EXHIBIT 3(ii)
RECKSON ASSOCIATES REALTY CORP.
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
(AMENDED AS OF AUGUST 2000)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE. The principal office of the Corporation
shall be located at such place or places as the Board of Directors may
designate.
Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES. The Corporation may have additional
offices at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine
or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1. PLACE. All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the
principal office of the Corporation or at such other place within the United
States as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING. An annual meeting of the stockholders for
the election of directors and the transaction of any business within the powers
of the Corporation shall be held on a date and at the time set by the Board of
Directors during the month of May in each year.
Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS. The president, chief executive officer or
Board of Directors may call special meetings of the stockholders. Special
meetings of stockholders shall also be called by the secretary of the
Corporation 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 stockholders of the
reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing notice of the meeting and,
upon payment to the Corporation by such stockholders of such costs, the
secretary shall give notice to each stockholder entitled to notice of the
meeting. Unless requested by the stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all
the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting, a special meeting need not be
called to consider any matter which is substantially the same as a matter voted
on at any special meeting of the stockholders held during the preceding twelve
months.
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Section 4. NOTICE. Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each
meeting of stockholders, the secretary shall give to each stockholder entitled
to vote at such meeting and to each stockholder not entitled to vote who is
entitled to notice of the meeting written or printed notice stating the time and
place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may
be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called, either
by mail or by presenting it to such stockholder personally or by leaving it at
his residence or usual place of business. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed
to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the
stockholder at his post office address as it appears on the records of the
Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid.
Section 5. SCOPE OF NOTICE. Any business of the Corporation may be
transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders without being specifically
designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to
be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting
of stockholders except as specifically designated in the notice.
Section 6. ORGANIZATION. At every meeting of stockholders, 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 stockholders
entitled to cast a majority of the votes which all stockholders present in
person or by proxy are entitled to cast, shall act as Chairman, and the
Secretary, or, in his absence, an assistant secretary, or in the absence of both
the Secretary and assistant secretaries, a person appointed by the Chairman
shall act as Secretary.
Section 7. QUORUM. At any meeting of stockholders, the presence in
person or by proxy of stockholders 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
Corporation for the vote necessary for the adoption of any measure. If, however,
such quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the stockholders, the
stockholders 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 8. VOTING. A plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting of
stockholders 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 stockholders 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 of the Corporation. 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
stockholders.
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Section 9. PROXIES. A stockholder may vote the stock owned of record by
him, either in person or by proxy executed in writing by the stockholder or by
his duly authorized attorney in fact. Such proxy shall be filed with the
secretary of the Corporation before or at the time of the meeting. No proxy
shall be valid after eleven months from the date of its execution, unless
otherwise provided in the proxy.
Section 10. VOTING OF STOCK BY CERTAIN HOLDERS. Stock of the
Corporation 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 Corporation 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 stockholder may certify in writing to the Corporation that any shares of
stock registered in the name of the stockholder are held for the account of a
specified person other than the stockholder. The resolution shall set forth the
class of stockholders 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 Corporation; 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 stockholder of record of
the specified stock in place of the stockholder who makes the certification.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the charter of the
Corporation or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Corporations and
Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (or any successor
statute) shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of stock of
the Corporation. 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 bylaw, apply to any prior or
subsequent control share acquisition.
Section 11. INSPECTORS. At any meeting of stockholders, the chairman of
the meeting may, or upon the request of any stockholder 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 stockholders.
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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 12. NOMINATIONS AND STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS
(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders. (1) Nominations of persons for
election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered
by the stockholders (except for stockholder proposals included in the proxy
materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act")) may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders
(i) pursuant to the Corporation's notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction
of the Board of Directors or (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was
a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this
Section 12(a), who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the
notice procedures set forth in this Section 12(a).
(ii) (2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought
before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph
(a)(1) of this Section 12, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof
in writing to the secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder's
notice shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive offices of
the Corporation not less than 120 days nor more than 180 days prior to the first
anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting or special meeting in lieu
thereof; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual
meeting is advanced by more than seven calendar days or delayed by more than 60
days from such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be
so delivered not earlier than the 180th day prior to such annual meeting and not
later than the close of business on the later of the 120th day prior to such
annual meeting or the twentieth day following the earlier of the day on which
public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made or notice of the
meeting is mailed to stockholders. Such stockholder's notice shall set forth (i)
as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or
reelection as a director all information relating to such person that is
required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors,
or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the
Exchange Act (including such person's written consent to being named in the
proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (ii) as
to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting,
a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting,
the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material
interest in such business of such stockholder and of the beneficial owner, if
any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (iii) as to the stockholder
giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the
nomination or proposal is made, (x) the name and address of such stockholder, as
they appear on the Corporation's books, and of such beneficial owner and (y) the
number of shares of each class of stock of the Corporation which are owned
beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner.
