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Exhibit 3.1

 

FIRST PACTRUST BANCORP, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

(July 1, 2012)

I.

STOCKHOLDERS

1.01.  Annual Meeting.  An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall each year fix.  Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Corporation’s existence or affect any otherwise valid corporate act.

1.02.  Special Meetings.  Subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called by the President, by the Chief Executive Officer or by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies on the Board of Directors (hereinafter the “Whole Board”).  Special meetings of the stockholders shall be called by the Secretary at the request of stockholders only on the written request of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting.  Such written request will state the purpose or purposes of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted upon at the meeting, and shall be delivered at the home office of the Corporation addressed to the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary.  The Secretary shall inform the stockholders who make the request of the reasonable estimated cost of preparing and mailing a notice of the meeting and, upon payment of these costs to the Corporation, notify each stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting.  The Board of Directors shall have the sole power to fix (1) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to request a special meeting of stockholders and the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the special meeting and (2) the date, time and place of the special meeting.

1.03.  Notice of Meetings.  Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each stockholders’ meeting, the Secretary shall give written notice of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at the meeting and to each other stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting.  The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting and, if the meeting is a special meeting or notice of the purpose is required by statute, the purpose of the meeting.  Notice is given to a stockholder when it is personally delivered to the stockholder, left at the stockholder’s usual place of business, mailed to the stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, or transmitted to the stockholder by electronic mail to any electronic mail address of the stockholder or by any other electronic means.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, each person who is entitled to notice waives notice if such person, before or after the meeting, signs a waiver of the notice which is filed with the records of the stockholders’ meeting, or is present at the meeting in person or by proxy.

 

 


 

 

1.04.  Adjournment.  A meeting of stockholders convened on the date for which it was called may be adjourned from time to time without further notice to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date.  At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

1.05.  Quorum; Voting.  At any meeting of the stockholders, the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast one third of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting constitutes a quorum for all purposes, unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law.  Where a separate vote by a class or classes is required, a majority of the shares of such class or classes, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.

If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, may adjourn the meeting to another place, date or time.

1.06.  General Right to Vote; Proxies.  Unless the Charter provides for a greater or lesser number of votes per share or limits or denies voting rights, each outstanding share of stock, regardless of class, is entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders.  In all elections for directors, directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast, and except as otherwise required by law or as provided in the Corporation’s Charter, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast at the meeting.

A stockholder may vote the stock the stockholder owns of record either in person or by proxy.  A stockholder may sign a writing authorizing another person to act as proxy.  Signing may be accomplished by the stockholder or the stockholder’s authorized agent signing the writing or causing the stockholder’s signature to be affixed to the writing by any reasonable means, including facsimile signature.  A stockholder may authorize another person to act as proxy by transmitting, or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, cablegram, datagram, electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission to the person authorized to act as proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization, or other person authorized by the person who will act as proxy to receive the transmission.  Unless a proxy provides otherwise, it is not valid more than 11 months after its date.  A proxy is revocable by a stockholder at any time without condition or qualification unless the proxy states that it is irrevocable and the proxy is coupled with an interest.  A proxy may be made irrevocable for so long as it is coupled with an interest.  The interest with which a proxy may be coupled includes an interest in the stock to be voted under the proxy or another general interest in the Corporation or its asset or liabilities.

1.07.  Conduct of Business

Such person as the Board of Directors may have designated or, in the absence of such a person, the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall call to order any meeting of the stockholders and act as chairman of the meeting.  In the absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be such person as the chairman appoints.  The chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him or her in order.

 


 

 

Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in Section 1.09, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in Section 1.09.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at a special meeting of stockholders only pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting.  The chairman 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 Section 1.09 and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with Section 1.09, to declare that such defective nomination or proposal be disregarded.

1.08.  Conduct of Voting.  The Board of Directors shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more persons as inspectors of election, to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof and make a written report thereof, in accordance with applicable law.  At all meetings of stockholders, the proxies and ballots shall be received, and all questions touching the qualification of voters, the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes not otherwise specified by these Bylaws, the Corporation’s Charter or law, shall be decided or determined by the inspector of elections.  All voting, including on the election of directors but excepting where otherwise required by law, may be by a voice vote; provided, however, that upon demand therefore by a stockholder entitled to vote or his or her proxy, a stock vote shall be taken.  Every stock vote shall be taken by ballot, each of which shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting.  Every vote taken by ballot shall be counted by an inspector or inspectors appointed by the chairman of the meeting.  No candidate for election as a director at a meeting shall serve as an inspector at such meeting.

