-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, SUsaaLdo2tHjzEiOrASq1xp8wQ0NC+7PpB94+rBPVEBpD6hiQZMVOsxgZN6tTT68 Hs9um+Ir+LhsQUGjyjiuXg== 0001144204-07-039966.txt : 20070803 0001144204-07-039966.hdr.sgml : 20070803 20070802175337 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001144204-07-039966 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20070801 ITEM INFORMATION: Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20070803 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20070802 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000108385 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: PERSONAL CREDIT INSTITUTIONS [6141] IRS NUMBER: 570425114 STATE OF INCORPORATION: SC FISCAL YEAR END: 0331 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-19599 FILM NUMBER: 071021599 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 108 FREDRICK STREET CITY: GREENVILLE STATE: SC ZIP: 29607 BUSINESS PHONE: 8642989800 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: P O BOX 6429 CITY: GREENVILLE STATE: SC ZIP: 29606 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: WORLD FINANCE CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19700210 8-K 1 v082851_8k.htm


 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549




CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) August 1, 2007

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


South Carolina
 
0-19599
 
57-0425114
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

108 Frederick Street
Greenville, South Carolina 29607
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)

(864) 298-9801
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed from last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 
  o Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
     
  o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

  o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

  o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4c))
 
 


 
 

 
 
Item 5.03.
Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On August 1, 2007, the Board of Directors adopted certain amendments to the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), effective as of that date. The amendments, which are generally technical and administrative in nature, were implemented in conjunction with a revision to Article VII, Section 1 of the Bylaws to make express the Company’s authority to issue shares in uncertificated form and to eliminate a provision stating that the Company shall issue certificates to represent its shares. This change was made in order to clarify the Company’s ability to comply with new NASDAQ rules effective January 1, 2008 that will require that the Company and other NASDAQ issuers be eligible to participate in a qualified Direct Registration Program. Under such a program, the Company’s common stock must be eligible for recording of ownership and transfer electronically without the issuance of physical stock certificates.
 
Other amendments to the Bylaws included the following: (1) amendments to Article I, Section 1 to update the identification of the Company’s principal office location as its current headquarters address or such other location as approved by the Board of Directors; (2) amendments to Article II, Section 5 to clarify that, in the case of an annual or substitute annual meeting of shareholders, a notice of that meeting need not specifically state the business to be transacted unless such a statement is required by, in addition to the South Carolina Business Corporation Act, any other applicable law, regulation or exchange rule; and (3) amendments to Article VI, Sections 3 and 4 to clarify the Board’s authority to delegate to officers of the Company authority to designate signatories of Company checks, drafts and other orders for payment and to select institutions where the Company’s funds may be deposited from time to time.
 
The Board also authorized the compilation and restatement of the Bylaws in their entirety, including these amendments, as the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws. A copy of the entire Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.
 

Item 8.01. Other Events.
 
On August 1, 2007, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $10 million of additional common stock. This repurchase authorization follows, and is in addition to, a similar repurchase authorization of $10 million announced July 27, 2007. After taking into account all shares repurchased through August 2, 2007, the Company has $15.8 million in aggregate remaining repurchase capacity under all of the Company’s outstanding repurchase authorizations. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors, including the stock price, corporate and regulatory requirements and other market and economic conditions. The Company’s stock repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

Forward-looking Statements
 
The statements in this Form 8-K regarding the repurchase of World Acceptance Corporation’s common stock are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that represent the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. World Acceptance Corporation may repurchase the fully authorized amount of its stock, or no shares of its stock, or any amount in between, depending on the trading price of its common stock, which may be positively or negatively impacted by the repurchase program, market conditions, determinations following the date of this announcement to use funds for other purposes, or for other reasons. Detailed descriptions of additional risks relating to World Acceptance Corporation are included in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2007. World Acceptance Corporation is not responsible for updating the information herein beyond the date and time of filing, or for changes made to the contents of this disclosure by wire services or Internet services.
 
