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Exhibit 3.1
iSTAR FINANCIAL INC.
BYLAWS
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ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE. The principal executive office
of iStar Financial Inc. (the "Company") shall be located at such place or places
as the Board of Directors may designate.
Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES. The Company may have additional offices
at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the
business of the Company may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. PLACE. All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the
principal office of the Company or at such other place within the United States
as sha ll be stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING. An annual meeting of the shareholders for
the election of directors and the transaction of any business within the powers
of the Company shall be held on such date as shall be set by the Board of
Directors. Except as the Amended and Restated Charter of the Company, as further
amended (the "Charter") or statute provides otherwise, any business may be
considered at an annual meeting without the purpose of the meeting having been
specified in the notice. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate
the Company's existence or affect any otherwise valid corporate acts.
Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS. The president, chief executive officer or
Board of Directors may call special meetings of the shareholders. Special
meetings of shareholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Company
upon the written request of the holders of shares entitled to cast not less than
a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting. Such request
shall state the purpose of such meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on
at such meeting. The secretary shall inform such shareholders of the reasonably
estimated cost of preparing and mailing notice of the meeting and, upon payment
to the Company by such shareholders of such costs, the secretary shall give
notice to each shareholder entitled to notice of the meeting.
Section 4. NOTICE OF MEETINGS; WAIVER OF NOTICE. Not less than ten nor
more than 90 days before each shareholders' meeting, the Secretary shall give
notice of the meeting to each shareholder entitled to vote at the meeting and
each other shareholder entitled to notice of the meeting in any manner permitted
under Maryland General Corporation
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Law now or hereafter enforced. The notice shall state the time and place of the
meeting and, if the meeting is a special meeting or notice of the purpose is
required by statute, the purpose of the meeting. Notice is given to a
shareholder when it is personally delivered to him or her, left at his or her
residence or usual place of business, mailed to him or her at his or her address
as it appears on the records of the Company, or electronically delivered in
accordance with Maryland General Corporation Law now or hereafter enforced.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, each person who is entitled to notice
waives notice if he or she before or after the meeting signs a waiver of the
notice which is filed with the records of shareholders' meetings, or is present
at the meeting in person or by proxy.
Section 5. ORGANIZATION. At every meeting of shareholders, the Chairman
of the Board, if there be one, shall conduct the meeting or, in the case of
vacancy in office or absence of the Chairman of the Board, one of the following
officers present shall conduct the meeting in the order stated: the Vice
Chairman of the Board, if there be one, the President, the Vice Presidents in
their order of rank and seniority, or a Chairman chosen by the shareholders
entitled to cast a majority of the votes which all shareholders present in
person or by proxy are entitled to cast, shall act as Chairman, and the
secretary of the Company, or, in his absence, an assistant secretary of the
Company, or in the absence of both the Secretary and assistant secretaries, a
person appointed by the Chairman shall act as Secretary.
Section 6. QUORUM; ADJOURNMENTS. At any meeting of shareholders, the
presence in person or by proxy of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of
all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting shall constitute a quorum; but
this section shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the Charter
of the Company for the vote necessary for the adoption of any measure. If,
however, such quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the shareholders,
the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting, present in person or by
proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time to a date
not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than
announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall
be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at
the meeting as originally notified.
Section 7. VOTING. A plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting of
shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to
elect a director. Each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are
directors to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be
voted. A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and
at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter
which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the
votes cast is required by statute or by the Charter. Unless otherwise provided
in the Charter, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled
to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders.
Section 8. PROXIES. A shareholder may authorize another person to act
as proxy by transmitting, or authorizing the transmission of, a telegram,
cablegram, datagram, or other means of electronic transmission to the person
authorized to act as proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support
service organization, or other person authorized by the person who will act as
proxy to receive the transmission. Unless a proxy provides otherwise, it is not
valid more than 11 months after its date. A proxy is revocable by a shareholder
at any time without condition or qualification unless the proxy states that it
is irrevocable and the proxy is
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coupled with an interest. A proxy may be made irrevocable for so long as it is
coupled with an interest. The interest with which a proxy may be coupled
includes an interest in the stock to be voted under the proxy or another general
interest in the Company or its assets or liabilities.
Section 9. VOTING OF STOCK BY CERTAIN HOLDERS. Stock of the Company
registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, if
entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, a
general partner or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by
any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been
appointed to vote such stock pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the
governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners
of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or
agreement, in which case such person may vote such stock. Any director or other
fiduciary may vote stock registered in his name as such fiduciary, either in
person or by proxy.
