taken without a meeting upon the unanimous consent of shareholders who would
have been entitled to vote at a meeting.
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Section 3.06. Organization. At every meeting of the shareholders, the
chairman of the board of directors, or, in the case of vacancy in office or
absence of the chairman of the board of directors, one of the following persons
present in the order stated: the president or a person chosen by the board of
directors shall act as the presiding officer.
The secretary or, in the absence of both the secretary and assistant
secretaries, a person appointed by the presiding officer, shall act as
secretary of the meeting.
Section 3.07. Voting Rights of Shareholders. Except as otherwise provided in the Articles
or by law, the holders of Common Stock shall have the exclusive voting power,
and every holder of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for every share
of Common Stock standing in the name of the shareholder on the books of the
corporation.
Section 3.08. Voting and Other Action by Proxy.
(a) General Rule.
(1) Every
shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of shareholders may authorize another
person to act for the shareholder by proxy.
(2) The
presence of, or vote or other action at a meeting of shareholders by a proxy of
a shareholder shall constitute the presence of, or vote or action by the
shareholder.
(3) Where
a shareholder has named two or more proxies and such proxies are present, the
corporation shall, unless otherwise expressly provided in the proxy, accept as
the vote of all shares represented thereby the vote cast by a majority of them
and, if a majority of the proxies cannot agree whether the shares represented
shall be voted or upon the manner of voting the shares, the voting of the shares
shall be divided equally among those persons.
(b) Minimum Requirements. Every proxy shall be executed or
authenticated by a shareholder in writing or by the duly authorized
attorney-in-fact of the shareholder and filed with or transmitted to the
secretary of the corporation or his or her designated agent.
A shareholder or his or her duly authorized
attorney-in-fact may execute or authenticate a writing or transmit an
electronic message authorizing another person to act for him or her by
proxy. A telegram, telex, cablegram,
datagram, e-mail, Internet communication or other means of electronic
transmission from a shareholder or attorney-in-fact, or a photographic,
facsimile or similar reproduction of a writing executed by a shareholder or
attorney-in-fact may be treated as properly executed or authenticated for
purposes of this subsection and shall be so treated if it sets forth or
utilizes a confidential and unique identification number or other mark
furnished by the corporation to the shareholder for the purposes of a
particular meeting or transaction.
A proxy, unless coupled with an interest,
shall be revocable at will, notwithstanding any other agreement or any
provision in the proxy to the contrary, but the revocation of a proxy shall not
be effective until notice thereof has been given to the secretary of the
corporation or its designated agent in writing or by electronic
transmission. An unrevoked proxy shall
not be valid after three years from the date of its execution, authentication
or transmission unless a longer time is expressly provided therein. A proxy shall not be revoked by the death or
incapacity of the maker unless, before the vote is counted or the authority is
exercised, written notice of the death or incapacity is given to the secretary
of the corporation or its designated agent.
(c) Expenses. The corporation shall pay the reasonable
expenses of solicitation of votes or proxies of shareholders by or on behalf of
the board of directors or its nominees for election to the board, including
solicitation by professional proxy solicitors and otherwise.
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Section 3.09. Voting by Fiduciaries and
Pledgees. Shares of the corporation standing in the
name of a trustee or other fiduciary and shares held by an assignee for the
benefit of creditors or by a receiver may be voted by the trustee, fiduciary,
assignee or receiver. A shareholder
whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote the shares until the shares
have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, or a nominee of the
pledgee, but nothing in this section shall affect the validity of a proxy
given to a pledgee or nominee.
Section 3.10. Voting by Joint Holders of
Shares.
(a) General Rule. Where shares of the corporation are held jointly
or as tenants in common by two or more persons, as fiduciaries or otherwise:
(1) if
only one or more of such persons is present in person or by proxy, all of the
shares standing in the names of such persons shall be deemed to be represented
for the purpose of determining a quorum and the corporation shall accept as the
vote of all the shares the vote cast by a joint owner or a majority of them;
and
(2) if
the persons are equally divided upon whether the shares held by them shall be
voted or upon the manner of voting the shares, the voting of the shares shall
be divided equally among the persons without prejudice to the rights of the
joint owners or the beneficial owners thereof among themselves.
(b) Exception. If there has been filed with the secretary of
the corporation a copy, certified by an attorney at law to be correct, of the
relevant portions of the agreement under which the shares are held or the
instrument by which the trust or estate was created or the order of court
appointing them or of an order of court directing the voting of the shares, the
persons specified as having such voting power in the document latest in date of
operative effect so filed, and only those persons, shall be entitled to vote
the shares but only in accordance therewith.
Section 3.11. Voting by Entities.
(a) Voting by Shareholders that are
Entities. Any corporation, limited liability company,
partnership or other entity that is a shareholder of this corporation may vote
at meetings of shareholders of this corporation by any of its officers or
agents, or by proxy appointed by any officer or agent, unless some other
person, by resolution of the governing body of the entity in question or by a
provision of its articles, bylaws, operating agreement, partnership agreement
or other governing documents, as applicable, a copy of which resolution or
provision certified to be correct by one of its officers or agents has been
filed with the secretary of this corporation, is appointed its general or
special proxy in which case the person so appointed shall be entitled to vote
the shares.
(b) Controlled Shares. Shares of this corporation owned, directly or
indirectly, by it and controlled, directly or indirectly, by the board of
directors of this corporation, as such, shall not be voted at any meeting and
shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares for
voting purposes at any given time.
Section 3.12. Determination of Shareholders of
Record.
(a) Fixing Record Date. The board of directors may fix a time prior
to the date of any meeting of shareholders as a record date for the
determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, the
meeting. Except in the case of an
adjourned meeting, the record date shall be not more than 90 days prior to the
date of the meeting of shareholders.
Only shareholders of record on the date so fixed shall be entitled to
notice of and to vote at any such meeting notwithstanding any transfer of
shares on the books
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of the corporation after any record date
fixed as provided in this subsection.
