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S-1/A - S-1/A - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zs-1a.htm
EX-3.5 - EX-3.5 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-3_5.htm
EX-1.1 - EX-1.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-1_1.htm
EX-3.1 - EX-3.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-3_1.htm
EX-3.2 - EX-3.2 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-3_2.htm
EX-4.1 - EX-4.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-4_1.htm
EX-5.1 - EX-5.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-5_1.htm
EX-3.3 - EX-3.3 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-3_3.htm
EX-23.1 - EX-23.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-23_1.htm
EX-10.5 - EX-10.5 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_5.htm
EX-21.1 - EX-21.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-21_1.htm
EX-10.11 - EX-10.11 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_11.htm
EX-10.9.2 - EX-10.9.2 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_92.htm
EX-10.14 - EX-10.14 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_14.htm
EX-10.13 - EX-10.13 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_13.htm
EX-10.9.3 - EX-10.9.3 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_93.htm
EX-10.9.1 - EX-10.9.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_91.htm
EX-10.12 - EX-10.12 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_12.htm
EX-10.9.4 - EX-10.9.4 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_94.htm
EX-10.15 - EX-10.15 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_15.htm
EX-10.10.1 - EX-10.10.1 - Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.a2224683zex-10_101.htm

Exhibit 3.4

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

PRESS GANEY HOLDINGS, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)

 

Press Ganey Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

1.  The name of the Corporation is Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.  The date of filing of the Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was September 8, 2003. The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name PGA Holdings, Inc.

 

2.  The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation attached hereto as Exhibit A, which restates, integrates and further amends the provisions of the existing Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as heretofore amended, has been duly adopted by the Corporation’s Board of Directors and stockholder in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, with the adoption of the Corporation’s stockholder having been given by written consent in lieu of a meeting thereof in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by Patrick T. Ryan, its Chief Executive Officer, this       day of            2015.

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

Patrick T. Ryan

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

PRESS GANEY HOLDINGS, INC.

 

ARTICLE ONE

 

The name of this corporation is Press Ganey Holdings, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

 

ARTICLE TWO

 

The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centreville Road, Suite 400, County of New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware 19808.  The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.  The registered office and/or registered agent of the Corporation may be changed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE THREE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “Delaware General Corporation Law”).

 

ARTICLE FOUR

 

The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation has authority to issue is 400,000,000 shares, consisting of: (a) 50,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”); and (b) 350,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”).

 

The following is a statement of the designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation.

 

Section 1.  Preferred Stock.  Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such series adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as hereinafter provided.

 

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designations relating thereto in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such

 



 

voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.  The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each such series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding.   Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock pursuant to the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation or any resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of such series of stock adopted by the Board of Directors, the number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.  Subject to the first paragraph of this ARTICLE FOUR, the Board of Directors is also expressly authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock subsequent to the issuance of shares of that series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding.  Unless otherwise expressly provided in the certificate of designations in respect of any series of Preferred Stock, in case the number of shares of such series shall be decreased in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.

 

Section 2.  Common Stock.

 

(a) General.  The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board of Directors upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock of any series.

 

(b) Voting.  The holders of the Common Stock shall have voting rights at all meetings of stockholders, each such holder being entitled to one vote for each share thereof held by such holder; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (which, as used herein, shall mean the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as amended from time to time, including the terms of any certificate of designations of any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.  There shall be no cumulative voting.

 

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The number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

 

(c) Dividends.  Dividends may be declared and paid on the Common Stock if, as and when determined by the Board of Directors subject to any preferential dividend or other rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock and to the requirements of applicable law.

 

(d) Liquidation.  Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Common Stock will be entitled to receive all assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, subject to any preferential or other rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.

 

ARTICLE FIVE

 

This ARTICLE FIVE is inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.

 

Section 1.  General Powers.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2.  Number of Directors; Election of Directors.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the number of directors of the Corporation shall be established from time to time by the Board of Directors.  Election of directors need not be by written ballot, except as and to the extent provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

Section 3.  Classes of Directors.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors shall be and is divided into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III.  Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors constituting the entire Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors to Class I, Class II or Class III.