Shares of stock of the Company directly or indirectly owned by it shall
not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total
number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they
are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and
shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any
given time.
The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a
shareholder may certify in writing to the Company that any shares of stock
registered in the name of the shareholder are held for the account of a
specified person other than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the
class of shareholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the
certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be
contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date or
closing of the stock transfer books, the time after the record date or closing
of the stock transfer books within which the certification must be received by
the Company; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the
Board of Directors considers necessary or desirable. On receipt of such
certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as,
for the purposes set forth in the certification, the shareholder of record of
the specified stock in place of the shareholder who makes the certification.
Section 10. INSPECTORS. At any meeting of shareholders, the chairman of
the meeting may, or upon the request of any shareholder shall, appoint one or
more persons as inspectors for such meeting. Such inspectors shall ascertain and
report the number of shares represented at the meeting based upon their
determination of the validity and effect of proxies, count all votes, report the
results and perform such other acts as are proper to conduct the election and
voting with impartiality and fairness to all the shareholders.
Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by him or by
a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting.
If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the
report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the
number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall
be PRIMA FACIE evidence thereof.
Section 11. NOMINATIONS AND SHAREHOLDER BUSINESS
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(a) ANNUAL MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS. Nominations of persons for
election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered
by the shareholders may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders (i)
pursuant to the Company's notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the
Board of Directors or (iii) by any shareholder of the Company who was a
shareholder of record at the time notice of such meeting was sent.
(b) SPECIAL MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS. Only such business shall be
conducted at a special meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before
the meeting pursuant to the Company's notice of meeting. Nominations of persons
for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of
shareholders at which directors are to be elected (i) pursuant to the Company's
notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or
(iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall
be elected at such special meeting, by any shareholder of the Company who is a
shareholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this
Section 11(b), who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the
notice procedures set forth in this Section 11(b). In the event the Company
calls a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing one or more
directors to the Board of Directors, any such shareholder may nominate a person
or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position as specified in
the Company's notice of meeting.
(c) GENERAL. (1) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with
the procedures set forth in this Section 11 shall be eligible to serve as
directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of shareholders
as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures
set forth in this Section 11. The presiding officer 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 in accordance with the procedures set
forth in this Section 11 and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in
compliance with this Section 11, to declare that such defective nomination or
proposal be disregarded.
(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11, a
shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law with
respect to the matters set forth in this Section 11.
Section 12. VOTING BY BALLOT. Voting on any question or in any election
may be VIVA VOCE unless the presiding officer shall order or any shareholder
shall demand that voting be by ballot.
Section 13. LIST OF SHAREHOLDERS. At each meeting of shareholders, a
full, true and complete list of all shareholders entitled to vote at such
meeting, showing the number and class of shares held by each and certified by
the transfer agent for such class or by the secretary of the Company, shall be
furnished by the secretary of the Company.
Section 14. INFORMAL ACTION BY SHAREHOLDERS. Any action required or
permitted to be taken at a meeting of shareholders may be taken without a
meeting if there is filed with the records of shareholders meetings a unanimous
written consent which sets forth the action and is signed by each shareholder
entitled to vote on the matter and a written waiver of any right to dissent
signed by each shareholder entitled to notice of the meeting but not entitled to
vote at it.
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Section 15. MEETING BY CONFERENCE TELEPHONE. Shareholders may
participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar
communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear
each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means
constitutes presence in person at a meeting.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 1. GENERAL POWERS; QUALIFICATIONS. The business and affairs of
the Company shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors. All
powers of the Company may be exercised by or under authority of the Board of
Directors, except as conferred on or reserved to the shareholders by statute or
by the Charter or Bylaws.
Section 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS. At any regular meeting or
at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board
of Directors may establish, increase or decrease the number of directors,
provided that the number thereof shall never be less than 7 nor more than 18,
and shall never be less than the minimum number required by the Maryland General
Corporation Law now or hereafter enforced, and further provided that the tenure
of office of a director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of
directors. The directors shall be divided into two classes as nearly equal in
number as possible. At each successive annual meeting of shareholders, the
holders of stock present in person or by proxy at such meeting and entitled to
vote thereat shall elect members of such successive class to serve for two year
terms and until their successors are elected and qualify. If the number of
directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the
classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal
as possible, and any additional director of any class shall, subject to Section
13, hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that
class, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors shorten the
term of any incumbent director.