1.09.  Stockholder Proposals.  For any stockholder proposal to be presented in connection with an annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation (including proposals made under rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), including any nomination or proposal relating to the nomination of a director to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the stockholders 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 90 days or more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 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 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which notice of the date of annual meeting was mailed or public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.  No adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting shall commence a new period for the giving of notice of a stockholder proposal hereunder.  Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (a) 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); (b) 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 (c) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner; (ii) the class and number of shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholders and such beneficial owner; and (iii) a representation that such stockholder intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to bring such business before the meeting.

 

1.10.  Informal Action by Stockholders.  Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting if there is filed with the records of the stockholders’ meetings a unanimous written consent which sets forth the action and is signed by each stockholder entitled to vote on the matter and a written waiver of any right to dissent signed by each stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting but not entitled to vote at the meeting.

1.11.  List of Stockholders.  At each meeting of stockholders, a full, true and complete list of all stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, showing the number and class of shares held by each and certified by the transfer agent for such class or by the Secretary, shall be furnished by the Secretary.

II.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2.01.  Function of Directors, Number and Term of Office.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.  The number of directors of the Corporation may be changed from time to time from the number provided in the Charter, exclusively by the Board of Directors pursuant a resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, to a number not exceeding 15 and not less than the minimum number of directors permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), but the action may not affect the tenure of office of any director.  The Board of Directors shall annually elect a Chairman of the Board from among its members and shall designate, when present, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer (if the Chief Executive Officer is a director) to preside at its meetings.

The directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any class or series of preferred stock, shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, with the term of office of the first class to expire at the first annual meeting of stockholders, the term of office of the second class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders one year thereafter and the term of office of the third class to expire at the annual meeting of stockholders two years thereafter, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.  At each annual meeting of stockholders, commencing with the first annual meeting, directors elected to succeed those directors whose

 


 

terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election, with each director to hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

2.02.  Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships.  Subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of preferred or other stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause may be filled by a majority vote of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, and, by virtue of the Corporation’s election made in its Charter to be subject to Section 3-804(c)(3) of the MGCL, any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualified.  No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed only in accordance with the provisions of the Corporation’s Charter.

2.03.  Regular Meetings.  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place or places, on such date or dates, and at such time or times as shall have been established by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors.  A notice of each regular meeting shall not be required.  Any regular meeting of the Board of Directors may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting other than by announcement.

2.04.  Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by one-third (1/3) of the directors then in office (rounded up to the nearest whole number) or by the Chairman of the Board and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as they or he or she shall fix.  Notice of the place, date, and time of each such special meeting shall be given to each director by whom it is not waived by mailing written notice not less than five days before the meeting or by telegraphing or telexing or by facsimile or electronic transmission of the same not less than 24 hours before the meeting.  Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.  No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need be given to any director who attends except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened, or to any director who, in writing executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the holding thereof, waives such notice.  Any special meeting of the Board of Directors may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting other than by announcement.

2.05.  Quorum.  At any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the authorized number of directors then constituting the Board shall constitute a quorum for all purposes.  If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting to another place, date, or time, without further notice or waiver thereof.

 

 


 

 

2.06.  Participation in Meetings by Conference Telephone.  Members of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

2.07.  Conduct of Business.  At any meeting of the Board of Directors, business shall be transacted in such order and manner as the Board may from time to time determine, and all matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the directors present, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, the Corporation’s Charter or required by law.  Action may be taken by the Board of Directors without a meeting if a unanimous written consent which sets forth the action is signed by each member of the Board of Directors, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.

2.08.  Powers.  The Board of Directors may, except as otherwise required by law, these Bylaws or the Corporation’s Charter, exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the unqualified power:

(1) To declare dividends from time to time in accordance with law;
(2) To purchase or otherwise acquire any property, rights or privileges on such terms as it shall determine;
(3) To authorize the creation, making and issuance, in such form as it may determine, of written obligations of every kind, negotiable or non-negotiable, secured or unsecured, and to do all things necessary in connection therewith;
(4) To remove any officer of the Corporation with or without cause, and from time to time to devolve the powers and duties of any officer upon any other person for the time being;
(5) To confer upon any officer of the Corporation the power to appoint, remove and suspend subordinate officers, employees and agents;
(6) To adopt from time to time such stock, option, stock purchase, bonus or other compensation plans for directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine;
(7) To adopt from time to time such insurance, retirement, and other benefit plans for directors, officers, employees and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine; and
(8) To adopt from time to time regulations, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, for the management of the Corporation’s business and affairs.

