-----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, T9vGtsF0km+F/Vhzu4LJxoL5XJlJvZWikuiweEv7hpbwtpnOyrDzN9IrkhXeY6Qh PfhjvKdqPjcNceH+VSAkgw== 0000797463-10-000017.txt : 20100616 0000797463-10-000017.hdr.sgml : 20100616 20100616095015 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000797463-10-000017 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20100611 ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20100616 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20100616 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: GENERAL ELECTRIC CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000040545 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: ELECTRONIC & OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (NO COMPUTER EQUIP) [3600] IRS NUMBER: 140689340 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NY FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-00035 FILM NUMBER: 10899608 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 3135 EASTON TURNPIKE STREET 2: W3F CITY: FAIRFIELD STATE: CT ZIP: 06828 BUSINESS PHONE: 203-373-2211 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 3135 EASTON TURNPIKE STREET 2: W3F CITY: FAIRFIELD STATE: CT ZIP: 06828 8-K 1 frm8k.htm frm8k.htm
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) June 11, 2010
 
 
General Electric Company
 
 
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
New York
 
001-00035
 
14-0689340
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
         
3135 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield, Connecticut
     
06828-0001
(Address of principal executive offices)
     
(Zip Code)
         
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code   (203) 373-2211
 
     
(Former name or former address, if changed since 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 Instructions A.2. below):
 
¨
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




 

(1)

 
 

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
 
(d)

On June 11, 2010, the Board of Directors of the General Electric Company (the Company) elected James S. Tisch to the Company’s Board of Directors.  Mr. Tisch is President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Loews Corporation. The Board of Directors increased its size from sixteen to seventeen directors, and Mr. Tisch joined the Board of Directors to fill the resulting vacancy.
 
The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Tisch is an independent director under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards and the Company's independence guidelines, as set forth in its Governance Principles.

Mr. Tisch will participate in the compensation and benefit program for non-management directors as described on pages 39 through 41 of the Company’s Proxy Statement for its Annual Meeting of Shareowners held on April 28, 2010.

The Board has not yet appointed Mr. Tisch to any Board committee.

A copy of the Company’s press release announcing the election is attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and hereby incorporated by reference.


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

On June 11, 2010, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the following amendments to the Company’s By-laws:

·  
Article III of the By-laws was amended to update references to the names of the committees of the Company’s Board of Directors;

·  
Article VII of the By-laws was amended to:

o  
change the 90-day deadline for giving advance notice of a director nomination or proposal for other business to be considered  at an annual meeting of shareholders to a window period of 90-120 days prior to the anniversary of the prior year’s annual meeting;

o  
require that a shareholder proponent provide a  representation that the shareholder is entitled to vote at the meeting for which it has provided advance notice and to require the shareholder proponent to update this information as of the record date for the meeting; and

o  
specify the information that must be provided to the Company by any shareholder giving advance notice to include, among other things, any personal or other direct or indirect material interest that the shareholder proponent and beneficial owners on whose behalf the business is being submitted have in such business, and a description of any arrangement or understanding that the shareholder proponent has, including derivative or hedging transactions, with respect to the Company’s securities.

(2)

 
 

 

·  
Article XI of the By-laws, concerning indemnification of directors and officers, was amended to:
o  
establish a right to advancement of expenses;
o  
clarify that indemnification is akin to a contract right;
o  
expand covered proceedings;
o  
allow fees on fees if a lawsuit is necessary for a director or officer to enforce his or her rights;
o  
clarify procedures for obtaining indemnification; and
o  
create a presumption of indemnification and advancement.
 
As a result of these amendments, a shareholder may nominate an individual for election as a director or bring other business before the 2011 annual meeting (other than proposals governed by Rule 14a-8) only by providing written notice to the Company, in the required form, on or after December 29, 2010 and no later than January 28, 2011.
 
This description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the amended and restated By-laws filed as an Exhibit to this Report.
 

 


 
Item 9.01.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.
 
 
(d) Exhibits
 
    The following exhibit is being filed as part of this report:
 
3(ii)    The By-laws of General Electric Company, as amended on June 11, 2010
99       Press Release dated June 16, 2010, issued by General Electric Company

 
  

(3)

 
 

 

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.
 