Section 3. RESIGNATION. Any director may resign at any time by sending
a written notice of such resignation to the principal executive office of the
Company addressed to the Chairman of the Board or the President. Unless
otherwise specified therein such resignation shall take effect upon receipt
thereof by the Chairman of the Board or the President.
Section 4. REMOVAL OF DIRECTOR. Any director or the entire Board of
Directors may be removed only in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.
Section 5. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS. An annual meeting of the Board
of Directors shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the annual
meeting of shareholders, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. The
Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place, either within
or without the State of Maryland, for the holding of regular meetings of the
Board of Directors without other notice than such resolution.
Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Directors
may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board (or any
co-chairman of the board if more than one), president or by a majority of the
directors then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special
meetings of the Board of Directors may fix any place, either
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within or without the State of Maryland, as the place for holding any special
meeting of the Board of Directors called by them.
Section 7. NOTICE. Except as provided in Sections 5 and 6, the
Secretary shall give notice to each director of each regular and special meeting
of the Board of Directors. The notice shall state the time and place of the
meeting. Notice is given to a director when it is delivered personally to him or
her, left at his or her residence or usual place of business, or sent by
telegraph, facsimile transmission, electronic transmission (in accordance with
Maryland General Corporation Law now or hereafter enforced) or telephone, at
least 24 hours before the time of the meeting or, in the alternative by mail to
his or her address as it shall appear on the records of the Company, at least 72
hours before the time of the meeting. Unless these Bylaws or a resolution of the
Board of Directors provides otherwise, the notice need not state the business to
be transacted at or the purposes of any regular or special meeting of the Board
of Directors. No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need be given
to any director who attends except where a director attends a meeting for the
express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the
meeting is not lawfully called or convened, or to any director who, in writing
executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the
holding thereof, waives such notice. Any meeting of the Board of Directors,
regular or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or
some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting
other than by announcement.
Section 8. QUORUM. A majority of the directors shall constitute a
quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors,
provided that, if less than a majority of such directors are present at said
meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time
to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to the
Charter of the Company or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority of a particular
group of directors is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority
of such group.
The Board of Directors present at a meeting which has been duly called
and convened may continue to transact business until adjournment,
notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.
Section 9. VOTING. The action of the majority of the directors present
at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of
Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such
action by applicable statute.
Section 10. PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT. A director of the Company who is
present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any corporate
matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless
his or her dissent or abstention shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting
or unless he or she shall file his or her written dissent to such action with
the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof
or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to the Secretary of the Company
immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall
not apply to a director who votes in favor of such action.
Section 11. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Directors may participate in a meeting
by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment if all
persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time.
Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at
the meeting.
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Section 12. INFORMAL ACTION BY DIRECTORS. Any action required or
permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken
without a meeting, if a consent in writing to such action is signed by each
director and such written consent is filed with the minutes of proceedings of
the Board of Directors.
Section 13. VACANCIES. If for any reason any or all the directors cease
to be directors, such event shall not terminate the Company or affect these
Bylaws or the powers of the remaining directors hereunder (even if fewer than
three directors remain). Any vacancy on the Board of Directors for any cause
other than an increase in the number of directors shall be filled by a majority
of the remaining directors, although such majority is less than a quorum. Any
vacancy in the number of directors created by an increase in the number of
directors may be filled by a majority vote of the entire Board of Directors. Any
individual so elected as director shall hold office for the unexpired term of
the director he is replacing.
Section 14. COMPENSATION. Directors shall not receive any stated salary
for their services as directors but, by resolution of the Board of Directors,
may receive fixed sums per year and/or per meeting and/or per visit to real
property owned or to be acquired by the Company and for any service or activity
they performed or engaged in as directors. Directors may be reimbursed for
expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of
the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof and for their expenses, if
any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity
they performed or engaged in as directors; but nothing herein contained shall be
construed to preclude any directors from serving the Company in any other
capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 15. LOSS OF DEPOSITS. No director shall be liable for any loss
which may occur by reason of the failure of the bank, trust company, savings and
loan association, or other institution with whom moneys or stock have been
deposited.
Section 16. SURETY BONDS. Unless required by law, no director shall be
obligated to give any bond or surety or other security for the performance of
any of his duties.