2.09.  Compensation of Directors.  Directors, as such, may receive, pursuant to resolution of the Board of Directors, fixed fees (and expenses, if any) and other compensation for their

 


 

services as directors, including, without limitation, their services as members of committees of the Board of Directors.

 

2.10.  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 or her dissent or abstention shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he or she shall file his or her written dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation within 24 hours after the adjournment of the meeting.  Such right to dissent shall not apply to a director who votes in favor of such action or failed to make his dissent known at the meeting.

2.11.  Qualifications.  No person shall be eligible for election or appointment to the Board of Directors if such person (i) has, within the previous 10 years, been the subject of supervisory action by a financial regulatory agency that resulted in a cease and desist order or an agreement or other written statement subject to public disclosure under 12 U.S.C. 1818 (u), or any successor provision, (ii) has been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust which is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year under state or federal law, or (iii) is currently charged in any information, indictment, or other complaint with the commission of or participation in such a crime.  No person shall be eligible for election to the Board of Directors if such person is the nominee or representative of a person or group that includes a person who is ineligible for election to the Board of Directors under this Section 2.11(b).  The Board of Directors shall have the power to construe and apply the provisions of this Section 2.11(b) and to make all determinations necessary or desirable to implement such provisions, including but not limited to determinations as to whether a person is a nominee or representative of a person or a group and whether a person is included in a group.

III.

COMMITTEES

3.01.  Committees of the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee and other committees composed of one or more directors and delegate to these committees any of the powers of the Board of Directors, except the power to authorize dividends on stock, elect directors, issue stock other than as provided in the next sentence, recommend to the stockholders any action which requires stockholder approval, amend these Bylaws, or approve any merger or share exchange which does not require stockholder approval.  If the Board of Directors has given general authorization for the issuance of stock providing for or establishing a method or procedure for determining the maximum number of shares to be issued, a committee of the Board of Directors, in accordance with that general authorization or any stock option or other plan or program adopted by the Board of Directors, may authorize or fix the terms of stock subject to classification or reclassification and the terms on which any stock may be issued, including all terms and conditions required or permitted to be established or authorized by the Board of Directors under Sections 2-203 and 2-208 of the MGCL.  Any committee so designated may exercise the power and authority of the Board of Directors if the resolution which designated the committee or a supplemental resolution of the Board of Directors shall so provide.  In the absence or disqualification of any member of

 


 

any committee in his or her place, the member or members of the committee present at the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or she or they constitute a quorum, may by unanimous vote appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

 

3.02.  Conduct of Business.  Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law.  Adequate provision shall be made for notice to members of all meetings, one-third (1/3) of the members shall constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of one or two members, in which event one member shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present.  Action may be taken by any committee without a meeting if a unanimous written consent is signed by each member of the committee, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of such committee.

3.03.  Nominating Committee.  The Board of Directors may appoint a Nominating Committee of the Board, consisting of not less than three members.  The Nominating Committee shall have authority (i) to review any nominations for election to the Board of Directors made by a stockholder of the Corporation pursuant to Sections 1.07 and 1.09 of these Bylaws in order to determine compliance with such Bylaw and (ii) to recommend to the Board of Directors nominees for election to the Board of Directors to replace those directors whose terms expire at the annual meeting of stockholders next ensuing.

IV.

OFFICERS

4.01.  Generally. 

1. The Board of Directors as soon as may be practicable after the annual meeting of stockholders shall choose a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer and from time to time may choose such other officers as it may deem proper.  Any number of offices may be held by the same person, except no person may serve concurrently as both President and Vice President of the Corporation.

2. The term of office of all officers shall be until the next annual election of officers and until their respective successors are chosen, but any officer may be removed from office at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the authorized number of directors then constituting the Board of Directors.

3. All officers chosen by the Board of Directors shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the specific provisions of this Article IV.  Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board of Directors or by any committee thereof.

4.02.  Chief Executive Officer.  The Chief Executive Officer, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, shall have general power over the management and oversight of the administration and operation of the Corporation’s business and general supervisory power and

 


 

authority over its policies and affairs.  The Chief Executive Officer shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors and of any committee thereof are carried into effect.