   
General Electric Company
 
   
(Registrant)
 
       
Date: June 16, 2010
  /s/ Michael R. McAlevey  
   
Michael R. McAlevey
 
   
Vice President and Chief Corporate, Securities and Finance Counsel
 

(4)

 
 

 

EX-3.II 2 ex3.htm ex3.htm
Exhibit 3(ii)
 

 
By-Laws of General Electric Company*
(as amended by the Board of Directors on 6/11/2010)

Article I
Office
 
 
The office of this Company shall be in the City of Schenectady, County of Schenectady, State of New York.
 
 

Article II
Directors

A.           The stock, property and affairs of this Company shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of not less than ten members. The number of Directors shall be such number, not less than the aforesaid minimum, as shall be determined by vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors, except as the number of Directors for any year shall be fixed by the shareholders at any annual statutory meeting by a majority vote of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon. The Directors shall be elected each year, at the annual statutory meeting of the shareholders, to hold office until the next statutory meeting, and until their successors have been elected and have qualified. One-third of the number of Directors constituting the entire Board, as that number shall be determined from time to time, shall be a quorum for the transaction of business.

B.           Meetings of Directors
 
 
1.  The Board of Directors may fix the time or times and the place or places of regular and special meetings of the Board. Special meetings of the Directors also may be held at any time by order of the Chairman of the Board, or in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, by order of the President, if then a separate officer, or upon the written direction of two of the Directors.
 
 
2 .  Notice of each special meeting shall be mailed or telegraphed to each Director at his residence or place of business at least two days before the meeting and notice shall be deemed to be given at the time of mailing or delivery to a telegraph office for transmission, but the said two days' notice need not be given to any Director who submits a signed waiver of notice, whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him. If the time and place of a regular meeting have not been fixed by the Board, notice of such meeting shall be given as in the case of a special meeting.
 
 
3. The Board of Directors may prescribe an order of business for its meetings.
 
 


 
* As last amended and restated by Board of Directors on September 10, 1976, except for Article XI which was amended by shareholders on April 22, 1987; the first two sentences of Article II, Section A, which were amended on June 15, 1993; Article III, which was amended by the Board of Directors on December 18, 1998; Article II, Section C, which was amended by the Board of Directors on April 25, 2006 and again on April 25, 2007; Article VII, which was amended by the Board on April 25, 2007 and again on February 6, 2009; and Articles III, VII and XI, which were amended by the Board on June 11, 2010 .
 

 
(1)

 

4. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or the committee consent in writing to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written consent thereto by the members of the
Board or committee shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board or committee.
 
 
5. Any one or more members of the Board of Directors or of any committee of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at any such meeting.
 
 
C.           Election of Directors. In any non-contested election of directors, any incumbent director nominee who receives a greater number of votes cast against his or her election than in favor of his or her election shall immediately tender his or her resignation, and the Board of Directors shall decide, through a process managed by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and excluding the nominee in question, whether to accept the resignation at its next regularly scheduled Board meeting.  The Board’s explanation of its decision shall be promptly disclosed on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

D.           In respect to things not herein specially provided for, the Board of Directors may exercise the powers conferred on them by law.


Article III
Committees of Directors

The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board, may designate from among its members, a Management Development and Compensation Committee, an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, a Public Responsibilities Committee,  and other committees, each consisting of one or more directors, and each of which, to the extent provided in the applicable resolution, shall have all the authority of the Board to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Board may designate one or more directors as ex officio members of any such committee who may replace any absent member or members at any meeting of such committee.
 
 

Article IV
Officers
 
 
A.           As determined by the Board of Directors, the officers of this Company shall include:
 
 
1. A Chairman of the Board, who shall be chosen by the Directors from their own number. The Chairman of the Board shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and in that capacity shall have general management, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, of the business of the Company, including the appointment of all officers and employees of the Company for whose election or appointment no other provisions is made in these By-laws; he shall also have the power, at any time, to discharge or remove any officer or employee of the Company, subject to the action thereon of the Board of Directors, and shall perform all other duties appropriate to this office. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of Directors, and he may at any time call any meeting of the Board of Directors; he may also at his discretion c all or attend any meeting of any committee of the Board, whether or not a member of such committee.
 