Section 17. RELIANCE. Each director, officer, employee and agent of the
Company shall, in the performance of his duties with respect to the Company, be
fully justified and protected with regard to any act or failure to act in
reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the
Company, upon an opinion of counsel or upon reports made to the Company by any
of its officers or employees or by the adviser, accountants, appraisers or other
experts or consultants selected by the Board of Directors or officers of the
Company, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a director.
Section 18. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND
AGENTS. The directors shall have no responsibility to devote their full time to
the affairs of the Company. Any director or officer, employee or agent of the
Company, in his personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or
agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage
in business activities similar to or in addition to or in competition with those
of or relating to the Company.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
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Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS. The Board of Directors
may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, a
Compensation Committee and other committees, composed of one or more directors,
to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the
Audit Committee, if formed, shall consist only of independent directors and the
Compensation Committee, if formed, shall consist of two or more Independent
Directors. For purposes of this section, an "Independent Director" shall mean
any person if, in the opinion of the Board of Directors such person will
exercise independent judgment and will materially assist in the function of the
committee, except that such person shall not be an officer or employee of the
Company, or a director who represents a close relative of a person who would not
qualify as an Independent Director.
Section 2. POWERS. The Board of Directors may delegate to committees
appointed under Section 1 of this Article any of the powers of the Board of
Directors, except the power to authorize dividends on stock, elect directors,
issue stock other than as provided in the next sentence, recommend to the
shareholders any action which requires shareholder approval, amend these Bylaws,
or approve any merger or share exchange which does not require shareholder
approval. If the Board of Directors has given general authorization for the
issuance of stock providing for or establishing a method or procedure for
determining the maximum number or shares to be issued, a committee of the Board
of Directors, in accordance with that general authorization or any stock option
or other plan or program adopted by the Board of Directors, may authorize or fix
the terms of stock subject to classification or reclassification and the terms
on which any stock may be issued, including all terms and conditions required or
permitted to be established or authorized by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. MEETINGS. Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the
same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Directors. A majority
of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business at any meeting of the committee. The act of a majority of the committee
members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of
Directors may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or any
two members of any committee may fix the time and place of its meeting unless
the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such
committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they
constitute a quorum, may appoint another director to act in the place of such
absent member. Each committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings.
Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Members of a committee of the Board of
Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or
similar communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can
hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means
shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
Section 5. INFORMAL ACTION BY COMMITTEES. Any action required or
permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors
may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing to such action is signed
by each member of the committee and such written consent is filed with the
minutes of proceedings of such committee.
Section 6. VACANCIES. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of
Directors shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any
committee, to fill all
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vacancies, to designate alternate members to replace any absent or disqualified
member or to dissolve any such committee.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS. The officers of the Company shall
include a chief executive officer, a president, a secretary and a chief
financial officer and may include a chairman of the board (or one or more
co-chairmen of the board), a vice chairman of the board, one or more executive
vice presidents, one or more senior vice presidents, one or more vice
presidents, a chief operating officer, a treasurer, one or more assistant
secretaries and one or more assistant treasurers. In addition, the Board of
Directors may from time to time appoint such other officers with such powers and
duties as they shall deem necessary or desirable or authorize any committee or
officer to appoint assistant or subordinate officers. The officers of the
Company shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at the first meeting
of the Board of Directors held after each annual meeting of shareholders, except
that the chief executive officer may appoint one or more vice presidents,
assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers. If the election of officers
shall not be held at such meeting, such election shall be held as soon
thereafter as may be convenient. Each officer shall hold office at the pleasure
of the Board of Directors or until his death, resignation or removal in the
manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except president and vice
president may be held by the same person. In its discretion, the Board of
Directors may leave unfilled any office except that of president, treasurer and
secretary. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract
rights between the Company and such officer or agent.
Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION. Any officer or agent of the Company
may be removed by the Board of Directors if in its judgment the best interests
of the Company would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without
prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer
of the Company may resign at any time by giving written notice of his
resignation to the Board of Directors, the chairman of the board (or any
co-chairman of the board if more than one), the president or the secretary. Any
resignation shall take effect at any time subsequent to the time specified
therein or, if the time when it shall become effective is not specified therein,
immediately upon its receipt. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be
necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such
resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the
Company.
Section 3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Board of Directors may
designate a chief executive officer. In the absence of such designation, the
chairman of the board (or, if more than one, the co-chairmen of the board in the
order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any
designation, then in the order of their election) shall be the chief executive
officer of the Company. The chief executive officer shall have general
responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Company, as determined
by the Board of Directors, and for the management of the business and affairs of
the Company.