 

Each meeting of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by such officer as has been designated by the Board of Directors or, in his or her absence, by such officer or other person as is chosen at the meeting.  The Secretary or, in his or her absence, the General Counsel of the Corporation or such officer as has been designated by the Board of Directors or, in his or her absence, such officer or other person as is chosen by the person presiding, shall act as secretary of each such meeting.

4.03.  President.  The President, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, shall act in an executive capacity as shall be directed from time to time by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, and shall have such powers and perform such other duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may determine from time to time (which may include, without limitation, assisting the Chief Executive Officer in the management and oversight of the administration and operation of the Corporation’s business and the supervision of its policies and affairs), with such limitations on such powers or performance of duties as either of the foregoing shall prescribe. 

4.04.  Vice President.  The Vice President or Vice Presidents, if any, shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence or during his or her disability to act.  In addition, the Vice Presidents shall perform the duties and exercise the powers usually incident to their respective offices and/or such other duties and powers as may be properly assigned to them from time to time by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

4.05.  Secretary.  The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall issue notices of meetings, shall keep their minutes, shall have charge of the seal and the corporate books, shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as are usually incident to such offices and/or such other duties and powers as are properly assigned thereto by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

4.06.  Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall have charge of all monies and securities of the Corporation, other than monies and securities of any division of the Corporation which has a treasurer or financial officer appointed by the Board of Directors, and shall keep regular books of account.  The funds of the Corporation shall be deposited in the name of the Corporation by the Treasurer with such banks or trust companies or other entities as the Board of Directors from time to time shall designate.  The Treasurer shall sign or countersign such instruments as require his or her signature, shall perform all such duties and have all such powers as are usually incident to such office and/or such other duties and powers as are properly assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, and may be required to give bond, payable by the Corporation, for the faithful performance of his duties in such sum and with such surety as may be required by the Board of Directors.

4.07.  Assistant Secretaries and Other Officers.  The Board of Directors may appoint one or more assistant secretaries and one or more assistants to the Treasurer, or one appointee to both such positions, which officers shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as are

 


 

provided in these Bylaws or as may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

 

4.08.  Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations.  Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, or any other officer of the Corporation authorized by the Chief Executive Officer, shall have power to vote and otherwise act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at any meeting of stockholders of or with respect to any action of stockholders of any other corporation in which this Corporation may hold securities and otherwise to exercise any and all rights and powers which this Corporation may possess by reason of its ownership of securities in such other Corporation.

V.

STOCK

5.01.  Certificates of Stock; Uncertificated Shares.  The Board of Directors may determine to issue certificated or uncertificated shares of capital stock and other securities of the Corporation.  For certificated stock, each stockholder is entitled to certificates which represent and certify the shares of stock he or she holds in the Corporation.  Each stock certificate shall include on its face the name of the Corporation, the name of the stockholder or other person to whom it is issued, and the class of stock and number of shares it represents.  It shall also include on its face or back (a) a statement of any restrictions on transferability and a statement of the designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption of the stock of each class which the Corporation is authorized to issue, of the differences in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each series of a preferred or special class in series which the Corporation is authorized to issue, to the extent they have been set, and of the authority of the Board of Directors to set the relative rights and preferences of subsequent series of a preferred or special class of stock or (b) a statement which provides in substance that the Corporation will furnish a full statement of such information to any stockholder on request and without charge.  Such request may be made to the Secretary or to the Corporation’s transfer agent.  Upon the issuance of uncertificated shares of capital stock, the Corporation shall send the stockholder a written statement of the same information required above on stock certificates.  Each stock certificate shall be in such form, not inconsistent with law or with the Corporation’s Charter, as shall be approved by the Board of Directors or any officer or officers designated for such purpose by resolution of the Board of Directors.  Each stock certificate shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President, and countersigned by the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, or an Assistant Treasurer.  Each certificate may be sealed with the actual corporate seal or a facsimile of it or in any other form and the signatures may be either manual or facsimile signatures.  A certificate is valid and may be issued whether or not an officer who signed it is still an officer when it is issued.  A certificate may not be issued until the stock represented by it is fully paid.

5.02.  Transfers of Stock.  Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a stock certificate or uncertificated shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, the Corporation shall issue a

 


 

new certificate or uncertificated shares to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate or uncertificated shares 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 and subject to Section 5.05 of these Bylaws.

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.