The board of directors may similarly fix a record date for the
determination of shareholders of record for any other purpose. When a determination of shareholders of
record has been made as provided in this section for purposes of a
meeting, the determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof unless the
board fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(b) Determination When a Record Date
is Not Fixed. If a record date is not fixed:
(1) the
record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a
meeting of shareholders 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 immediately preceding the day on which the meeting
is held; and
(2) the
record date for determining shareholders for any other purpose shall be at the
close of business on the day on which the board of directors adopts the
resolution relating thereto.
(c) Certification by Nominee. The board of directors may adopt a procedure
whereby a shareholder of the corporation may certify in writing to the
corporation that all or a portion of the shares registered in the name of the
shareholder are held for the account of a specified person or persons. Upon
receipt by the corporation of a certification complying with the procedure, the
persons specified in the certification shall be deemed, for the purposes set
forth in the certification, to be the holders of record of the number of shares
specified in place of the shareholder making the certification.
Section 3.13. Voting Lists.
(a) General Rule. The officer or agent having charge of the
transfer books for shares of the corporation shall make a complete list of the
shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders, arranged in
alphabetical order, with the address of and the number of shares held by
each. The list shall be produced and
kept open at the time and place of every meeting and shall be subject to the
inspection of any shareholder during the whole time of a meeting for the
purposes thereof except that, if the corporation has 5,000 or more
shareholders, in lieu of the making of the list the corporation may make the
information therein available at a meeting by any other means.
(b) Effect of List. Failure to comply with the requirements of
this section shall not affect the validity of any action taken at a
meeting prior to a demand at the meeting by any shareholder entitled to vote
thereat to examine the list. The
original share register or transfer book, or a duplicate thereof kept in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, shall be prima facie evidence as to who are the
shareholders entitled to examine the list or share register or transfer book or
to vote at any meeting of shareholders.
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Section 3.14. Presiding Officer. There shall be a presiding officer at every
meeting of the shareholders. Unless the
Board of Directors designates otherwise, the presiding officer shall be the
chairman of the board of directors. The
presiding officer shall have the authority to determine the order of business
and to establish rules for the conduct of each shareholders meeting;
provided that the presiding officer shall be fair to the shareholders in
adopting such rules for and in conducting the meeting. The presiding officer shall announce at the
meeting when the polls close for each matter voted upon. If no announcement is made, the polls shall
be deemed to have closed upon the final adjournment of the meeting. After the polls close, no ballots, proxies or
votes, nor any revocations or changes thereto, may be accepted.
Section 3.15. Judges of Election.
(a) Appointment. In advance of any meeting of shareholders of
the corporation, the board of directors may appoint one or more judges of
election, who need not be shareholders, to act at the meeting or any
adjournment thereof. If judges of
election are not so appointed, the presiding officer of the meeting may, and on
the request of any shareholder shall, appoint judges of election at the
meeting. The number of judges shall be
one or three. A person who is a
candidate for an office to be filled at the meeting shall not act as a judge.
(b) Vacancies. In case any person appointed as a judge fails
to appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment
made by the board of directors in advance of the convening of the meeting or at
the meeting by the presiding officer thereof.
(c) Duties. The judges of election shall determine the
number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares
represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, and the authenticity,
validity and effect of proxies, receive votes or ballots, hear and determine
all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to
vote, count and tabulate all votes, determine the result and do such acts as
may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all
shareholders. The judges of election
shall perform their duties impartially, in good faith, to the best of their
ability and as expeditiously as is practical.
If there are three judges of election, the decision, act or certificate
of a majority shall be effective in all respects as the decision, act or
certificate of all.
(d) Report. On request of the presiding officer of the
meeting or of any shareholder, the judges shall make a report in writing of any
challenge or question or matter determined by them, and execute a certificate
of any fact found by them. Any report or
certificate made by them shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated
therein.
Section 3.16. Minors as Security Holders. The corporation may treat a minor who holds
shares or obligations of the corporation as having capacity to receive and to
empower others to receive dividends, interest, principal and other payments or
distributions, to vote or express consent or dissent and to make elections and
exercise rights relating to such shares or obligations unless, in the case of
payments or distributions on shares, the corporate officer responsible for
maintaining the list of shareholders or the transfer agent of the corporation
or, in the case of payments or distributions on obligations, the treasurer or
paying officer or agent has received written notice that the holder is a minor.
Section 3.17. Proposal of Amendments to the
Articles. The shareholders of the corporation shall be
entitled to propose an amendment to the Articles only to the extent, if any,
expressly provided in the Articles.
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ARTICLE IV
Board of Directors
Section 4.01. Powers; Personal Liability.
(a) General Rule. Unless otherwise provided by statute, all
powers vested by law in the corporation shall be exercised by or under the
authority of, and the business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed
under the direction of, the board of directors.
(b) Personal Liability of Directors.
(1) A
director shall not be personally liable, as such, for monetary damages for any
action taken, or any failure to take any action, unless:
(i) the
director has breached or failed to perform the duties of his or her office
under Subchapter B of Chapter 17 of the Business Corporation Law (or any
successor provision(s)); and
(ii) the
breach or failure to perform constitutes self-dealing, willful misconduct or
recklessness.
(2) The
provisions of paragraph (1) shall not apply to the responsibility or
liability of a director pursuant to any criminal statute, or the liability of a
director for the payment of taxes pursuant to local, state or federal law.
Section 4.02. Qualifications and Selection of
Directors.
(a) Qualifications. Each director of the corporation shall be a
natural person of full age who need not be a resident of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania or a shareholder of the corporation.
(b) Director Nominees. Each nominee for election to the board of
directors must be recommended for the board of directors selection by a
nominating committee comprised solely of independent directors formed by the
board of directors pursuant to Section 4.11 below (the Nominating
Committee); provided, however, that independent director
oversight of director nominations shall not apply in cases where the right to
nominate a director legally belongs to a third party. As used in this Section 4.02(b), the
term independent directors has such meaning as shall be promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nasdaq Stock Market (or such other
securities exchange on which the capital stock of the corporation is listed).