 
2.  One or more Vice Chairmen of the Board, who shall also be chosen by the Directors from their own number. The Board may designate one or more of the Vice Chairmen to be Executive Officers of the Company accountable to the Chief Executive Officer.
 
 

 
(2)

 

3.  A President of the Company, who shall be chosen by the Directors from their own number. The office of President will normally be vested in the Chairman of the Board, provided, however, that in the discretion of the Board, the position of President may be established independent of, but accountable to, the Chairman during transition periods.
 
 
4.  Two or more Vice Presidents, one or more of whom may also be designated Executive Vice Presidents or Senior Vice Presidents accountable to the Chief Executive Officer.
 
 
5.  A Vice President-Finance, who shall be the principal financial officer of the Company, and who shall have such duties as the Board, by resolution, shall determine. In the absence or disability of the Vice President-Finance, the Chairman of the Board may designate a person to exercise the powers of such office.
 
 
6.  A Comptroller and a Treasurer who shall be officers of the Company. The Treasurer and Comptroller shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Vice President-Finance. In the absence or disability of the Comptroller or Treasurer, the Chairman of the Board may designate a person to execute the powers of such office.
 
 
7.  A Secretary, who shall record in proper books to be kept for that purpose and have custody of the minutes of the meetings of the shareholders of the Company and of meetings of the Board of Directors and of committees of the Board (other than the Compensation Committee) and who shall be responsible for the custody and care of the seal of the Company. He shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the Company and perform such other duties as may be imposed upon him by the Board of Directors.
 
 
The Secretary may appoint an Associate Secretary and Attesting Secretaries, each of whom shall have the power to affix and attest the corporate seal of the Company, and to attest the execution of documents on behalf of the Company and who shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Secretary; and in the absence or disability of the Secretary, the Associate Secretary may be designated by the Chairman to exercise the powers of the Secretary.
 
 
8.  Such other officers as the Board may from time to time appoint.
 
 
B.           One person may hold two or more offices, except that no person shall simultaneously hold the offices of President and Secretary.

C.           All officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors for an initial term which shall continue until the first Board meeting following the next annual statutory meeting of shareholders, and thereafter all officers shall be elected for one-year terms; provided, however, that all officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. Officers shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time direct, provided that these powers and duties are not inconsistent with any outstanding Board resolutions.

D.           In the event of the absence, incapacity, illness or the death of the Chairman of the Board, the President, if then a separate officer, shall assume the duties of the Chairman of the Board pending action by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that if there is not a separate President in office, the duties of the Chairman of the Board, pending action by the Board of Directors, shall be assumed by that Vice Chairman who is senior to the others in length of General Electric Company service.


Article V
Removal of Officers and Employees

A.           Any officer or employee of the Company may be at any time removed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the Board of Directors. In case of such removal the officer so removed shall forthwith deliver all the property of the Company in his possession, or under his control, to some person to be designated by the Board. Nothing herein contained shall limit the power of any officer to discharge any subordinate.


 
(3)

 

B.           The Board may at any time, in the transaction of business, temporarily delegate any of the duties of any officer to any other officer or person selected by it.


Article VI
Vacancies

Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors, or in any office, may be filled for the unexpired term by the Board of Directors.
 
 
 
 
Article VII
Meetings of Shareholders

Meetings of shareholders may be held at such time and in such place within or without the State of New York as the Board of Directors may determine, and the annual statutory meeting required by Section 602(b) of the New York Business Corporation Law shall be held on the fourth Wednesday in April of each year, or as the Board of Directors may from time to time otherwise determine.
 
Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the Board, or upon the written request therefor of shareholders holding twenty-five percent of the then issued stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, filed with the Secretary.  A shareholder request for a special meeting shall state the purpose(s) of the proposed meeting and shall include the information required for business to be properly brought by a shareholder before the annual meeting of shareholders as set forth in this Article VII of these By-Laws with respect to any director nominations or other business proposed to be presented at such special meeting and as to the shareholder(s) requesting such meeting.  Business transacted at a special meeting requested by shareholders shall be limited to the purpose(s) state d in the request; provided, however, that nothing in these By-Laws shall prohibit the Board of Directors from submitting matters to the shareholders at any special meeting requested by shareholders.