 
 

 

 
Item 9.01.Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
(d) Exhibits
 
Exhibit 99.1 Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company
 

 

 
 

 
 
SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
Date: August 2, 2007
     
  World Acceptance Corporation
 
 
 
 
 
 
  By:   /s/ Kelly Malson
 
Kelly Malson, Vice President and
 
Chief Financial Officer

 
 
 

 
 
Exhibit Index
 
Exhibit No. Exhibit
   
Exhibit 99.1
Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company
 

EX-99.1 2 v082851_ex99-1.htm
INDEX OF FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

(Revised as of August 1, 2007)
 
ARTICLE I.
 
OFFICES:
 
Section 1. Principal Office.
Section 2. Registered Office.
Section 3. Other Offices.
 
ARTICLE II.
 
MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS:
 
Section 1. Place of Meetings.
Section 2. Annual Meetings.
Section 3. Substitute Annual Meeting.
Section 4. Special Meetings.
Section 5. Notice of Meetings.
Section 6. Voting Lists.
Section 7. Quorum.
Section 8. Proxies.
Section 9. Voting of Shares.
Section 10. Informal Action by Shareholders.
 
ARTICLE III.
 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
 
Section 1. General Powers.
Section 2. Number, Term and Qualifications.
Section 3. Election of Directors.
Section 4. Removal.
Section 5. Vacancies.
Section 6. Chairman of Board.
Section 7. Compensation.
 
 
 

 
ARTICLE IV.
 
MEETINGS OF DIRECTORS:
 
Section 1. Regular Meetings.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
Section 3. Notice of Meetings.
Section 4. Waiver of Notice.
Section 5. Quorum.
Section 6. Manner of Acting.
Section 7. Presumption of Assent.
Section 8. Informal Action by Directors.
Section 9. Audit Committee.
Section 10. Other Committees.
 
ARTICLE V.
 
OFFICERS:
 
Section 1. Officers of the Corporation.
Section 2. Election and Term.
Section 3. Compensation of Officers.
Section 4. Removal.
Section 5. Bonds.
Section 6. Chief Executive Officer.
Section 7. Chief Operating Officer.
Section 8. President.
Section 9. Vice Presidents.
Section 10. Secretary.
Section 11. Treasurer.
Section 12. Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers.
 
ARTICLE VI.
 
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS:
 
Section 1. Contracts.
Section 2. Loans.
Section 3. Checks and Drafts.
Section 4. Deposits.
 
ARTICLE VII.
 
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER:
 
Section 1. Certificates for Shares.
Section 2. Transfer of Shares.
Section 3. Lost Certificate.
Section 4. Closing Transfer Books and Fixing Record Date.
Section 5. Holder of Record.
Section 6. Treasury Shares.
 
ARTICLE VIII.
 
GENERAL PROVISIONS:
 
Section 1. Dividends.
Section 2. Seal.
Section 3. Waiver of Notice.
Section 4. Indemnification.
Section 5. Fiscal Year.
Section 6. Amendments.

 
 
 

 

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

(Revised as of August 1, 2007)

 
I.
OFFICES
 
Section 1.  
Principal Office. The principal office of the corporation shall be located at 108 Frederick Street, Greenville, South Carolina, or at such other location as may from time to time be approved by the corporation’s Board of Directors.
 
Section 2.  
Registered Office. The registered office of the corporation required by law to be maintained in the State of South Carolina may be, but need not be, identical with the principal office.
 
Section 3.  
Other Offices. The corporation may have offices at such other places, either within or without the State of South Carolina, as the Board of Directors may designate or as the affairs of the corporation may require from time to time.
 
 
II.
MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS
 
Section 1.  
Place of Meetings. All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the principal office of the corporation, or at such other place, either within or without the State of South Carolina, as shall be designated in the notice of the meeting or agreed upon by a majority of the shareholders entitled to vote thereat.
 
Section 2.  
Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of shareholders for the election of directors and the transaction of other business shall be held in August of each year on any day (except a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday) in that month as determined by the Board of Directors.
 
Section 3.  
Substitute Annual Meeting. If the annual meeting shall not be held on the day designated by these bylaws, a substitute annual meeting may be called in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 of this Article II. A meeting so called shall be designated and treated for all purposes as the annual meeting.
 