(c) Shareholder Recommendations.
(1) The Nominating
Committee will consider for recommendation to the board of directors for
nomination for election to the board of directors nominees for director to be
elected at an annual or special meeting of shareholders who are recommended for
nomination by the shareholders in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4.02(c). In addition to any other applicable
requirements, for a recommendation made by a shareholder pursuant to this Section 4.02(c) to
be considered by the Nominating Committee, such shareholder must have owned beneficially at least 1% of the
Companys common stock for a continuous period of not less than 12 months
before making such proposal and have given timely notice thereof in proper
written form (as set forth in Section 4.02(c)(2) below) to the
secretary of the corporation. To be
timely, a shareholders notice to the secretary must be delivered to or mailed
and received at the principal executive offices of the corporation (A) in
the case of an annual meeting, not less
10
than 120 nor more than 150 days prior to the anniversary date of the
immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however,
that in the event that the annual meeting is called or a date that is not
within 60 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder
in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business
on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of the
annual meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the date of the annual
meeting was made, whichever first occurs; and (B) in the case of a special
meeting of shareholders called for the purpose of electing directors, not later
than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which
notice of the date of the special meeting was mailed.
(2) To be in proper written form, a
shareholders notice to the secretary must set forth (A) as to each person
whom the shareholder recommends for election as a director (i) the
name, age, business address and residence address of the person, (ii) the
principal occupation or employment of the person, (iii) the class or
series and number of shares of capital stock of the corporation which are owned
beneficially or of record by the person and (iv) any other information
relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy
statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations
of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the
Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (B) as
to the shareholder giving the notice (i) the name and record address of
such shareholder, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital
stock of the corporation which are owned beneficially or of record by such
shareholder, (iii) a description of all arrangements or understandings
between such shareholder and each recommended nominee and any other person or
persons (including their names) pursuant to which the recommendations are to be
made by such shareholder and (iv) any other information relating to such
shareholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or
other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies
for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Such notice must also be
accompanied by a written consent of each recommended nominee to: (A) provide
(i) all information necessary to respond fully to any suitability inquiry
conducted under the executive, administrative, judicial and/or legislative
rules, regulations, laws and orders of any jurisdiction to which the
corporation is then subject and (ii) such additional information
concerning the nominee as may be requested by the Nominating Committee and/or
board of directors and (B) being named as a nominee and to serve as a
director if nominated and if elected.
(d) Election of Directors. Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws,
directors of the corporation shall be elected by the shareholders. In elections for directors, voting need not
be by ballot, except upon demand made by a shareholder entitled to vote at the
election and before the voting begins.
The shareholders of the corporation (except holders of Preferred Stock
when the right to elect directors accrues to them) shall not have the right to
cumulate their votes for the election of directors of the corporation. The candidates receiving the highest number
of votes from each class or group of classes, if any, entitled to elect
directors separately up to the number of directors to be elected by the class
or group of classes shall be elected. If
at any meeting of shareholders, directors of more than one class are to be
elected, each class of directors shall be elected in a separate election.
(e) Director Emeritus.
(1) The
board of directors may appoint any former director of the corporation or of any
predecessor corporation as a director emeritus to serve in an advisory capacity
to the board for such period of time as the board wishes to avail itself of the
services, knowledge and experience of such former director.
(2) Such
director emeritus may upon invitation by the board of directors attend meetings
of the board of directors and its committees and, if requested by the board,
may participate in the proceedings of the board of directors, but shall not
vote on or give written consent to any matters before the board.
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(3) A
director emeritus shall be compensated for such services as may be determined
by the board of directors.
Section 4.03. Number and Term of Office.
(a) Number. The number of directors of the corporation
constituting the whole board and the number of directors constituting each
class of directors as provided by Section 4.03(d) shall be fixed solely
by resolution of the board of directors.
(b) Term of Office. Each director shall hold office until the
expiration of the term for which he or she was selected and until a successor
has been selected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation
or removal. A decrease in the number of
directors shall not have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent
director.
(c) Resignation. Any director may resign at any time upon
written notice to the corporation. The
resignation shall be effective upon receipt thereof by the corporation or at
such subsequent time as shall be specified in the notice of resignation.
(d) Classified Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of this Corporation
shall be divided into three classes and are hereby designated as Class I, Class II
and Class III, respectively, the members of which are to be elected for
staggered terms. The term of office of
at least one class shall expire in each year.
At each election, directors shall be chosen for a full term, as the case
may be, to succeed those whose terms expire.
Section 4.04. Vacancies.
(a) General Rule. Vacancies in the board of directors,
including vacancies resulting from an increase in the number of directors, may
be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board though less
than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and each person so selected
shall be a director to serve until the next selection of the class for which
such director has been chosen, and until a successor has been selected and
qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
(b) Action by Resigned Directors. When one or more directors resign from the
board effective at a future date, the directors then in office, including those
who have so resigned, shall have power by the applicable vote to fill the
vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when the resignations become
effective.
Section 4.05. Removal of Directors.
(a) By Shareholders. Any director or the entire board of directors
may be removed by the shareholders without cause only by consent and not at a
meeting.
(b) Successor Directors. In case a director or class of directors or
the board is so removed, new directors may be elected at the same meeting or in
the same consent.
(c) Removal by the Board. The board of directors may declare vacant the
office of a director:
(1) Who
has been judicially declared of unsound mind or who has been convicted of an
offense punishable by imprisonment for a term of more than one year;
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(2) If,
within 60 days after notice of his or her selection, the director does not
accept the office either in writing or by attending a meeting of the board of
directors; or
(3) Who has been
determined to be unsuitable to serve as a director by (A) any federal,
state or local regulatory body having jurisdiction over the corporation and its
activities, or (B) the compliance committee.
Section 4.06. Place of Meetings. Meetings of the board of directors may be held
at such place within or without the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the board
of directors may from time to time appoint or as may be designated in the
notice of the meeting.