5.03.  Record Dates or Closing of Transfer Books.  The Board of Directors may, and shall have sole power to, set a record date or direct that the stock transfer books be closed for a stated period for the purpose of making any proper determination with respect to stockholders, including which stockholders are entitled to notice of a meeting, vote at a meeting, receive a dividend, or be allotted other rights.  The record date may not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed nor, subject to Section 1.04, more than 90 days before the date on which the action requiring the determination will be taken; the transfer books may not be closed for a period longer than 20 days; and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, the record date or the closing of the transfer books shall be at least ten days before the date of the meeting.

5.04.  Stock Ledger.  The Corporation shall maintain a stock ledger which contains the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of stock of each class which the stockholder holds.  The stock ledger may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection.  The original or a duplicate of the stock ledger shall be kept at the offices of a transfer agent for the particular class of stock or, if none, at the principal executive offices of the Corporation.

5.05.  Certification of Beneficial Owners.  The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a stockholder of the Corporation 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 certify; the purpose for which the certification may be made; the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date or closing of the stock transfer books, the time after the record date or closing of the stock transfer books within which the certification must be received by the Corporation; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Directors considers necessary or desirable.  On receipt of a certification which complies with the procedure adopted by the Board of Directors in accordance with this Section, the person specified in the certification is, for the purpose set forth in the certification, the holder of record of the specified stock in place of the stockholder who makes the certification.

5.06.  Lost Stock Certificates.  The Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine the conditions for issuing a new stock certificate or uncertificated shares in place of a stock certificate which is alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, or the Board of Directors may

 


 

delegate such power to any officer or officers of the Corporation.  In their discretion, the Board of Directors or such officer or officers may require the owner of the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed to give a bond, with sufficient surety, to indemnify the Corporation against any loss or claim arising as a result of the issuance of a new certificate or uncertificated shares.  In their discretion, the Board of Directors or such officer or officers may refuse to issue such new certificate or uncertificated shares without the order of a court having jurisdiction over the matter.

 

5.07.  Regulations.  The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of shares of stock shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.

VI.

FINANCE

6.01.  Checks, Drafts, Etc.  All checks, drafts and orders for the payment of money, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of the Corporation, shall, unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, be signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, an Assistant Vice President, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.

6.02.  Annual Statement of Affairs.  The Chief Executive Officer or Chief Accounting Officer shall prepare annually a full and correct statement of the affairs of the Corporation, to include a balance sheet and a financial statement of operations for the preceding fiscal year.  The statement of affairs shall be submitted at the annual meeting of the stockholders and, within 20 days after the meeting, placed on file at the Corporation’s principal office.

6.03.  Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the 12 calendar months ending on December 31 in each year.

6.04.  Dividends.  If declared by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof, the Corporation may pay dividends on its shares in cash, property, or in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation, unless such dividend is contrary to law or to a restriction contained in the Corporation’s Charter.

6.05.  Loans.  No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by the Board of Directors.  Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

6.06.  Deposits.  All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in any of its duly authorized depositories as the Board of Directors may select.

 

 


 

 

VII.

MISCELLANEOUS

7.01.  Facsimile Signatures.  In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof.

7.02.  Corporate Seal.  The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal, containing the name of the Corporation, which seal shall be in the charge of the Secretary.  If and when so directed by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, duplicates of the seal may be kept and used by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer.

7.03.  Reliance upon Books, Reports and Records.  Each director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, and each officer and agent of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated, or by any advisor, accountant, appraiser or other experts or consultants selected by the Board of Directors or officers of the Corporation, regardless of whether such expert or consultant may also be a director.

7.04.  Notices.  Except as otherwise specifically provided in these Bylaws or required by law, all notices required to be given to any stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent shall be in writing and may in every instance be effectively given by hand delivery to the recipient thereof, by depositing such notice in the mail, postage paid, by sending such notice by prepaid telegram or mailgram or by sending such notice by facsimile machine or other electronic transmission.  Any such notice shall be addressed to such stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent at his or her last known address as the same appears on the books of the Corporation.  The time when such notice is received, if hand delivered or dispatched, if delivered through the mail, by telegram or mailgram or by facsimile machine or other electronic transmission, shall be the time of the giving of the notice.

7.05.  Waivers.  A written waiver of any notice, signed by a stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to the notice required to be given to such stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent.  Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver.

7.06.  Time Periods.  In applying any provision of these Bylaws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded and the day of the event shall be included.

 

 


 

 

VIII.

AMENDMENTS

The Bylaws of the Corporation may be adopted, amended or repealed as provided in Article 9 of the Corporation’s Charter.