Section 4.  
Special Meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders may be called at any time by the Chief Executive Officer, Secretary or Board of Directors of the corporation, or by any shareholder pursuant to the written request of the holders of not less than one-tenth of all the shares entitled to vote at the meeting.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 5.  
Notice of Meetings. Written or printed notice stating the time and place of the meeting shall be delivered not less than ten nor more than fifty days before the date of any shareholders’ meeting, either personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the Chief Executive Officer, the Secretary, or other person calling the meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting; provided that such notice must be given not less than twenty days before the date of any meeting at which a merger or consolidation is to be considered. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the shareholder at his address as it appears on the record of shareholders of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid.
 
In the case of a special meeting, the notice of meeting shall specifically state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called; but, in the case of an annual or substitute annual meeting, the notice of meeting need not specifically state the business to be transacted thereat unless such a statement is required by the provisions of the South Carolina Business Corporation Act or other applicable law, regulation or exchange rule.
 
When a meeting is adjourned for thirty days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. When a meeting is adjourned for less than thirty days in any one adjournment, it is not necessary to give any notice of the adjourned meeting other than by announcement at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.
 
Section 6.  
Voting Lists. At least ten days before each meeting of shareholders the Secretary of the corporation shall prepare an alphabetical list of the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting or any adjournment thereof, with the address of and number of shares held by each, which list shall be kept on file at the registered office of the corporation for a period of ten days prior to such meeting, and shall be subject to inspection by any shareholder at any time during the usual business hours. This list shall also be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and shall be subject to inspection by any shareholder during the whole time of the meeting.
 
Section 7.  
Quorum. A majority of the outstanding shares of the corporation entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders, except that at a substitute annual meeting of shareholders, thirty-three and one-third percent of the outstanding shares of the corporation entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of such meeting.
 
The shareholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum.
 
 
 

 
In the absence of a quorum at the opening of any meeting of shareholders, such meeting may be adjourned from time to time by a vote of the majority of the shares voting on the motion to adjourn; and at any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.
 
Section 8.  
Proxies. Shares may be voted either in person or by one or more agents authorized by a written proxy executed by the shareholder or by his duly authorized attorney-in-fact. A proxy is not valid after the expiration of eleven months from the date of its execution, unless the person executing it specifies therein the length of time for which it is to continue in force, or limits its use to a particular meeting, but no proxy shall be valid after ten years from the date of its execution.
 
Section 9.  
Voting of Shares. Each outstanding share of the corporation’s stock shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders as provided in the corporation’s articles of incorporation, these bylaws or by law.
 
Except in the election of directors as governed by the provisions of Section 3 of Article III, the vote of a majority of the shares voted on any matter at a meeting of shareholders at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the shareholders on that matter, unless the vote of a greater number is required by law or by the articles of incorporation or bylaws of this corporation.
 
Shares of its own stock owned by the corporation, directly or indirectly, through a subsidiary corporation or otherwise, or held directly or indirectly in a fiduciary capacity by it or by a subsidiary corporation, shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at a given time.
 
Section 10.  
Informal Action by Shareholders. Any action which may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all of the persons who would be entitled to vote upon such action at a meeting, and filed with the Secretary of the corporation to be kept as part of the corporate records.
 
 
III.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
Section 1.  
General Powers. The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors.
 
Section 2.  
Number, Term and Qualifications. The number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be seven (7). Any directorships not filled by the shareholders shall be treated as vacancies to be filled by and in the discretion of the Board of Directors. Each director shall hold office until his or her death, resignation, retirement, removal, disqualification or his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified. Directors need not be residents of the state of South Carolina or shareholders of the Corporation.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 3.  
Election of Directors. Except as provided in Section 6 of this Article III, the directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of shareholders; and those persons who receive the highest number of votes shall be deemed to have been elected. If any shareholder so demands, the election of directors shall be by ballot.
 
Section 4.  
Removal. Any director may be removed at any time with or without cause by a vote of the shareholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at an election of directors. However, unless the entire Board is removed, an individual director shall not be removed when the number of shares voting against the proposal for removal would be sufficient to elect a director if such shares could be voted cumulatively at an annual election. If any directors are so removed, new directors may be elected at the same meeting.
 
Section 5.  
Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors even though less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director. A director elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his predecessor in office.
 
Section 6.  
Chairman of Board. There may be a Chairman of the Board of Directors elected by the directors from their number at any meeting of the Board. The chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and perform such other duties as may be directed by the Board.
 