Section 4.07. Organization of Meetings. At every meeting of the board of directors,
the chairman of the board of directors, or, in the case of a vacancy in the
office or absence of the chairman of the board of directors, one of the
following officers present in the order stated:
the president or a person chosen by a majority of the directors present
shall act as chairman of the meeting.
The secretary or, in the absence of the secretary, an assistant
secretary, or, in the absence of the secretary and the assistant secretaries,
any person appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of
the meeting.
Section 4.08. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the board of directors
shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated from time to time
by resolution of the board of directors.
Section 4.09. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors
shall be held whenever called by the chairman of the board of directors or by
four or more of the directors.
Section 4.10. Quorum of and Action by
Directors.
(a) General Rule. A majority of the directors in office of the
corporation shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business and the acts of a majority of the directors present and voting at a
meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the acts of the board of directors.
(b) Action by Unanimous Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken
at a meeting of the directors may be taken without a meeting if, prior or
subsequent to the action, a consent or consents thereto by all of the directors
in office is filed with the secretary of the corporation. A photographic, facsimile or similar
reproduction of a consent executed by a director shall be treated as properly
executed for purposes of this Section 4.10(b).
(c) Notation of Dissent. A director who is present at a meeting of the
board of directors, or of a committee of the board, at which action on any
corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action
taken unless his or her dissent is entered in the minutes of the meeting or
unless the director files a written dissent to the action with the secretary of
the meeting before the adjournment thereof or transmits the dissent in writing
to the secretary of the corporation immediately after the adjournment of the
meeting. The right of dissent shall not
apply to a director who voted in favor of the action. Nothing in this section shall bar a
director from asserting that minutes of the meeting incorrectly omitted his or
her dissent if, promptly upon receipt of a copy of such minutes, the director
notifies the secretary, in writing, of the asserted omission or inaccuracy.
Section 4.11. Committees of the Board.
(a) Establishment and Powers. The board of directors may, by resolution
adopted by a majority of the directors in office, establish one or more
committees to consist of one or more directors of the corporation possessing
such characteristics and experience as may be required under any applicable
federal, state or local law or regulation, or any applicable rule or
regulation of a securities exchange on which the
13
securities of the corporation are listed,
setting forth requirements as to the composition of committees established by
the corporation. Any committee, to the
extent provided in the resolution of the board of directors, shall have and may
exercise all of the powers and authority of the board of directors and may
adopt such charter or governing provisions as are consistent with the
resolution forming such committee, except that a committee shall not have any
power or authority as to the following:
(1) The
submission to shareholders of any action requiring approval of shareholders
under the Business Corporation law.
(2) The
creation or filling of vacancies in the board of directors.
(3) The
adoption, amendment or repeal of these Bylaws.
(4) The
amendment or repeal of any resolution of the board that by its terms is
amendable or repealable only by the board.
(5) Action
on matters committed by a resolution of the board of directors to another
committee of the board.
(b) Alternate Committee Members. The board 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 or for the purposes of any
written action by the committee. In the
absence or disqualification of a member and alternate member or members of a
committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not
disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously
appoint another director to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or
disqualified member.
(c) Term. Each committee of the board shall serve at
the pleasure of the board.
(d) Committee Procedures. The term board of directors or board,
when used in any provision of these Bylaws relating to the organization or
procedures of or the manner of taking action by the board of directors, shall
be construed to include and refer to any committee of the board.
Section 4.12. Compensation. The board of directors shall have the
authority to fix the compensation of directors for their services as directors
and a director may be a salaried officer of the corporation.
ARTICLE V
Officers
Section 5.01. Officers Generally.
(a) Number, Qualifications and
Agents. The officers of the corporation shall be a
chairman of the board of directors, a president, vice president(s), a secretary
and a treasurer, and such other officers and assistant officers as may be
elected in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.03. Officers may but need not be directors or
shareholders of the corporation. The
officers of the corporation shall be natural persons of full age. The treasurer may be a corporation, but if a
natural person shall be of full age. Any
number of offices may be held by the same person.
(b) Bonding. The corporation may secure the fidelity of
any or all of its officers by bond or otherwise.
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Section 5.02. Election, Term of Office and
Resignations.
(a) Election and Term of Office. The chairman of the board of directors, the
chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer,
president, executive vice president, operations, vice president, finance,
secretary, treasurer and general counsel, or such other officers as may be
designated from time to time by the board of directors (collectively, the Executive
Officers) of the corporation shall be elected annually by the board of
directors and shall hold office for a term of one year and until a successor
has been selected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation
or removal. All other officers shall be
appointed by the chairman of the board of directors or by delegated authority
pursuant to Section 5.03 and shall serve at will.
(b) Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time upon
written notice to the corporation. The
resignation shall be effective upon receipt thereof by the corporation or at
such subsequent time as may be specified in the notice of resignation.
Section 5.03. Subordinate Officers. The chairman of the board of directors may
from time to time appoint such other officers as the business of the
corporation may require, each of whom shall hold office for such period, have
such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these Bylaws, or as
the chairman of the board of directors may from time to time determine, subject
to removal by the chairman of the board of directors. The chairman of the board of directors may
delegate to any officer or committee the power to appoint and to remove
subordinate officers and to retain or appoint other agents or committees
thereof, and to prescribe the authority and duties of such subordinate officers,
committees or other agents. Removal of an officer appointed pursuant to this Section 5.03
shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of any person so
removed. Election or appointment of an
officer or agent pursuant to this Section 5.03 shall not of itself create
contract rights.
Section 5.04. Removal of Officers and Agents. Any officer or agent of the corporation
appointed by the board of directors may be removed by the board of directors
with or without cause. The removal shall
be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of any person so
removed. Election or appointment of an
officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights.
Section 5.05. Vacancies. A vacancy in any office because of death,
resignation, removal, disqualification, or any other cause, may be filled by
the board of directors or by the officer or committee to which the power to
fill such office has been delegated pursuant to Section 5.03, as the case
may be, and if the office is one for which these Bylaws prescribe a term, shall
be filled for the unexpired portion of the term.