Section 4. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. The Board of Directors may
designate a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer shall have the
responsibilities and duties as set forth by the Board of Directors or the chief
executive officer.
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Section 5. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. The Board of Directors may
designate a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer shall have the
responsibilities and duties as set forth by the Board of Directors or the chief
executive officer.
Section 6. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Board of Directors shall
designate a chairman of the board (or one or more co-chairmen of the board). The
chairman of the board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Directors
and of the shareholders at which he shall be present. If there be more than one,
the co-chairmen designated by the Board of Directors will perform such duties.
The chairman of the board shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to
him or them by the Board of Directors.
Section 7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD EMERITUS. The directors may elect by a
majority vote, from time to time, a chairman of the board emeritus (or one or
more co-chairmen of the board emeritus). The chairman of the board emeritus
shall be an honorary position and shall have no vote on any matter considered by
the directors. The chairman of the board emeritus shall serve for such term as
determined by the Board of Directors and may be removed by a majority role of
directors with or without cause.
Section 8. PRESIDENT. The president or chief executive officer, as the
case may be, shall in general supervise and control all of the business and
affairs of the Company. In the absence of a designation of a chief operating
officer by the Board of Directors, the president shall be the chief operating
officer. He may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument,
except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the
Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the
Company or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general
shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other
duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.
Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS. In the absence of the president or in the
event of a vacancy in such office, the vice president (or in the event there be
more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated at the
time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order
of their election) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting
shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the
president; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be
assigned to him by the president or by the Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president
or as vice president for particular areas of responsibility.
Section 10. SECRETARY. The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the
proceedings of the shareholders, the Board of Directors and committees of the
Board of Directors in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that
all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or
as required by law; (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of
the Company; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder
which shall be furnished to the secretary by such shareholder; (e) have general
charge of the share transfer books of the Company; and (f) in general perform
such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the chief
executive officer, the president or by the Board of Directors.
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Section 11. TREASURER. The treasurer shall have the custody of the
funds and securities of the Company and shall keep full and accurate accounts of
receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Company and shall deposit
all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the
Company in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. In
the absence of a designation of a chief financial officer by the Board of
Directors, the treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Company.
The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Company as may be ordered
by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and
shall render to the president and Board of Directors, at the regular meetings of
the Board of Directors or whenever it may so require, an account of all his
transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Company.
If required by the Board of Directors, the treasurer shall give the
Company a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be
satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the
duties of his office and for the restoration to the Company, in case of his
death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers,
vouchers, moneys and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under
his control belonging to the Company.
Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS. The
assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such
duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or treasurer, respectively,
or by the president or the Board of Directors. The assistant treasurers shall,
if required by the Board of Directors, give bonds for the faithful performance
of their duties in such sums and with such surety or sureties as shall be
satisfactory to the Board of Directors.
Section 13. SALARIES. The salaries and other compensation of the
officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors and no
officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary or other compensation by
reason of the fact that he is also a director.
ARTICLE VI
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS
Section 1. CONTRACTS. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer
or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in
the name of and on behalf of the Company and such authority may be general or
confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other
document executed by one or more of the directors or by an authorized person
shall be valid and binding upon the Board of Directors and upon the Company when
authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS. All checks, drafts or other orders for
the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the
name of the Company shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Company in
such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.
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Section 3. DEPOSITS. All funds of the Company not otherwise employed
shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Company in such banks,
trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may designate.
ARTICLE VII
STOCK
Section 1. CERTIFICATES. The Board of Directors may determine to issue
certificated or uncertificated shares of capital stock and other securities of
the Company.
Section 2. TRANSFERS. Upon surrender to the Company or the transfer
agent of the Company of a stock certificate duly endorsed or accompanied by
proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, the Company
shall issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old
certificate and record the transaction upon its books.
The Company shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any
share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be
bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or
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 the State of
Maryland.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class of
stock will be subject in all respects to the Charter of the Company and all of
the terms and conditions contained therein. Notwithstanding any other provision
of the Charter or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General
Corporation Law (or any successor statute) shall not apply to any acquisition by
any person of shares of stock of the Company. This section may be repealed, in
whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control
shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided by any successor or
bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.
Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE. Any officer designated by the Board
of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any
certificate previously issued by the Company alleged to have been lost, stolen
or destroyed upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming
the certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing the issuance
of a new certificate, an officer designated by the Board of Directors may, in
his discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the
owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or the owner's legal
representative to advertise the same in such manner as he shall require and/or
to give bond, with sufficient surety, to the Company to indemnify it against any
loss or claim which may arise as a result of the issuance of a new certificate.
Section 4. CLOSING OF TRANSFER BOOKS OR FIXING OF RECORD DATE. The
Board of Directors may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of
determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of
shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a
determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any
case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is
fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of
shareholders, not less than ten days, before the
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date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of
shareholders of record is to be held or taken.
In lieu of fixing a record date, the Board of Directors may provide
that the stock transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but not longer
than 20 days. If the stock transfer books are closed for the purpose of
determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of
shareholders, such books shall be closed for at least ten days before the date
of such meeting.
If no record date is fixed and the stock transfer books are not closed
for the determination of shareholders, (a) the record date for the determination
of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders
shall be at the close of business on the day on which the notice of meeting is
mailed or transmitted or the 30th day before the meeting, whichever is the
closer date to the meeting; and (b) the record date for the determination of
shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any
other rights shall be the close of business on the day on which the resolution
of the directors, declaring the dividend or allotment of rights, is adopted.
When a determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of
shareholders has been made as provided in this section, such determination shall
apply to any adjournment thereof, except when (i) the determination has been
made through the closing of the transfer books and the stated period of closing
has expired or (ii) the meeting is adjourned to a date more than 120 days after
the record date fixed for the original meeting, in either of which case a new
record date shall be determined as set forth herein.
Section 5. STOCK LEDGER. The Company shall maintain at its principal
executive office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent,
an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each
shareholder and the number of shares of each class held by such shareholder.
Section 6. CERTIFICATION OF BENEFICIAL OWNERS. The Board of Directors
may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a shareholder of the Company may
certify in writing to the Company that any shares of stock registered in the
name of the shareholder are held for the account of a specified person other
than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of shareholders
who may certify; the purpose for which the certification may be made; the form
of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification
is with respect to a record date or closing of the stock transfer books, the
time after the record date or closing of the stock transfer books within which
the certification must be received by the Company; and any other provisions with
respect to the procedure which the Board of Directors considers necessary or
desirable. On receipt of a certification which complies with the procedure
adopted by the Board of Directors in accordance with this Section, the person
specified in the certification is, for the purpose set forth in the
certification, the holder of record of the specified stock in place of the
shareholder who makes the certification.
Section 7. FRACTIONAL STOCK; ISSUANCE OF UNITS. The Board of Directors
may issue fractional stock or provide for the issuance of scrip, all on such
terms and under such conditions as they may determine. Notwithstanding any other
provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may issue units
consisting of different securities of the Company. Any security issued in a unit
shall have the same characteristics as any
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identical securities issued by the Company, except that the Board of Directors
may provide that for a specified period securities of the Company issued in such
unit may be transferred on the books of the Company only in such unit.
ARTICLE VIII
ACCOUNTING YEAR
The Board of Directors shall have the power, from time to time, to fix
the fiscal year of the Company by a duly adopted resolution.
ARTICLE IX
DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 1. AUTHORIZATION. Dividends and other distributions upon the
stock of the Company may be authorized and declared by the Board of Directors,
subject to the provisions of law and the Charter of the Company. Dividends and
other distributions may be paid in cash, property or stock of the Company,
subject to the provisions of law and the Charter.
Section 2. CONTINGENCIES. Before payment of any dividends or other
distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Company available
for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Directors
may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve
fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends or other distributions, for
repairing or maintaining any property of the Company or for such other purpose
as the Board of Directors shall determine to be in the best interest of the
Company, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in
the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE X
INVESTMENT POLICY
Subject to the provisions of the Charter of the Company, the Board of
Directors may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or
policies with respect to investments by the Company as it shall deem appropriate
in its sole discretion.
ARTICLE XI
SEAL
Section 1. SEAL. The Board of Directors may authorize the adoption of a
seal by the Company. The seal shall contain the name of the Company and the year
of its incorporation. The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate
seals and provide for the custody thereof.
Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL. Whenever the Company is permitted or required
to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements
of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word "(SEAL)"
adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on
behalf of the Company.
