BYLAWS
OF
THE APPLETON FUNDS
ARTICLE 1
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Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Offices
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1.1 AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST. These Bylaws shall be subject to
the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as from time to time in effect (the
"Declaration of Trust"), of The Appleton Funds, the Ohio business trust
established by the Declaration of Trust (the "Trust").
1.2 OFFICES. The Trust may maintain one or more other offices, including
its principal office, in or outside of Ohio, in such cities as the Trustees may
determine from time to time. Unless the Trustees otherwise determine, the
principal office of the Trust shall be located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
ARTICLE 2
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Meetings of Trustees
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2.1 REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without
call or notice at such places and at such times as the Trustees may from time to
time determine, provided that notice of the first regular meeting following any
such determination shall be given to absent Trustees. A regular meeting of the
Trustees may be held without call or notice immediately after and at the same
place as any meeting of the Shareholders. The Trustees may adopt such rules and
regulations for the conduct of their meetings and the management of the affairs
of the Trust as they may deem proper, not inconsistent with applicable law, the
Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws.
2.2 SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Trustees may be held at any
time and at any place designated in the call of the meeting when called by the
Chairman, the President or the Treasurer or by two or more Trustees, sufficient
notice thereof being given to each Trustee by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary or by the officer or the Trustees calling the meeting.
2.3 NOTICE. It shall be sufficient notice to a Trustee of a special meeting
to send notice by mail at least forty-eight hours or by telegram at least
twenty-four hours before the meeting addressed to the Trustee at his or her
usual or last known business or residence address or to give notice to him or
her in person or by telephone at least twenty-four hours before the meeting.
Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a written waiver of
notice,
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executed by him or her before or after the meeting, is filed with the records of
the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting without protesting, prior
thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him or her. Neither notice
of a meeting nor a waiver of a notice need specify the purposes of the meeting.
2.4 QUORUM. At any meeting of the Trustees a majority of the Trustees then
in office shall constitute a quorum. Any meeting may be adjourned from time to
time by a majority of the votes cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum
is present, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.
2.5 PARTICIPATION BY TELEPHONE. One or more of the Trustees or of any
committee of the Trustees may participate in a meeting thereof by means of a
conference telephone or similar communications equipment allowing all persons
participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation
by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting except as
otherwise provided by the Investment Company Act of 1940.
2.6 ACTION BY CONSENT. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Trustees or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting,
if a written consent of such action is signed by a majority of the Trustees then
in office or a majority of the members of such committee, as the case may be,
and such written consent is filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the
Trustees or such committee.
2.7 RIGHT TO DISSENT. A Trustee who is present at a meeting of the Trustees
at which action on any Trust matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented
to the action unless his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the
meeting before the adjournment thereof or unless he or she shall file his or her
written dissent to such action with the person acting as secretary of the
meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by
registered mail to the Secretary immediately after the adjournment of the
meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Trustee who voted in favor
of such action.
ARTICLE 3
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Officers
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3.1 ENUMERATION; QUALIFICATION. The officers of the Trust shall be a
President, a Treasurer, a Secretary and such other officers, including a
Chairman and/or Vice Presidents, if any, as the Trustees from time to time may
in their discretion elect. The Trust may also have such agents as the Trustees
from time to time may in their discretion appoint. The Chairman and the
President of the Trust shall be Trustees and may, but need not be, Shareholders;
and any other officer may, but need not be, a Trustee or Shareholder. Any two or
more offices may be held by the same person.
3.2 ELECTION. The Chairman, the President, the Treasurer and the Secretary
shall be elected annually by the Trustees. Other officers, if any, may be
elected or appointed by the Trustees at any time. Vacancies in any office may be
filled at any time.
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3.3 TENURE. The Chairman, the President, the Treasurer and the Secretary
shall hold office for one year and until their respective successors are chosen
and qualified, or in each case until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed
or becomes disqualified. Each other officer shall hold office and each agent
shall retain authority at the pleasure of the Trustees.