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(3) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph
(a)(2) of this Section 12 to the contrary, in the event that the number of
directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no
public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the
size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least 85
days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting, a
stockholder's notice required by this Section 12(a) shall also be considered
timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such
increase, if it shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive
offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth day
following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the
Corporation.
(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be
conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before
the meeting pursuant to the Corporation's notice of meeting. Nominations of
persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting
of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (i) pursuant to the
Corporation'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 stockholder of the
Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice
provided for in this Section 12(b), who is entitled to vote at the meeting and
who complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 12(b). In the
event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of
electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder
may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such
position as specified in the Corporation's notice of meeting, if the
stockholder's notice containing the information required by paragraph (a)(2) of
this Section 12 shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive
offices of the Corporation not earlier than the 180th day prior to such special
meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 75th day
prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public
announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the
nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting.
(c) General. (1) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with
the procedures set forth in this Section 12 shall be eligible to serve as
directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders
as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures
set forth in this Section 12. 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 12 and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in
compliance with this Section 12, to declare that such defective nomination or
proposal be disregarded.
(2) For purposes of this Section 12, "public announcement" shall
mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service,
Associated Press or comparable news service or in a document publicly filed by
the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section
13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 12,
a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law
and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to
the matters set forth in this Section 12. Nothing in this Section 12 shall be
deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in
the Corporation's proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
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Section 13. VOTING BY BALLOT. Voting on any question or in any election
may be viva voce unless the presiding officer shall order or any stockholder
shall demand that voting be by ballot.
ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS
Section 1. GENERAL POWERS; QUALIFICATIONS. The business and affairs of
the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors.
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 the minimum number
required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, nor more than 15, and further
provided that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any
decrease in the number of directors.
Section 3. 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 stockholders, 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 4. 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 within or without
the State of Maryland, as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board
of Directors called by them.
Section 5. NOTICE. Notice of any special meeting of the Board of
Directors shall be delivered personally or by telephone, facsimile transmission,
United States mail or courier to each director at his business or residence
address. Notice by personal delivery, by telephone or a facsimile transmission
shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Notice by mail shall be
given at least five days prior to the meeting and shall be deemed to be given
when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage
thereon prepaid. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the director
is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which he is a party.
Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the
transmission of the message to the number given to the Corporation by the
director and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Neither the
business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special
meeting of the Board of Directors need be stated in the notice, unless
specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.
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Section 6. 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 Corporation 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 7. 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 8. 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.
Section 9. 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 10. VACANCIES. If for any reason any or all the directors cease
to be directors, such event shall not terminate the Corporation 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 11. 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 Corporation 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 Corporation in any other
capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 12. 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.
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Section 13. 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 14. RELIANCE. Each director, officer, employee and agent of the
Corporation shall, in the performance of his duties with respect to the
Corporation, 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 Corporation, upon an opinion of counsel or upon reports made to the
Corporation 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 Corporation, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may
also be a director.
Section 15. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND
AGENTS. The directors shall have no responsibility to devote their full time to
the affairs of the Corporation. Any director or officer, employee or agent of
the Corporation, 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 Corporation.
Section. 16. MATTERS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY DIRECTORS. In
considering any potential acquisition of control of the Corporation, the
directors may consider the effect of the potential acquisition of control on (i)
stockholders of the Corporation and unitholders of Reckson Operating
Partnership, L.P. and employees, suppliers, customers and creditors of the
Corporation or any of its subsidiaries; and (ii) communities in which offices or
other establishments of the Corporation are located.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
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 two or more directors,
to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
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 as prohibited by law.
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.
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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 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 Corporation shall
include a chief executive officer, a president, a secretary and a treasurer 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 chief financial 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. The officers of the Corporation shall be
elected annually by the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board of
Directors held after each annual meeting of stockholders, 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 until his successor is elected and qualifies 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 Corporation and
such officer or agent.
Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION. Any officer or agent of the
Corporation may be removed by the Board of Directors if in its judgment the best
interests of the Corporation 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 Corporation 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
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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
Corporation.
Section 3. VACANCIES. A vacancy in any office may be filled by the
Board of Directors for the balance of the term.
Section 4. 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 Corporation. The chief executive officer shall have general
responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Corporation, as
determined by the Board of Directors, and for the management of the business and
affairs of the Corporation.
Section 5. 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.
Section 6. 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 7. 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 stockholders 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 8. 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 vote of
directors with or without cause.
Section 9. 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 Corporation. 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
Corporation 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.
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Section 10. 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 11. SECRETARY. The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the
proceedings of the stockholders, 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 Corporation; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each
stockholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such stockholder; (e)
have general charge of the share transfer books of the Corporation; 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.
Section 12. TREASURER. The treasurer shall have the custody of the
funds and securities of the Corporation and shall keep full and accurate
accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and
shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the
credit of the Corporation 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 Corporation.