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ARTICLE XII
INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCES FOR EXPENSES
Section 1. PROCEDURE. Any indemnification, or payment of expenses in
advance of the final disposition of any proceeding, shall be made promptly, and
in any event within 60 days, upon the written request of the director or officer
entitled to seek indemnification (the "Indemnified Party"). The right to
indemnification and advances hereunder shall be enforceable by the Indemnified
Party in any court of competent jurisdiction, if (i) the Company denies such
request, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition thereof is made within 60
days. The Indemnified Party's costs and expenses incurred in connection with
successfully establishing his or her right to indemnification, in whole or in
part, in any such action shall also be reimbursed by the Company. It shall be a
defense to any action for advance for expenses that (a) a determination has been
made that the facts then known to those making the determination would preclude
indemnification or (b) the Company has not received both (i) an undertaking as
required by law to repay such advance sin the event it shall ultimately be
determined that the standard of conduct has not been met and (ii) a written
affirmation by the Indemnified Party of such Indemnified Party's good faith
belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Company
has been met.
Section 2. EXCLUSIVITY, ETC. The indemnification and advance of
expenses provided by the Charter and these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive
of any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advance of
expenses may be entitled under any law (common or statutory), or any agreement,
vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or other provision that is
consistent with law, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding office or while employed by or acting
as agent for the Company, shall continue in respect of all events occurring
while a person was as director or officer after such person has ceased to be a
director or officer, and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs,
executors and administrators of such person. The Company shall not be liable for
any payment under this Bylaw in connection with a claim made by a director or
officer to the extent such director or officer has otherwise actually received
payment under insurance policy, agreement, vote or otherwise, of the amounts
otherwise indemnifiable hereunder. All rights to indemnification and advance of
expenses under the Charter of the Company and hereunder shall be deemed to be a
contract between the Company and each director or officer of the Company who
serves or served in such capacity at any time while this Bylaw is in effect.
Nothing herein shall prevent the amendment of this Bylaw, provided that no such
amendment shall diminish the rights of any person hereunder with respect to
events occurring or claims made before its adoption or as to claims made after
its adoption in respect of events occurring before its adoption. Any repeal or
modification of this Bylaw shall not in any way diminish any rights to
indemnification or advance of expenses of such director or officer or the
obligations of the Company arising hereunder with respect to events occurring,
or claims made, while this Bylaw or any provision hereof is in force.
Section 3. SEVERABILITY; DEFINITIONS. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision of this Article XII shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof. The phrase "this
Bylaw" in this Article XII means this Article XII in its entirety.
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ARTICLE XIII
WAIVER OF NOTICE
Whenever any notice is required to be given pursuant to the Charter of
the Company or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in
writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before
or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of
such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any
meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice, unless specifically required
by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a
waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for
the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the
ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
ARTICLE XIV
AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
In accordance with the Charter, these Bylaws may be repealed, altered,
amended or rescinded (a) by the shareholders of the Company but only by the
affirmative vote of not less than 80% of all the votes entitled to be cast by
the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one
class) cast at a meeting of the shareholders called for that purpose (provided
that notice of such proposed repeal, alteration, amendment or rescission is
included in the notice of such meeting) or (b) by affirmative vote of not less
than two-thirds of the Board of Directors at a meeting held in accordance with
the provisions of these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XV
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Company shall keep correct and
complete books and records of its accounts and transactions and minutes of the
proceedings of its shareholders and Board of Directors and of any executive or
other committee when exercising any of the powers of the Board of Directors. The
books and records of the Company may be in written form or in any other form
which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual
inspection. Minutes shall be recorded in written form but may be maintained in
the form of a reproduction. The original or a certified copy of these Bylaws
shall be kept at the principal office of the Company.
Section 2. VOTING STOCK IN OTHER COMPANIES. Stock of other corporations
or associations, registered in the name of the Company, may be voted by the
President, a Vice-President, or a proxy appointed by either of them. The Board
of Directors, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such
shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the
production of a certified copy of such resolution.
Section 3. MAIL. Any notice or other document which is required by
these Bylaws to be mailed shall be deposited in the United States mails, postage
prepaid.
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Section 4. ELECTRONIC NOTICES. Any notice provided by the Company as
required by these Bylaws may be delivered electronically when permitted under,
and in accordance with, Maryland General Corporation Law now or hereafter
enforced.
Section 4. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS. A person who holds more than one
office in the Company may not act in more than one capacity to execute,
acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed,
acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.
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