The Board of Directors may prescribe an order of business for meetings of shareholders. The Chairman of the Board, or in his absence, the President, if then a separate officer, shall preside at meetings of the shareholders; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may for any meeting of shareholders designate another officer or officers to preside.

No business shall be conducted at a meeting of the shareholders except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article VII.  Nominations for the election of directors may be made by the Board of Directors or by any shareholder entitled to vote for the election of directors who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Article.  The proposal of other business that may properly be considered by shareholders at a meeting may be made only (i) pursuant to the Company’s notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) otherwise by or at the direction of the Board of Directors as permitted by law or (iii) by any shareholder of the Company who was a shareholder of record at the time such shareholder gives notice of such proposal as provided for in this Article, w ho is entitled to vote on the proposal and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Article.

For business to be properly brought by a shareholder before the annual meeting of shareholders, the shareholder must give timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Company and such business must otherwise be a proper matter for shareholder action.  To be timely, a shareholder’s notice of intention to make a nomination or to propose other business at the annual meeting must either (i) be sent to the Company in compliance with the requirements of SEC Rule 14a-8, if the proposal is submitted under such rule, or (ii) if not, be mailed and received by, or delivered to, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not earlier than the close of business on the 120thday and not later than the close of business on t he 90th day prior to the anniversary date of the most recent annual meeting of shareholders or, if the date of the annual meeting of shareholders is more than 30 days earlier or later than such anniversary date, then not later than the close of business on the 10th day after public disclosure of the meeting date.


 
(4)

 

Only matters as are stated in the notice of a special meeting of shareholders shall be brought before such a meeting and, in the case of a special meeting properly noticed for the election of directors, notice of a shareholder’s intention to make a nomination, in order to be timely, must be mailed and received by, or delivered to, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company not later than the close of business on the 10th day after public disclosure of the meeting date.

A shareholder’s notice to the Secretary to submit business for action at the annual meeting of shareholders shall set forth either the information required by SEC Rule 14a-8 if submitted in accordance with and permitted by such rule or, if a nomination for the election of a director at the annual meeting or a special meeting of shareholders or otherwise not in accordance with such rule: as to the shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf the business is being submitted: (i) the name and address of the shareholder and such beneficial owners, (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Company held of record and beneficially by such shareholder and such beneficial owners, and a representation that such shareholder will notify the Company in writing of the class, series an d number of such shares owned of record and beneficially as of the record date for the meeting, promptly following the later of the record date or the date notice of the record date is first publicly disclosed, (iii) a representation that the shareholder is entitled to vote at the meeting and intends to appear at the meeting in person or by proxy to submit the business specified in such notice, (iv) a brief description of the business desired to be submitted to the meeting of shareholders, including the complete text of any resolutions and any amendment to any Company document intended to be presented at the meeting of shareholders, (v) any personal or other direct or indirect material interest of the shareholder and such beneficial owners in the business to be submitted, (vi) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date of the shareholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, the shareholder and such beneficial owners, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price change for, or maintain, increase or decrease the voting power of, such shareholder or such beneficial owners with respect to shares of stock of the Company, and a representation that the shareholder will notify the Company in writing of any such agreement, arrangement or understanding in effect as of the record date for the meeting promptly following the later of the record date or the date notice of the record date is first publicly disclosed, (vii) all other information relating to the proposed business which may be required to be disclosed under the New York Business Corporation Law or included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC and (viii) if the shareholder intends to make a nomination, (a) information regarding each nominee proposed by such sh areholder as would have been required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC and (b) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the shareholder.  Notice of intention to make a nomination shall be accompanied by the written consent of each nominee to serve as director of the Company if elected.

The officer presiding at the meeting of shareholders shall determine all matters relating to the efficient conduct of the meeting, including, but not limited to, the items of business.  The presiding officer shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare that any putative business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures prescribed by this Article VII, in which case such business shall not be transacted.


Article VIII
Stock and Transfer

A.           Certificates of stock, signed by the Chairman of the Board, or a Vice Chairman, or the President, if then a separate officer, or a Vice President and the Secretary or Treasurer, shall be issued to the shareholders. Such signatures may be facsimiles, engraved or printed, and in case any such officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such before such certificate is issued, such certificate may be issued by the Company with the same effect as if that officer had not ceased to be such at the date of its issue.