Section 5.06. Authority. All officers of the corporation, as between
themselves and the corporation, shall have such authority and perform such
duties in the management of the corporation as may be provided by the person(s) appointing
such officers or, in the absence of such provision, as may be determined by or
pursuant to these Bylaws.
Section 5.07. The Chairman of the Board of
Directors. The chairman of the board of directors shall
be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall have general
supervision over the business and operations of the corporation, subject,
however, to the control of the board of directors. The chairman of the board of directors shall
be a member, ex officio, of all standing committees. The chairman of the board of directors shall
perform all duties incident to the office of chairman of the board of
directors, and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the
board of directors.
Section 5.08. The President. The president shall be the chief operating
officer of the corporation. During the
absence or disability of the chairman of the board of directors, the president
shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties of the chairman of
the board of directors. The president
shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other
duties as from time to time may be assigned by the board of directors or the
chairman of the board of directors.
15
Section 5.09. The Vice Presidents. The vice presidents shall perform the duties
of the president in the absence of the president and such other duties as may
from time to time be assigned to them by the board of directors, the chairman
of the board of directors or the president.
Section 5.10. The Secretary. The secretary shall attend all meetings of
the shareholders, of the board of directors and all committees thereof and
shall record all the votes of the shareholders and of the directors and the
minutes of the meetings of the shareholders and of the board of directors and
of committees of the board in a book or books to be kept for that purpose;
shall see that notices are given and records and reports properly kept and
filed by the corporation as required by law; shall be the custodian of the seal
of the corporation and see that it is affixed to all documents to be executed
on behalf of the corporation under its seal; and, in general, shall perform all
duties incident to the office of secretary, and such other duties as may from
time to time be assigned by the board of directors, the chairman of the board
of directors or the president.
Section 5.11. Assistant Secretaries. In the absence or disability of the
secretary, any assistant secretary may perform all the duties of the secretary,
and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the
restrictions upon, the secretary. The
assistant secretaries shall perform such other duties as from time to time may
be assigned to them, respectively, by the board of directors, the chairman of
the board of directors, the president or the secretary.
Section 5.12. The Treasurer. The treasurer shall have or provide for the
custody of the funds or other property of the corporation; shall collect and
receive or provide for the collection and receipt of moneys earned by or in any
manner due to or received by the corporation; shall deposit all funds in his or
her custody as treasurer in such banks or other places of deposit as the board
of directors may from time to time designate; shall, whenever so required by
the board of directors, render an account showing all transactions as
treasurer, and the financial condition of the corporation; and, in general,
shall discharge such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the
board of directors, the chairman of the board of directors or the president.
Section 5.13. Assistant Treasurers. In the absence or disability of the
treasurer, any assistant treasurer may perform all the duties of the treasurer,
and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the
restrictions upon the treasurer. The
assistant treasurers shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be
assigned to them, respectively, by the board of directors, the chairman of the
board of directors, the president or the treasurer.
Section 5.14. Salaries. The salary and other remuneration of the
Executive Officers of the corporation shall be fixed from time to time by the
board of directors. The salaries and
other remuneration of all other officers and employees shall be fixed from time
to time by the chairman of the board of directors or by delegated authority
pursuant to Section 5.03. No
officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary or other compensation by
reason of the fact that the officer is also a director of the corporation.
Section 5.15. Liability of Officers. An officer of the corporation shall not be
personally liable, as such, to the corporation, for monetary damages,
including, as such, to the corporation, for monetary damages, including,
without limitation, any judgment, amount paid in settlement, penalty, punitive
damages or expense of any nature (including, without limitation, attorneys
fees and disbursements), for any action taken, or any failure to take any
action, unless the officer has breached or failed to perform the duties of his
or her office under the Articles, these Bylaws or applicable provisions of law
and the breach or failure to perform constitutes self-dealing, willful
misconduct or recklessness. The
provisions of this section shall not apply to the responsibility or
liability of an officer, as such, pursuant to any criminal statute or for the
payment of taxes pursuant to local, state or federal law.
16
Section 5.16. Conduct of Officers. Officers of the corporation shall be subject
to the standards of conduct set forth in a Code of Ethics adopted by the
corporation and to such additional standards of conduct applicable to such
officers as shall be provided by law at the time and shall comply fully with
all applicable suitability requirements set forth in the executive,
administrative, judicial and/or legislative rules, regulations, laws and orders
of any jurisdiction to which the corporation is then subject. In the absence of a Code of Ethics adopted by
the corporation, officers of the corporation shall be subject to the same
standards of conduct, including standards of care and loyalty and rights of
justifiable reliance, as shall at the time be applicable to directors of the
corporation and to such additional standards of conduct applicable to such
officers as shall be provided by law at the time. If it is determined by an applicable
governmental authority that an officer does not satisfy the suitability
requirements of the governmental authority at issue, such officer may be
removed by the board of directors and shall immediately submit such officers
resignation for consideration by the board of directors.
ARTICLE VI
Certificates of Stock, Transfer, Etc.
Section 6.01. Share Certificates.
(a) Form of Certificates. Certificates for shares of the corporation
shall be in such form as approved by the board of directors, and shall state
that the corporation is incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, the name of the person to whom issued, and the number and class
of shares and the designation of the series (if any) that the certificate represents. Certificates for shares of the corporation
shall set forth upon the face or back of the certificate (or shall state on the
face or back of the certificate that the corporation will furnish to any
shareholder upon request and without charge), a full or summary statement of
the designations, voting rights, preferences, limitations and special rights of
the shares of each class or series authorized to be issued so far as they have
been fixed and determined and the authority of the board of directors to fix
and determine the designations, voting rights, preferences, limitations and
special rights of the classes and series of shares of the corporation.
(b) Share Register. The share register or transfer books and
blank share certificates shall be kept by the secretary or by any transfer
agent or registrar designated by the board of directors for that purpose.