Section 7.  
Compensation. The Board of Directors may compensate directors for their services as such and may provide for the payment of any or all expenses incurred by directors in attending regular and special meetings of the Board.
 
 
IV.
MEETINGS OF DIRECTORS
 
Section 1.  
Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held immediately after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of shareholders. In addition, the Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place, either within or without the State of South Carolina, for the holding of additional regular meetings.
 
Section 2.  
Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by or at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or any two directors. Such a meeting may be held either within or without the State of South Carolina, as fixed by the person or persons calling the meeting.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 3.  
Notice of Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice. The person or persons calling a special meeting of the Board of Directors shall, at least twelve (12) hours before the meeting, give notice thereof by any usual means of communication (including, without limitation, by telephone, facsimile transmission, or electronic mail). Such notice need not specify the purpose for which the meeting is called.
 
Section 4.  
Waiver of Notice. Any director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance by a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, 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.
 
Section 5.  
Quorum. A majority of the number of directors fixed by these bylaws shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors.
 
Section 6.  
Manner of Acting. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, in the articles of incorporation or by law, the act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.
 
Section 7.  
Presumption of Assent. A director of the corporation 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 contrary vote is recorded or his dissent is otherwise entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his 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 corporation immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a director who voted in favor of such action.
 
Section 8.  
Informal Action by Directors. Action taken by a majority of the directors without a meeting is nevertheless Board action if written consent to the action in question is signed by all the directors and filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, whether done before or after the action so taken.
 
Section 9.  
Audit Committee. 
 
(a)  Creation. The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the number of directors fixed by these bylaws, may designate two or more directors, at least two of whom are not active officers of the corporation or any of its subsidiaries, to constitute an Audit Committee, which committee shall, to the extent permitted by law, have such duties and authority as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee’s charter.
 
(b)  Vacancy. Any vacancy occurring in an Audit Committee shall be filled by a majority of the number of directors fixed by these bylaws at a regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.
 
 
 

 
(c)  Removal. Any member of an Audit Committee may be removed at any time with or without cause by a majority of the number of directors fixed by these bylaws.
 
(d)  Minutes. The Audit Committee shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board when required.
 
(e)  Responsibility of Directors. The designation of an Audit Committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors, or any member thereof, of any responsibility or liability imposed upon it or any of them by law.
 
If action taken by an Audit Committee is not thereafter formally considered by the Board, a director may dissent from such action by filing a written objection with the Secretary with reasonable promptness after learning of such action.
 
Section 10.  
Other Committees. The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the number of directors fixed by these bylaws, may designate two or more directors to constitute other committees of the Board, each of which, to the extent permitted by law, shall have such duties and authority as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors and, if applicable, such committee’s charter. The designation of any committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors, or any member thereof, of any responsibility or liability imposed upon it or any of them by law.
 
If action taken a committee is not thereafter formally considered by the Board of Directors, a director may dissent from such action by filing a written objection with the Secretary with reasonable promptness after learning of such action.
 
 
V.
OFFICERS
 
Section 1.  
Officers of the Corporation. The officers of the corporation shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, and other officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time elect. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, but no officer may act in more than one capacity where action of two or more officers is required.
 
Section 2.  
Election and Term. The officers of the corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and each officer shall hold office until his death, resignation, retirement, removal, disqualification or his successor shall have been elected and qualified.
 
Section 3.  
Compensation of Officers. The compensation of all officers of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors and no officer shall serve the corporation in any other capacity and receive compensation therefor unless such additional compensation be authorized by the Board of Directors.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 4.  
Removal. Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board whenever in its judgment the best interests of the corporation will be served thereby; but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.
 
Section 5.  
Bonds. The Board of Directors may by resolution require any officer, agent, or employee of the corporation to give bond to the corporation, with sufficient sureties, conditioned on the faithful performance of the duties of his respective office or position, and to comply with such other conditions as may from time to time be required by the Board of Directors.
 
Section 6.  
Chief Executive Officer. Subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall be the principal executive officer of the corporation, shall supervise and control the management of the corporation and shall have such duties and authority as are normally incident to the position of chief executive officer of a corporation and such other duties and authority as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors or as are provided for elsewhere in these bylaws.
 