 
(5)

 

B.           The stock shall be transferable only upon the books of the Company, by the holder thereof, in person, or by properly authenticated power of attorney.

C.           The Board of Directors or Executive Committee may appoint suitable agents in the City of New York and elsewhere, to facilitate transfers by shareholders under such regulations as the Board may from time to time prescribe. The transfer books may be closed by the Board for such periods as may be deemed advisable for dividend or other purposes.

D.           The Board of Directors or Executive Committee may appoint any Bank or Trust Company in the City of New York or elsewhere, to act as registrar of transfers of stock until otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors. After the appointment of any such registrar of transfers, no certificate thereafter issued for stock shall be binding upon the Company, or have any validity, unless countersigned by any such registrar of transfers, or by a successor of any such registrar appointed by the Board of Directors.
 
 
E.           The Board of Directors may make such other and further regulations, with reference to the stock and its transfer, as to them may seem advisable from time to time.
 
 
F.           The Board of Directors may call a meeting or meetings of shareholders for the purpose of authorizing an increase of the stock of this Company, at such time or times as to the Board may seem advisable.
 
 
Article IX
Examination of Books

The Board of Directors may, by resolution, make regulations respecting the examination of the books of the Company by shareholders.

Article X
Engineering Decisions and Activities

All engineering decisions made in a particular state pertaining to any project or engineering activities conducted by the Company in such state where so required by law, or where the Chief Executive Officer so directs, shall be made (a) by the employee of the Company who holds a certificate of registration as an engineer in such state and who has been specified by the Chief Executive Officer or the person designated by the Chief Executive Officer to make such specification, as the engineer in responsible charge of such project or engineering activities, or (b) by other responsible engineers under his direction or supervision.

 
Article XI
 
 
Indemnification
 

A.           The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as the same exists or may hereafter be in effect, indemnify any person who is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the Company (hereinafter, a “director” or “officer”) and who is or was made or threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute mechanism, inquiry, investigation, hearing or other proceeding (including any appeal therein), whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, legislative or otherwise (hereinafter, a “proceeding“), including an action by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor and an action by or in the r ight of any other corporation of any type or kind, domestic or foreign, or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, which such person is serving, has served or has agreed to serve in any capacity at the request of the Company, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the Company, or, while a director or officer of the Company, is or was serving or has agreed to serve such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise in any capacity, against (i) judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, taxes or

 
(6)

 

penalties, and (ii) costs, charges and expenses, including attorneys fees (hereinafter, “expenses”), incurred in connection with such proceeding, provided, however, that no indemnification shall be provided to any such person if a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the director or officer and from which there is no further right to appeal establishes that (i) his or her acts were committed in bad faith or were the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and, in either case, were material to the cause of action so adjudicated, or (ii) he or she personally gained in fact a financial profit or other advantage to which he or she was not legally entitled.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as provided in Paragraph E with respect to a suit to enforce rights to indemnification or advancement of expe nses under this Article XI, the Company shall be required to indemnify a director or officer under this Paragraph A in connection with any suit (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such suit (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.
 
B.   In addition to the right to indemnification conferred by Paragraph A, a director or officer of the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as the same exists or may hereafter be in effect, also have the right to be paid by the Company the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay any amounts so advanced if (i) such person is ultimately found, under the procedure set forth in Paragraph C or by a court of competent jurisdiction, not to be entitled to indemnification under this Article XI or otherwise, or (ii) where indemnification is granted, to the extent the expenses so advanced by the Company exceed the indemnification to which such person is entitled.
 