3.4 POWERS. Subject to the other provisions of these Bylaws, each officer
shall have, in addition to the duties and powers herein and in the Declaration
of Trust set forth, such duties and powers as are commonly incident to the
office occupied by him or her as if the Trust were organized as an Ohio business
corporation and such other duties and powers as the Trustees may from time to
time designate.
3.5 CHAIRMAN. Unless the Trustees otherwise provide, the Chairman of the
Board (of Trustees) shall preside at all meetings of the Shareholders and of the
Trustees. In addition, the Chairman of the Board shall be the chief executive
officer of the Trust.
3.6 PRESIDENT. Unless the Trustees otherwise provide, in the absence of the
Chairman of the Board, the President shall preside at all meetings of the
Shareholders and of the Trustees, or, in the absence of the President, any other
Trustee chosen by the Trustees shall preside at all meetings of the Shareholders
and of the Trustees. In the absence of a Chairman of the Board, the President
shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust.
3.7 TREASURER. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial and accounting
officer of the Trust, and shall, subject to the provisions of the Declaration of
Trust and to any arrangement made by the Trustees with a custodian, investment
adviser or manager, or transfer, shareholder servicing or similar agent, be in
charge of the valuable papers, books of account and accounting records of the
Trust, and shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from
time to time by the Trustees or by the Chairman or President.
3.8 SECRETARY. The Secretary shall record all proceedings of the
Shareholders and the Trustees in books to be kept therefor, which books or a
copy thereof shall be kept at the principal office of the Trust. In the absence
of the Secretary from any meeting of the Shareholders or Trustees, an Assistant
Secretary, or if there be none or if he or she is absent, a temporary secretary
chosen at such meeting shall record the proceedings thereof in the aforesaid
books.
3.9 RESIGNATIONS AND REMOVALS. Any Trustee or officer may resign at any
time by written instrument signed by him or her and delivered to the Chairman or
the President or the Secretary or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation
shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other
time. The Trustees may remove any officer elected by them with or without cause.
Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust,
no Trustee or officer resigning and no officer removed shall have any right to
any compensation for any period following his or her resignation or removal, or
any right to damages on account of such removal.
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3.10 BONDS AND SURETY. Any officer may be required by the Trustees to be
bonded for the faithful performance of his or her duties in such amount and with
such sureties as the Trustees may determine.
ARTICLE 4
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Committees
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4.1 GENERAL. The Trustees, by vote of a majority of the Trustees then in
office, may elect from their number an Executive Committee or other committees
and may delegate thereto some or all of their powers except those which by law,
by the Declaration of Trust, or by these Bylaws may not be delegated. Except as
the Trustees may otherwise determine, any such committee may make rules for the
conduct of its business, but unless otherwise provided by the Trustees or in
such rules, its business shall be conducted so far as possible in the same
manner as is provided by these Bylaws for the Trustees themselves. All members
of such committees shall hold such offices at the pleasure of the Trustees. The
Trustees may abolish any such committee at any time. Any committee to which the
Trustees delegate any of their powers or duties shall keep records of its
meetings and shall report its action to the Trustees. The Trustees shall have
power to rescind any action of any committee, but no such rescission shall have
retroactive effect.
ARTICLE 5
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Reports
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5.1 GENERAL. The Trustees and officers shall render reports at the time and
in the manner required by the Declaration of Trust or any applicable law.
Officers and committees shall render such additional reports as they may deem
desirable or as may from time to time be required by the Trustees.
ARTICLE 6
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Fiscal Year
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6.1 GENERAL. The fiscal year of the Trust shall be fixed, and shall be
subject to change by the Trustees.
ARTICLE 7
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Seal
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7.1 GENERAL. If required by applicable law, the seal of the Trust shall
consist of a flat-faced die with the word "Ohio", together with the name of the
Trust and the year of its organization cut or engraved thereon, but, unless
otherwise required by the Trustees, the seal shall not be necessary to be placed
on, and its absence shall not impair the validity of, any document, instrument
or other paper executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Trust.