 

Section 4.  Terms of Office.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class I shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class II shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class III shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor and be subject to his or her earlier death, resignation or removal

 

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Section 5.  Quorum.  The greater of (a) a majority of the directors at any time in office and (b) one-third of the number of directors fixed pursuant to Section 2 of this ARTICLE FIVE shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.  If at any meeting of the Board of Directors there shall be less than such a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

 

Section 6.  Action at Meeting.  Every act or decision done or made by a majority of the directors present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be regarded as the act of the Board of Directors unless a greater number is required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation

 

Section 7.  Removal of Directors.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, (a) prior to the Trigger Date (as defined below), any director may be removed from office at any time with or without cause, at a meeting called for that purpose, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors and (b) after the Trigger Date, any director may be removed from office but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.

 

Section 8.  Vacancies.  Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy or newly created directorship in the Board of Directors, however occurring, shall be filled only by vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director and shall not be filled by the stockholders, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancy or newly created directorship shall be filled by the stockholders.  A director elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen, subject to the election and qualification of a successor and to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

Section 9.  Stockholder Nominations and Introduction of Business, Etc.  Advance notice of stockholder nominations for election of directors and other business to be brought by stockholders before a meeting of stockholders shall be given in the manner provided by the Bylaws of the Corporation

 

Section 10.  Amendments to Article.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, (a) prior to the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE FIVE and (b) after the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE FIVE.

 

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ARTICLE SIX

 

Except to the extent that the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability.  No amendment to or repeal of this provision shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director of the Corporation for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.  If the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware is amended to permit further elimination or limitation of the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as so amended.

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

Section 1.  No Action by Written Consent.  From and after the first date (the “Trigger Date”) on which investment funds affiliated with Vestar Capital Partners and their respective successors and Affiliates (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries) (collectively, the “Vestar Entities”) cease collectively to beneficially own (directly or indirectly) more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, no action that is required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be effected by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, (a) prior to the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE SEVEN and (b) after the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE SEVEN.  “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person; the term “control,” as used in this definition, means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and “controlled” and “controlling” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.  “Person” means an individual, any general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.  For the purpose of this Certificate of Incorporation, “beneficial ownership” shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Section 2.  Annual Meetings of Stockholders.  Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be held at such date, time and

 

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place, if any, as shall be determined exclusively by resolution of the Board of Directors in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

Section 3.  Special Meetings of Stockholders.  Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called (a) at any time only by the Board of Directors or the chairperson of the Board of Directors or (b) prior to the Trigger Date, by the Secretary of the Corporation at the request of one or more of the Vestar Entities that own outstanding shares of Common Stock, and shall not otherwise be called by stockholders.  Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, (a) prior to the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE SEVEN and (b) after the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE SEVEN.

 

ARTICLE EIGHT

 

Section 1.  Certificate of Incorporation.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute and this Certificate of Incorporation, and all rights conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons herein are granted subject to this reservation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, and notwithstanding that a lesser percentage or vote may be specified by law, no provision of ARTICLE FIVE, ARTICLE SIX, ARTICLE SEVEN, this ARTICLE EIGHT, ARTICLE NINE, ARTICLE TEN, ARTICLE ELEVEN or ARTICLE TWELVE may be altered, amended or repealed in any respect, nor may any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or of the Bylaws inconsistent therewith be adopted, unless in addition to any other vote required by this Certificate of Incorporation or otherwise required by law, (a) prior to the Trigger Date, such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon and (b) from and after the Trigger Date, such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption is approved at a meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

 

Section 2.  Bylaws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred upon it by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and subject to the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.  The stockholders may not adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, or adopt any provision inconsistent therewith, unless such action is approved, in addition to any other vote required by this Certificate of Incorporation, (a) prior to the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of

 

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the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon and (b) from and after the Trigger Date, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon.