(c) Uncertificated Shares. Any or all classes and series of shares, or
any part thereof, shall be uncertificated shares except that such a provision
shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until the certificate is
surrendered to the corporation. Within a
reasonable time after the issuance or transfer of uncertificated shares, the
corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice
containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates
by Section 6.01(a). Except as
otherwise expressly provided by law, the rights and obligations of the holders
of shares represented by certificates and the rights and obligations of the
holders of uncertificated shares of the same class and series shall be
identical.
Section 6.02. Issuance. The share certificates of the corporation
shall be numbered and registered in the share register or transfer books of the
corporation as they are issued. They
shall be executed in such manner as the board of directors shall determine.
Section 6.03. Transfer. Transfers of shares shall be made on the
share register or transfer books of the corporation upon surrender of the certificate
therefore, endorsed by the person named in the certificate or by an attorney
lawfully constituted in writing. No
transfer shall be made inconsistent with the
17
provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, 13
Pa.C.S. §§ 8101 et seq., and its amendments and
supplements.
Section 6.04. Record Holders of Shares. The corporation shall be entitled to treat
the person in whose name any share or shares of the corporation stand on the
books of the corporation as the absolute owner thereof, 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.
Section 6.05. Lost, Destroyed or Mutilated
Certificates. The holder of any shares of the corporation
shall immediately notify the corporation when the shareholder has notice of any
loss, destruction or mutilation of the certificate therefor. If the corporation receives such notice prior
to notice that the certificate at issue has been acquired by a protected
purchaser, the corporation shall cause a new certificate or certificates to be
issued to such holder, in case of mutilation of the certificate, upon the
surrender of the mutilated certificate or, in the case of loss or destruction
of the certificate, upon satisfactory proof of such loss or destruction and, in
either such instance, upon the deposit of an indemnity bond in such form and in
such sum, and with such surety or sureties, as the corporation may direct.
ARTICLE VII
Indemnification of Directors, Officers and
Other Authorized Representatives
Section 7.01. Scope of Indemnification.
(a) General Rule. The corporation shall indemnify an
Indemnified Representative against any Liability incurred in connection with
any Proceeding in which the Indemnified Representative may be involved as a
party or otherwise by reason of the fact that such person is or was serving in
an Indemnified Capacity, including, without limitation, Liabilities resulting
from any actual or alleged breach or neglect of duty, error, misstatement or
misleading statement, negligence, gross negligence or act giving rise to strict
or products liability, except:
(1) where
such indemnification is expressly prohibited by applicable law;
(2) where
the conduct of the Indemnified Representative has been finally determined
pursuant to Section 7.06 or otherwise:
(i) to
constitute willful misconduct or recklessness within the meaning of 15 Pa.C.S.
§§ 518(b) and 1746(b) or any superseding provision of law
sufficient in the circumstances to bar indemnification against liabilities
arising from the conduct; or
(ii) to
be based upon or attributable to the receipt by the Indemnified Representative
from the corporation of a personal benefit to which the Indemnified Representative
is not legally entitled; or
(3) to
the extent such indemnification has been finally determined in a final
adjudication pursuant to Section 7.06 to be otherwise unlawful.
(b) Partial Payment. If an Indemnified Representative is entitled
to indemnification in respect of a portion, but not all, of any Liabilities to
which such person may be subject, the corporation shall indemnify such
Indemnified Representative to the maximum extent for such portion of the
Liabilities.
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(c) Presumption. The termination of a Proceeding by judgment,
order, settlement or conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent shall not of itself create a presumption that the Indemnified
Representative is not entitled to indemnification.
(d) Definitions. For purposes of this Article VII:
(1) Certifying Employee
means an employee of the corporation requested, as part of the corporations
disclosure controls and procedures and in connection with the performance of
the employees responsibilities in service to the corporation, to provide to
the corporation a certification or certifications to be used by the corporation
in connection with the preparation of its periodic reports under the Exchange
Act;
(2) Indemnified
Capacity means any and all past, present and future service by an Indemnified
Representative in one or more capacities as a director, officer, employee or
agent of the corporation, or, at the request of the corporation, as a director,
officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other entity or
enterprise;
(3) Indemnified
Representative means any and all directors and officers of the corporation,
Certifying Employees and any other person designated as an Indemnified
Representative by the board of directors of the corporation (which may, but
need not, include any person serving at the request of the corporation, as a
director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
entity or enterprise);
(4) Liability
means any damage, judgment, amount paid in settlement, fine, penalty, punitive
damages, excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan, or cost
or expense of any nature (including, without limitation, attorneys fees and
disbursements); and
(5) Proceeding
means any threatened, pending or completed investigation, action, suit, appeal
or other proceeding of any nature, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, whether formal or informal, and whether brought by or in the
right of the corporation, a class of its security holders or otherwise.
Section 7.02. Proceedings Initiated by
Indemnified Representatives. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article VII,
the corporation shall not indemnify under this Article VII an Indemnified
Representative for any Liability incurred in a proceeding initiated (which
shall not be deemed to include counterclaims or affirmative defenses) or
participated in as an intervenor or amicus curiae by the person seeking
indemnification unless such initiation of or participation in the proceeding is
authorized, either before or after its commencement, by the affirmative vote of
a majority of the directors in office.
This section does not apply to reimbursement of expenses incurring
in successfully prosecuting or defending an arbitration under Section 7.06
or otherwise successfully prosecuting or defending the rights of an Indemnified
Representative granted by or pursuant to this Article VII.
Section 7.03. Advancing Expenses. Except where such advance is expressly
prohibited by applicable law, the corporation shall pay the expenses (including
attorneys fees and disbursements) incurred in good faith by an Indemnified
Representative in advance of the final disposition of a Proceeding described in
Section 7.01 or the initiation of or participation in which is authorized
pursuant to Section 7.02 upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of
the Indemnified Representative to repay the amount if it is ultimately
determined pursuant to Section 7.06 that such person is not entitled to be
indemnified by the
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corporation pursuant to this Article VII. The financial ability of an Indemnified
Representative to repay an advance shall not be a prerequisite to the making of
such advance.