Section 7.  
Chief Operating Officer. Subject to the direction and control of the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, the Chief Operating Officer, if such an officer shall be so designated by the Board of Directors, shall supervise and control the operations of the corporation, shall have such duties and authority as are normally incident to the position of chief operating officer of a corporation and such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors, and, in the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, shall have the authority and perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer. The title of the President or other officer serving as the Chief Operating Officer may, but need not, also refer to his or her position as Chief Operating Officer.
 
Section 8.  
President. Subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer (if another officer shall be the Chief Executive Officer) the President shall have such duties and authority as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors, these bylaws and applicable laws. If the President is designated by the Board of Directors as the Chief Executive Officer, then the President shall have all of the duties and authority of the Chief Executive Officer. If the President is designated by the Board of Directors as the Chief Operating Officer, then the President shall have all of the duties and authority of the Chief Operating Officer.
 
Section 9.  
Vice Presidents. The Vice President, and if there be more than one, the Executive Vice President or other Vice President designated by the Board of Directors, shall, in the absence or disability of the President, have the authority and perform the duties of said office (including the duties and authority of the President as either Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer or both, if the President serves as such). In addition, each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as are normally incident to the office of Vice President or as shall be prescribed by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or the Board of Directors. The title of any Vice President may, but need not, include any additional designation descriptive of such officer’s duties as the Board of Directors may prescribe.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 10.  
Secretary. The Secretary shall have the responsibility and authority to maintain and authenticate the records of the corporation; shall keep, or cause to be kept, accurate records of the acts and proceedings of all meetings of shareholders, directors and committees; shall give, or cause to be given, all notices required by law and by these bylaws; shall have general charge of the corporate books and records and of the corporate seal, and shall affix the corporate seal to any lawfully executed instrument requiring it; shall have general charge of the stock transfer books of the corporation and shall keep, or cause to be kept, all records of shareholders as are required by applicable law or these bylaws; shall sign such instruments as may require the signature of the Secretary; and, in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, or the Board of Directors.
 
Section 11.  
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds and securities belonging to the corporation and shall receive, deposit or disburse the same under the direction of the Board of Directors; shall keep, or cause to be kept, full and accurate accounts of the finances of the corporation in books especially provided for that purpose, and shall generally have charge over the corporation’s accounting and financial records; shall cause a true statement of its assets and liabilities as of the close of each fiscal year, and of the results of its operations and of cash flows for such fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, including particulars as to convertible securities then outstanding, to be made as soon as practicable after the end of such fiscal year. The Treasurer shall also prepare and file, or cause to be prepared and filed, all reports and returns required by Federal, State or local law and shall generally perform all other duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or the Board of Directors.
 
Section 12.  
Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers. The Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, if any, shall, in the absence or disability of the Secretary or the Treasurer, respectively, have all the powers and perform all of the duties of those offices, and they shall in general perform such other duties as shall be assigned to them by the Secretary or the Treasurer, respectively, or by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or the Board of Directors.
 
 
 

 
 
VI.
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS
 
Section 1.  
Contracts. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or 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.
 
Section 2.  
Loans. No loans shall be obtained on behalf of the corporation and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
 
Section 3.  
Checks and Drafts. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, issued in the name of the corporation, shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors or by any officer or officers so authorized by the Board of Directors.
 
Section 4.  
Deposits. All funds of the corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the corporation in such depositories as selected by the Board of Directors or by any officer or officers so authorized by the Board of Directors.
 
 
VII.
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES AND THEIR TRANSFER
 
Section 1.  
Certificates for Shares.
 
The shares of the corporation may be represented by certificates in such form as shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Certificates, if any, shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer. Any certificates for shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name and address of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number and class of shares and the date of issue, shall be entered on the stock transfer books of the corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors may provide that some, any or all of any classes or series of the corporation’s shares be represented by uncertificated shares.
 