 

ARTICLE NINE

 

Prior to the Trigger Date, the Corporation shall not be governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.  From and after the Trigger Date, the Corporation shall be governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

ARTICLE TEN

 

Section 1.  Scope.  The provisions of this ARTICLE TEN are set forth to define, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the duties of Exempted Persons (as defined below) to the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities.  “Exempted Persons” means the Vestar Entities and their respective Affiliates (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries) and all of their respective partners, principals, directors, officers, members, managers and employees, including any of the foregoing who serve as officers or directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 2.  Competition and Allocation of Corporate Opportunities.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Exempted Persons shall not have any fiduciary duty to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same or similar business activities or lines of business as the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and in accordance with Section 122(17) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Corporation, on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries, renounces any interest or expectancy of the Corporation and its subsidiaries in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, business opportunities that are from time to time presented to the Exempted Persons, even if the opportunity is one that the Corporation or its subsidiaries might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so, and each such Exempted Person shall have no duty to communicate or offer such business opportunity to the Corporation and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries for breach of any fiduciary or other duty, as a director or officer or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such Exempted Person pursues or acquires such business opportunity, directs such business opportunity to another person or fails to present such business opportunity, or information regarding such business opportunity, to the Corporation or its subsidiaries.

 

Section 3.  Certain Matters Deemed Not Corporate Opportunities.  In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this ARTICLE TEN, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to belong to the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that the Corporation is not financially or legally able or contractually permitted to undertake, or that is, from its nature, not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to it or that is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.

 

Section 4.  Amendment of this Article.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, no amendment or repeal of this ARTICLE TEN in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of

 

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ARTICLE EIGHT shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any Exempted Person for or with respect to any activities or opportunities of which such Exempted Person becomes aware prior to such amendment or repeal.  This ARTICLE TEN shall not limit or eliminate any protections or defenses otherwise available to, or any rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses of, any director or officer of the Corporation under this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement between the Corporation and such officer or director, or any applicable law.

 

Section 5.  Deemed Notice.  Any person or entity purchasing, holding or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this ARTICLE TEN.

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN

 

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein; provided that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state or federal court sitting in the State of Delaware.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this ARTICLE ELEVEN.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, (a) prior to the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE ELEVEN and (b) after the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, this ARTICLE ELEVEN.  If any provision or provisions of this ARTICLE ELEVEN shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this ARTICLE ELEVEN (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this ARTICLE ELEVEN containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

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ARTICLE TWELVE

 

Section 1.  Payment of Legal Fees in Certain Proceedings.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise approves in accordance with Section 141 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Bylaws or this Certificate of Incorporation, in the event that any current or former stockholder of the Corporation, any current or former director, or any person acting on behalf of such stockholder or director, including any third party that receives substantial assistance from any such person or entity if such person or entity has a direct financial interest in the claim or proceeding of such third party (each, a “Claiming Party”) (a) initiates, asserts or joins, offers substantial assistance to, or has a direct financial interest in (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (2) any claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of its directors, officers, employees or agents to the Corporation or its stockholders, (3) any action against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers, employees or agents arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, or (4) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, each of the foregoing, a claim, or joins any such claim as a named party, and (b) does not thereby obtain a judgment on the merits that substantially achieves, in substance and amount, the full remedy or relief sought in the claim, then such Claiming Party shall be obligated to reimburse the Corporation and any such director or officer for all fees, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and the fees of experts) actually and reasonably incurred by the Corporation or its officers and directors in defending such claim. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this ARTICLE TWELVE.

 

Section 2.  Severability.  If any provision (or any part thereof) of this ARTICLE TWELVE shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable facially or as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision (or part thereof) in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this ARTICLE TWELVE (including, without limitation, each portion of any subsection of this ARTICLE TWELVE containing any such provision (or part thereof) held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (b) to the fullest extent permitted by law, the provisions of this ARTICLE TWELVE (including, without limitation, each such portion containing any such provision (or part thereof) held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law so as to (1) give effect to the intent manifested by the provision (or part thereof) held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, and (2) permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this ARTICLE TWELVE.

 

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