Section 7.04. Securing of Indemnification
Obligations. To further effect, satisfy or secure the
indemnification obligations provided herein or otherwise, the corporation may
maintain insurance, obtain a letter of credit, act as self-insurer, create a
reserve, trust, escrow, cash collateral or other fund or account, enter into
indemnification agreements, pledge or grant a security interest in any assets
or properties of the corporation, or use any other mechanism or arrangement
whatsoever in such amounts, at such costs, and upon such other terms and
conditions as the board of directors shall deem appropriate. Absent fraud, the determination of the board
of directors with respect to such amounts, costs, terms and conditions shall be
conclusive against all security holders, officers and directors and shall not
be subject to voidability.
Section 7.05. Payment of Indemnification. An Indemnified Representative shall be
entitled to indemnification within 30 days after a written request for
indemnification has been delivered to the secretary of the corporation.
Section 7.06. Indemnification Procedure.
(a) Notification of claim. An Indemnified Representative shall use such
Indemnified Representatives best efforts to notify promptly the secretary of
the corporation of the commencement of any Proceeding or other occurrence of
any event which might give rise to a Liability under this Article VII,
but, unless the corporation has been prejudiced thereby, the failure so to
notify the corporation shall not relieve the corporation of any liability which
it may have to the Indemnified Representative under this Article VII or
otherwise.
(b) Assumption of defense. The corporation shall be entitled, upon
notice to any such Indemnified Representative, to assume the defense of any
Proceeding with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Representative,
or a majority of the Indemnified Representatives involved in such Proceeding if
there be more than one. If the
corporation notifies the Indemnified Representative of its election to defend
the Proceeding, the corporation shall have no liability for the expenses
(including attorneys fees and disbursements) of the Indemnified Representative
incurred in connection with the defense of such Proceeding subsequent to such
notice, unless:
(1) such
expenses (including attorneys fees and disbursements) have been authorized by
the corporation,
(2) the
corporation shall not in fact have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such Indemnified Representative or Indemnified Representatives to assume the
defense of such Proceeding, or
(3) it
shall have been determined pursuant to Section 7.06(d) that the
Indemnified Representative was entitled to indemnification for such expenses
under this Article VII or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnified Representative may elect
to retain counsel at the Indemnified Representatives own cost and expense to
participate in the defense of such proceeding.
(c) Settlement by corporation. The corporation shall not be required to
obtain the consent of the Indemnified Representative to the settlement of any Proceeding
which the corporation has undertaken to defend if the corporation assumes full
and sole responsibility for such settlement and the settlement grants the
Indemnified Representative an unqualified release in respect of all Liabilities
at issue in the proceeding. Whether or not the corporation has elected to
assume the defense of any Proceeding, no
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Indemnified Representative shall have any
right to enter into any full or partial settlement of a Proceeding without the
prior written consent of the corporation (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld), nor shall the corporation be liable for any amount paid
by an Indemnified Representative pursuant to any settlement to which the
corporation has not so consented.
(d) Arbitration. Any dispute related to the right to
indemnification, contribution or advancement of expenses as provided under this
Article VII, except with respect to indemnification for liabilities
arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that the corporation has
undertaken to submit to a court of adjudication, shall be decided only by
arbitration in the county in which the principal executive offices of the
corporation are located at the time, in accordance with the commercial
arbitration rules then in effect of the American Arbitration Association
(the AAA Rules), before a panel of three arbitrators (the Panel), one of
whom shall be selected by the corporation, the second of whom shall be selected
by the Indemnified Representative and the third of whom shall be selected by
the other two arbitrators. In the
absence of the American Arbitration Association, or if for any reason
arbitration under the arbitration rules of the American Arbitration
Association cannot be initiated, and if one of the parties fails or refuses to
select an arbitrator or the arbitrators selected by the corporation and the
Indemnified Representative cannot agree on the selection of the third
arbitrator within 30 days after such time as the corporation and the
Indemnified Representative have each been notified of the selection of the
others arbitrator, the necessary arbitrator or arbitrators shall be selected
by the presiding judge of the court of general jurisdiction in such
county. The arbitration shall be
conducted pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act and such procedures as the
parties subject to such arbitration (each, a Party) may agree, or, in the
absence of or failing such agreement, pursuant to the AAA Rules. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (1) each
Party shall provide to the other, reasonably in advance of any hearing, copies
of all documents which a Party intends to present in such hearing; (2) each
Party shall be allowed to conduct reasonable discovery through written document
requests and depositions, the nature and extent of which discovery shall be
determined by the Parties; provided, however, that if the Parties
cannot agree on the terms of such discovery, the nature and extent thereof
shall be determined by the Panel which shall take into account the needs of the
Parties and the purposes of arbitration to make discovery expeditious and cost
effective; (3) each Party
shall be entitled to make an oral presentation to the Panel; and (4) the
Panel shall select as a resolution the position of either Party for each item
of disagreement and may not impose an alternative resolution. The award shall be in writing and shall
specify the factual and legal basis for the award.
(e) Burden of Proof. The party or parties challenging the right of
an Indemnified Representative to the benefits of this Article VII shall
have the burden of proof.
(f) Expenses. The corporation may advance and shall
reimburse an Indemnified Representative for the expenses (including attorneys
fees and disbursements) incurred in successfully prosecuting or defending such
arbitration.
(g) Effect. Any award entered by the arbitrators shall be
final, binding and nonappealable and judgment may be entered thereon by any
party in accordance with applicable law in any court of competent jurisdiction,
except that the corporation shall be entitled to interpose as a defense in any
such judicial enforcement proceeding any prior final judicial determination
adverse to the Indemnified Representative under Section 7.01(a)(2) in
a Proceeding not directly involving indemnification under this Article VII. This arbitration provision shall be
specifically enforceable.
Section 7.07. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Article VII
or otherwise is unavailable for any reason in respect of any liability or
portion thereof, the corporation shall contribute to the liabilities to which
the Indemnified Representative may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the intent of this Article VII or otherwise.
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Section 7.08. Mandatory Indemnification of
Directors, Officers and Indemnified Representatives.