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ARTICLE 8
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Execution of Papers
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8.1 GENERAL. Except as the Trustees may generally or in particular cases
authorize the execution thereof in some other manner, all deeds, leases,
contracts, notes and other obligations made by the Trustees shall be signed by a
Chairman, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer and
need not bear the seal of the Trust, but shall state the substance of or make
reference to the provisions of Section 6.1 of the Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE 9
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Issuance of Share Certificates
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9.1 SHARE CERTIFICATES. In lieu of issuing certificates for Shares, the
Trustees or the transfer agent may either issue receipts therefor or may keep
accounts upon the books of the Trust for the record holders of such Shares, who
shall in either case be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be the holders of
certificates for such Shares as if they had accepted such certificates and shall
be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof.
The Trustees may at any time authorize the issuance of share certificates.
In that event, each Shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate stating the
number of Shares owned by him, in such form as shall be prescribed from time to
time by the Trustees. Such certificate shall be signed by the Chairman or
President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer. Such signatures may be
facsimiles if the certificate is signed by a transfer agent, or by a registrar,
other than a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust. In case any officer who
has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on such certificate
shall cease to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be
issued by the Trust with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at
the time of its issue.
9.2 LOSS OF CERTIFICATES. In case of the alleged loss or destruction or the
mutilation of a share certificate, a duplicate certificate may be issued in
place thereof, upon such terms as the Trustees shall prescribe.
9.3 DISCONTINUANCE OF ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES. The Trustees may at any
time discontinue the issuance of share certificates and may, by written notice
to each Shareholder, require the surrender of share certificates to the Trust
for cancellation. Such surrender and cancellation shall not affect the ownership
of Shares in the Trust.
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ARTICLE 10
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Custodian
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10.1 GENERAL. The Trust shall at all times employ a bank or trust company
or such other institution as may meet the requirements of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 as Custodian of the assets of the Trust. The Custodian shall be
compensated for its services by the Trust and upon such basis as shall be agreed
upon from time to time between the Trust and the Custodian.
ARTICLE 11
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Dealings With Trustees and Officers
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11.1 GENERAL. Any Trustee, officer or other agent of the Trust may acquire,
own and dispose of Shares of the Trust to the same extent as if he or she were
not a Trustee, officer or agent; and the Trustees may accept subscriptions to
Shares or repurchase Shares from any firm or company in which he or she is
interested.
ARTICLE 12
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Shareholders
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12.1 MEETINGS. A meeting of the Shareholders of the Trust shall be held
whenever called by the Trustees, whenever election of a Trustee or Trustees by
Shareholders is required by the provisions of Section 16(a) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 for that purpose or whenever otherwise required pursuant to
the Declaration of Trust. Any meeting shall be held on such day and at such time
as the Chairman, or in the absence of a Chairman, the President or the Trustees
may fix in the notice of the meeting.
12.2 RECORD DATES. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders who are
entitled to vote or act at any meeting or any adjournment thereof, or who are
entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, the
Trustees may from time to time fix a time, which shall be not more than 60 days
before the date of any meeting of Shareholders or the date for the payment of
any dividend or of any other distribution, as the record date for determining
the Shareholders having the right to notice of and to vote at such meeting and
any adjournment thereof or the right to receive such dividend or distribution,
and in such case, only Shareholders of record on such record date shall have
such right, notwithstanding any transfer of Shares on the books of the Trust
after the record date; or without fixing such record date the Trustees may for
any such purposes close the register or transfer books for all or any part of
such period.
ARTICLE 13
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Amendments to the Bylaws
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13.1 GENERAL. These Bylaws may be amended or repealed, in whole or in part,
by a majority of the Trustees then in office at any meeting of the Trustees, or
by one or more writings signed by such a majority.
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