Section 2.  
Transfer of Shares. Transfer of shares of the corporation shall be made only on the stock transfer books of the corporation by the holder of record thereof or by his legal representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of authority to transfer, or by his attorney thereunto authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with the Secretary, and on surrender for cancellation of the certificate for such shares.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 3.  
Lost Certificate. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the corporation claimed to have been lost or destroyed, upon receipt of an affidavit of such fact from the person claiming the certificate of stock to have been lost or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate, the Board of Directors shall require that the owner of such lost or destroyed certificate, or his legal representative, give the corporation a bond in such sum as the Board may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate claimed to have been lost or destroyed, except where the Board of Directors by resolution finds that in the judgment of the directors the circumstances justify omission of a bond.
 
Section 4.  
Closing Transfer Books and Fixing Record Date. For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose, the Board of Directors may provide that the stock transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but not to exceed, in any case, fifty days. If the stock transfer books shall be 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 immediately preceding such meeting.
 
In lieu of closing the stock transfer books, the Board of Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of shareholders, such record date in any case to be not more than fifty days and, in case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days immediately preceding the date on which the particular action, requiring such determination of shareholders, is to be taken.
 
If the stock transfer books are not closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the Board of Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of shareholders.
 
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 where the determination has been made through the closing of the stock transfer books and the stated period of closing has expired.
 
Section 5.  
Holder of Record. The corporation may treat as absolute owner of shares the person in whose name the shares stand of record on its books just as if that person had full competency, capacity and authority to exercise all rights of ownership irrespective of any knowledge or notice to the contrary or any description indicating a representative, pledge or other fiduciary relation or any reference to any other instrument or to the rights of any other person appearing upon its record or upon the share certificate except that any person furnishing to the corporation proof of his appointment as a fiduciary shall be treated as if he were a holder of record of its shares.
 
 
 

 
 
Section 6.  
Treasury Shares. Treasury shares of the corporation shall consist of such shares as have been issued and thereafter acquired but not cancelled by the corporation. Treasury shares shall not carry voting or dividend rights.
 
 
VIII.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
Section 1.  
Dividends. The Board of Directors may from time to time declare, and the corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares in cash, property, or its own shares pursuant to law and subject to the provisions of its articles of incorporation.
 
Section 2.  
Seal. The corporate seal of the corporation shall consist of two concentric circles between which is the name of the corporation and in the center of which is inscribed SEAL; and such seal, as impressed on the margin hereof, is hereby adopted as the corporate seal of the corporation.
 
Section 3.  
Waiver of Notice.Whenever any notice is required to be given to any shareholder or director by law, by the articles of incorporation or by these bylaws, 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 equivalent to the giving of such notice.
 
Section 4.  
Indemnification. Any person who at any time serves or has served as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or in such capacity at the request of the corporation for any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall have a right to be indemnified by the corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law against (a) reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred by him in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether or not brought by or on behalf of the corporation, seeking to hold him liable by reason of the fact that he is or was acting in such capacity, and (b) reasonable payments made by him in satisfaction of any judgment, money decree, fine, penalty or settlement for which he may have become liable in any such action, suit or proceeding.
 
The Board of Directors of the corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary and appropriate to authorize the corporation to pay the indemnification required by this bylaw, including without limitation, to the extent needed, making a good faith evaluation of the manner in which the claimant for indemnity acted and of the reasonable amount of indemnity due him and giving notice to, and obtaining approval by, the shareholders of the corporation.
 
 
 

 
Any person who at any time after the adoption of this bylaw serves or has served in any of the aforesaid capacities for or on behalf of the corporation shall be deemed to be doing or to have done so in reliance upon, and as consideration for, the right of indemnification provided herein. Such right shall inure to the benefit of the legal representatives of any such person and shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which such person may be entitled apart from the provision of this bylaw.
 
Section 5.  
Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.
 
Section 6.  
Amendments. Except as otherwise provided herein these bylaws may be amended or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then holding office at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.
 
The Board of Directors shall have no power to adopt a bylaw: (1) requiring more than a majority of the voting shares for a quorum at a meeting of shareholders or more than a majority of the votes cast to constitute action by the shareholders, except as in accordance with the corporation’s articles of incorporation or as required by law; (2) providing for the management of the corporation otherwise than by the Board of Directors or its committees; (3) increasing or decreasing the number of directors beyond the number fixed in Article III, Section 2 hereof; or (4) classifying and staggering the election of directors.
 
No bylaw adopted or amended by the shareholders shall be altered or repealed by the Board of Directors.
 
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