To the extent that an authorized representative of the corporation has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
Proceeding referred to in Section 1741 or 1742 of the Business Corporation
Law or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be
indemnified against expenses (including attorneys fees and disbursements)
actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.
Section 7.09. Contract Rights; Amendment or
Repeal. All rights under this Article VII shall
be deemed a contract between the corporation and the Indemnified Representative
pursuant to which the corporation and each Indemnified Representative intend to
be legally bound. Any repeal, amendment
or modification hereof shall be prospective only and shall not affect any
rights or obligations then existing.
Section 7.10. Scope of Article. The rights granted by this Article VII
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
indemnification, contribution or advancement of expenses may be entitled under
any statute, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or
otherwise, both as to action in an indemnified capacity and as to action in any
other capacity. The indemnification,
contribution and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to
this Article VII shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be an
Indemnified Representative in respect of matters arising prior to such time,
and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and
personal representatives of such a person.
Section 7.11. Reliance on Provisions. Each person who shall act as an Indemnified
Representative of the corporation shall be deemed to be doing so in reliance
upon the rights provided by this Article VII.
Section 7.12. Interpretation. The provisions of this Article VII are
intended to constitute bylaws authorized by 15 Pa.C.S. §§ 518 and 1746.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
Section 8.01. Corporate Seal. The corporation shall have a corporate seal
in the form of a circle containing the name of the corporation, the year of incorporation
and such other details as may be approved by the board of directors. The affixation of the corporate seal shall
not be necessary to the valid execution, assignment or endorsement by the
corporation of any instrument or other document unless otherwise required by
law.
Section 8.02. Checks. All checks, notes, bills of exchange or other
similar orders in writing shall be signed by such person or persons as the
board of directors or any person authorized by resolution of the board of
directors may from time to time designate.
Section 8.03. Contracts; Borrowing. Except as otherwise provided in the Business
Corporation Law in the case of transactions that require action by the
shareholders, the board of directors may authorize any officer, agent or
employee to enter into any contract or to execute or deliver any instrument on
behalf of the corporation. Such
authority may be general or confined to specific instances, and no officer or
officers, agent or agents, employee or employees of the corporation shall have
any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement to
borrow money, to pledge its credit or to mortgage or pledge its real or
personal property, except within the scope and to the extent of the authority
so delegated.
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Section 8.04. Interested Directors or
Officers; Quorum.
(a) General Rule. A contract or transaction between the
corporation and one or more of its directors or officers or between the
corporation and another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or
officers or have a financial or other interest, shall not be void or voidable
solely for that reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at
or participates in the meeting of the board of directors that authorizes the
contract or transaction, or solely because his, her or their votes are counted
for that purpose, if:
(1) the
material facts as to the relationship or interest and as to the contract or
transaction are disclosed or are known to the board of directors and the board
authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority
of the disinterested directors even though the disinterested directors are less
than a quorum;
(2) the
material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract
or transaction are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote
thereon and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith
by vote of those shareholders; or
(3) the
contract or transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the time it is
authorized, approved or ratified by the board of directions or the
shareholders.
(b) Quorum. Common or interested directors may be counted
in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the board which
authorizes a contract or transaction specified in Section 8.04(a).
Section 8.05. Deposits. All funds of the corporation shall be
deposited from time to time to the credit of the corporation in such banks,
trust companies or other depositaries as the board of directors may approve or
designate, and all such funds shall be withdrawn only upon checks signed by
such one or more officers or employees as the board of directors shall from
time to time determine.
Section 8.06. Corporate Records.
(a) Required Records. The corporation shall keep complete and
accurate books and records of account, minutes of the proceedings of the
incorporators, shareholders and directors and a share register giving the names
and addresses of all shareholders and the number and class of shares held by
each. The share register shall be kept
at either the registered office of the corporation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
or at its principal place of business wherever situated or at the office of its
registrar or transfer agent. Any books,
minutes or other records may be in written form or any other form capable of
being converted into written form within a reasonable time.
(b) Right of Inspection. Every shareholder shall, upon written
verified demand stating the purpose thereof, have a right to examine, in person
or by agent or attorney, during the usual hours for business for any proper
purpose, the share register, books and records of account, and records of the
proceedings of the incorporators, shareholders and directors and to make copies
or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose
shall mean a purpose reasonably related to the interest of the person as a
shareholder. In every instance where an
attorney or other agent is the person who seeks the right of inspection, the
demand shall be accompanied by a verified power of attorney or other writing
that authorizes the attorney or other agent to so act on behalf of the
shareholder. The demand shall be
directed to the corporation (i) at its registered office in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (ii) at its principal place of business
wherever situated, or (iii) in care of the person in charge of an actual
business office of the corporation.
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Section 8.07. Voting. Unless otherwise ordered by the board of
directors, the corporation may cast (by consent or at a meeting) the votes
which the corporation may be entitled to cast as a shareholder, member, partner
or otherwise in any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership
or other entity any of whose shares or other securities are held by or for the
corporation by any of its officers or agents, or by proxy appointed by any
officer or agent, unless some other person, by resolution of the board of
directors or a provision of the other corporations articles or bylaws, is
appointed its general or special proxy in which case that person shall be
entitled to vote the shares or other securities.
Section 8.08. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall
begin on the first day of January in each year.
Section 8.09. Amendment of Bylaws.
(a) General Rule. Except as otherwise provided in the express
terms of any series of the shares of the corporation, the authority to adopt,
amend and repeal these Bylaws of the corporation is hereby vested in the board
of directors of the corporation. These
Bylaws may be amended or repealed, or new bylaws may be adopted, by vote of a
majority of the board of directors of the corporation in office at any regular
or special meeting of directors, including in circumstances otherwise reserved
by statute exclusively to the shareholders (except as otherwise provided in Section 1504(b) of
the Business Corporation Law), subject to the power of the shareholders to
change such action. Any bylaw adopted by
the board of directors under this paragraph shall be consistent with the
Articles.
(b) Effective Date. Any change in these Bylaws shall take effect
when adopted unless otherwise provided in the resolution effecting the change.
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