The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation 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 Corporation.
If required by the Board of Directors, the treasurer shall give
the Corporation 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 Corporation, 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 Corporation.
Section 13. 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.
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Section 14. 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 Corporation 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 Corporation
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 Corporation shall be signed by such officer or agent of the
Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board
of Directors.
Section 3. DEPOSITS. All funds of the Corporation not otherwise
employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation
in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors
may designate.
ARTICLE VII
STOCK
Section 1. CERTIFICATES. Each stockholder shall be entitled to a
certificate or certificates which shall represent and certify the number of
shares of each class of stock held by him in the Corporation. Each certificate
shall be signed by the chief executive officer, the president or a vice
president and countersigned by the secretary or an assistant secretary or the
treasurer or an assistant treasurer and may be sealed with the seal, if any, of
the Corporation. The signatures may be either manual or facsimile. Certificates
shall be consecutively numbered; and if the Corporation shall, from time to
time, issue several classes of stock, each class may have its own number series.
A certificate is valid and may be issued whether or not an officer who signed it
is still an officer when it is issued. Each certificate representing shares
which are restricted as to their transferability or voting powers, which are
preferred or limited as to their dividends or as to their allocable portion of
the assets upon liquidation or which are redeemable at the option of the
Corporation, shall have a statement of such restriction, limitation, preference
or redemption provision, or a summary thereof, plainly stated on the
certificate. If the Corporation has authority to issue stock of more than one
class, the certificate shall contain on the face or back a full statement or
summary of the designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights,
voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other
distributions,
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qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of each class of stock
and, if the Corporation is authorized to issue any preferred or special class in
series, the differences in the relative rights and preferences between the
shares of each series to the extent they have been set and the authority of the
Board of Directors to set the relative rights and preferences of subsequent
series. In lieu of such statement or summary, the certificate may state that the
Corporation will furnish a full statement of such information to any stockholder
upon request and without charge. If any class of stock is restricted by the
Corporation as to transferability, the certificate shall contain a full
statement of the restriction or state that the Corporation will furnish
information about the restrictions to the stockholder on request and without
charge.
Section 2. TRANSFERS. Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer
agent of the Corporation of a stock certificate duly endorsed or accompanied by
proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, the
Corporation shall issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel
the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.
The Corporation 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 Corporation and
all of the terms and conditions contained therein.
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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of
stockholders or determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a
determination of stockholders 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
stockholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or
particular action requiring such determination of stockholders of record is to
be held or taken.
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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 stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of
stockholders, 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 stockholders, (a) the record date for the
determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of
stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day on which the notice of
meeting is mailed or the 30th day before the meeting, whichever is the closer
date to the meeting; and (b) the record date for the determination of
stockholders 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 stockholders entitled to vote at any
meeting of stockholders 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 Corporation shall maintain at its
principal 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
stockholder and the number of shares of each class held by such stockholder.
Section 6. 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 Corporation. Any security issued in a
unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by
the Corporation, except that the Board of Directors may provide that for a
specified period securities of the Corporation issued in such unit may be
transferred on the books of the Corporation 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 Corporation by a duly adopted resolution.
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ARTICLE IX
DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 1. AUTHORIZATION. Dividends and other distributions upon the
stock of the Corporation may be authorized and declared by the Board of
Directors, subject to the provisions of law and the charter of the Corporation.
Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or stock of the
Corporation, 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 Corporation
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 Corporation or for such other
purpose as the Board of Directors shall determine to be in the best interest of
the Corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such
reserve in the manner in which it was created.
ARTICLE X
INVESTMENT POLICY
Subject to the provisions of the charter of the Corporation, the
Board of Directors may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any
policy or policies with respect to investments by the Corporation 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 Corporation. The seal shall contain the name of the Corporation and
the year of its incorporation and the words "Corporate Seal Maryland." The Board
of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the
custody thereof.
Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL. Whenever the Corporation 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 Corporation.
ARTICLE XII
INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCES FOR EXPENSES
To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from
time to time, the Corporation, without requiring a preliminary determination of
the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall indemnify and shall pay or
reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of
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final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or
former director or officer of the Corporation and who is made a party to the
proceeding by reason of his service in that capacity or (b) any individual who,
while a director of the Corporation and at the request of the Corporation,
serves or has served another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or any other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or
trustee of such corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit
plan or other enterprise and who is made a party to the proceeding by reason of
his service in that capacity. The Corporation may, with the approval of its
Board of Directors, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to a
person who served a predecessor of the Corporation in any of the capacities
described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Corporation or
a predecessor of the Corporation.
Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the
adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Bylaws or charter of the
Corporation inconsistent with this Article, shall apply to or affect in any
respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or
failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.
ARTICLE XIII
WAIVER OF NOTICE
Whenever any notice is required to be given pursuant to the
charter of the Corporation 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
The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power to adopt,
alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws.
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