C.           To receive indemnification under Paragraph A, a director or officer of the Company shall submit to the Company a written request, which shall include documentation or information that is necessary to determine the entitlement of such person to indemnification and that is reasonably available to such person.  Upon receipt by the Company of a written request for indemnification, if required by the New York Business Corporation Law, a determination with respect to the request shall be made (i) by the Board of Directors, acting by a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to the proceeding upon a finding that the director or officer has met applicable the standard of conduct set forth in the New York Business Corporation Law, or (ii) if a quorum of s uch disinterested directors is not obtainable, or even if obtainable, if a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by the Board of Directors upon the opinion in writing of independent legal counsel that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because the director or officer has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the New York Business Corporation Law or by the shareholders upon a finding that such person has met such standard of conduct.  The determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be made, and such indemnification shall be paid in full, within 90 days after a written request for indemnification has been received by the Company.  Upon making a request for indemnification, a director or officer shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification and the burden of establishing that a director or officer is not entitled to indemnification under this Article XI or otherwise shall be on the Company.


 
(7)

 

D.           To receive an advancement of expenses under Paragraph B, a director or officer shall submit to the Company a written request, which shall reasonably evidence the expenses incurred by such person and shall include the undertaking required by Paragraph B.  Expenses shall be paid in full within 30 days after a written request for advancement has been received by the Company.

E.           If a claim for indemnification or advancement of expenses is not paid in full by the Company or on its behalf within the time frames specified in Paragraph C or D, as applicable, a director or officer of the Company may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Company in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the unpaid amount of the claim.  If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Company to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, such person shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit.  In any suit brought by a director or officer of the Company to enforce a right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this A rticle XI, or brought by the Company to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the such person is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article XI or otherwise shall be on the Company.

F.           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XI, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as the same exists or may hereafter be in effect, a director or officer of the Company shall be entitled to indemnification against all expenses incurred by such person or on such person’s behalf if such person appears as a witness or otherwise incurs legal expenses as a result of or related to such person’s service (i) as a director or officer of the Company, or (ii) while a director or officer of the Company, at any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, which such person is serving, has served or has agreed to serve in any capacity at the request of the Company, in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute mechanism, inquiry, investigation, hearing or other proceeding to which such person neither is, nor is threatened to be made, a party.

G.           The Company may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, or by a committee comprised of members of the Board or members of management as the Board may designate for such purpose, provide indemnification to employees or agents of the Company who are not officers or directors of the Company with such scope and effect as determined by the Board, or such committee.

H.           The Company may indemnify any person to whom the Company is permitted by applicable law to provide indemnification or the advancement of expenses, whether pursuant to rights granted pursuant to, or provided by, the New York Business Corporation Law or other rights created by (i) a resolution of shareholders, (ii) a resolution of directors, or (iii) an agreement providing for such indemnification, it being expressly intended that these By-Laws authorize the creation of other rights in any such manner.  The right to be indemnified and to the advancement of expenses authorized by this Paragraph H shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws, ag reement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

I.           The rights conferred by this Article XI shall be contract rights and shall vest at the time a person agrees to become a director or officer of the Company.  Such rights shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Company and shall extend to the heirs and legal representatives of such person.  Any repeal or modification of the provisions of this Article XI shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any director or officer in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

J.           If any provision of this Article XI is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article XI (including without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Article XI containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not by themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of

 
(8)

 

this Article XI (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraph of this Article XI containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

K.           This Article XI may be amended, modified or repealed either by action of the Board of Directors of the Company or by the vote of the shareholders.


Article XII
Amendments of By-laws

These By-laws may be altered, amended or repealed, at any time, in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation of this Company.


Article XIII
Emergency By-law

A.           This Emergency By-law shall become effective if the Defense Council of New York, as constituted under the New York State Defense Emergency Act now in effect or as it may hereafter be amended from time to time, shall order the effectiveness of emergency By-laws of New York Corporations and shall cease to be effective when the Council shall so declare. This Emergency By-law may also become effective in the manner outlined in Section E of this Article.

B.           In the event this Emergency By-law shall become effective, the business of the Company shall continue to be managed by those members of the Board of Directors in office at the time the emergency arises who are available to act during the emergency. If less than three such Directors are available to act, additional Directors, in whatever number is necessary to constitute a Board of three Directors, shall be selected automatically from the first available officers or employees in the order provided in the emergency succession list established by the Board of Directors and in effect at the time an emergency arises.

C.           For the purposes of Sections B and D(3) of this Article, a Director shall be deemed unavailable to act if he shall fail to attend a Directors meeting called in the manner provided in Section D(l) of this Article. This section, however, shall not affect in any way the right of a Director in office at the time an emergency arises to continue as a Director.

D.           The Board of Directors shall be governed by the following basic procedures and shall have the following specific powers in addition to all other powers which it would otherwise have.
 
 
1. Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by any Director, or by the first available officer or employee in the order provided in the emergency succession list referred to in Section B of this Article, by mailing to all Directors written notice thereof at their residence or place of business at least two days before the meeting and by using other reasonably available means of communication in an effort to contact each Director.
 
 
2. Three Directors shall constitute a quorum which may in all cases act by majority vote.
 
 
3. If the number of Directors who are available to act shall drop below three, additional Directors, in whatever number is necessary to constitute a Board of three Directors, shall be selected automatically from the first available officers or employees in the order provided in the emergency succession list referred to in Section B of this Article.
 
 

 
(9)

 

4. Additional Directors, beyond the minimum number of three Directors, but not more than three additional Directors, may be elected from any officers or employees on the emergency succession list referred to in Section B of this Article.
 
 
5. Any Director, other than a Director in office at the time an emergency arises, may be removed by a majority vote.
 
 
6. The Board of Directors may establish any additional procedures and may amend any of the provisions of this Article concerning the interim management of the affairs of the Company in an emergency if it considers it to be in the best interests of the Company to do so, except that it may not change Sections C or D(5) of this Article in any manner which excludes from participation any person who was a Director in office at the time an emergency arises.
 
 
7.  To the extent that it considers it practical to do so, the Board of Directors shall manage the business of the Company during an emergency in a manner which is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws. It is recognized, however, that in an emergency it may not always be practical to act in this manner and this Emergency By-law is intended to and hereby empowers the Board of Directors with the maximum authority possible under the New York State Defense Emergency Act, and all other applicable law, to conduct the interim management of the affairs of the Company in an emergency in what it considers to be in the best interests of the Company.
 
 
E.           If an obvious defense emergency exists because of an enemy attack and, if by reason of the emergency, the Defense Council of New York is itself unable to order the effectiveness of emergency by-laws as contemplated by Section A of this Article, then:
 
 
1.  A quorum of the Board of Directors pursuant to Article II of these By-laws may order the effectiveness of this Emergency By-law or
 
 
2.  If a quorum of the Board of Directors pursuant to Article II of these By-laws is not present at the first Board of Directors meeting called, in the manner provided in Section D(l) of this Article, after an emergency arises, then the provisions of this Emergency By-law shall automatically become effective and shall remain in effect until it is practical for a normally constituted Board of Directors to resume management of the business of the Company.
                  

 
(10)

 

EX-99 3 ex99.htm ex99.htm
Exhibit 99

James S. Tisch Elected to GE Board of Directors
 
GE’s board has elected James S. Tisch, Chief Executive Officer of Loews Corporation, as a director

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- June 16, 2010-- The Board of Directors of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) has elected James S. Tisch as a director.  Mr. Tisch is the chief executive officer of Loews Corporation.  He was elected by the GE Board at its regularly scheduled meeting on June 11, 2010.

“James Tisch is an experienced leader of a very successful and diverse company,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. “The GE board and our investors will benefit from his deep knowledge and expertise in global finance and industry.”

Tisch is an independent director under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards and the Company’s independence guidelines.  Tisch’s election brings GE’s board to 17 members, 15 of whom are independent.

Loews is one of the largest diversified corporations in the United States. Its principal subsidiaries include CNA Financial Corporation; Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.; HighMount Exploration & Production, LLC; Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP; and Loews Hotels.

Tisch, 57, is a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a director of Loews’s 90% owned subsidiary CNA Financial. He is also chairman and director of Diamond Offshore Drilling, which is 50% owned by Loews. Tisch serves as chairman of WNET.ORG, parent of WNET Channel 13 and WLIW Channel 21, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  He also sits on the boards of the New York Public Library, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and the Partnership for New York City.

Tisch holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, health care solutions, and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.



PRESS CONTACTS
Stacey Tank
GE
+1 203 373 2727
+1 203 556 6990(mobile)
stacey.tank@ge.com

Trevor Schauenberg
GE Corporate, VP Investor Communications
+1 203 373 2424
trevor.a.schauenberg@ge.com
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----