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Exhibit 3.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OF

ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, INC.,

a Maryland corporation

(as of February 21, 2017)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

SIXTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, INC.,

a Maryland corporation

(as of February 21, 2017)

ARTICLE I.

OFFICES

Section 1.1           Principal Office.  The principal office of Essex Property Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may designate.

Section 1.2           Additional Offices.  The Corporation may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

ARTICLE II.

STOCKHOLDERS

Section 2.1           Annual Meetings.  The Corporation shall hold an annual meeting of its stockholders to elect directors and transact any other business within its powers on the date and at the time set by the Board of Directors.  Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Corporation’s existence or affect any otherwise valid corporate acts.

Section 2.2           Special Meetings.

(a)           General.  Each of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the stockholders.  Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 2.2, a special meeting of stockholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, Chief Executive Officer or Board of Directors, whoever has called the meeting.  Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 2.2, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the Secretary of the Corporation (the “Secretary”) to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

(1)           Any stockholder of record seeking to have stockholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the Secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “Request Record Date”).  The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more stockholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such stockholder, each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of directors or the election of each such individual, as applicable, in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”).  Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Directors may fix a Request Record Date.  The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Directors.  If the Board of Directors, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the Secretary.

(2)           In order for any stockholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “Special Meeting Percentage”) shall be delivered to the Secretary.  In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the Secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such stockholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporation’s books, of each stockholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such stockholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, (d) be sent to the Secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the Secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date.  Any requesting stockholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary.

(3)           The Secretary shall inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Corporation’s proxy materials).  The Secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon stockholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 2.2(b), the Secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivering of such notice of the meeting.

(4)           In the case of any special meeting called by the Secretary upon the request of stockholders (a “Stockholder-Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the date of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and provided further that if the Board of Directors fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is received by the Secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Directors fails to designate a place for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation.  In fixing a date for a Stockholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Directors may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting.  In the case of any Stockholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Directors fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date.  The Board of Directors may revoke the notice for any Stockholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting stockholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 2.2(b).

(5)           If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the Secretary and the result is that stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the Secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the Secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been delivered and if the Secretary first sends to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Corporation’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the Secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter.  Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the Secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

(6)           The Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or Board of Directors may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Corporation for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary.  For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the Secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after actual receipt by the Secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Corporation that the valid requests received by the Secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, stockholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage.  Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Corporation or any stockholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

(7)           For purposes of these Sixth Amended and Restated Bylaws (these “Bylaws”), “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of California are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Section 2.3           Place of Meetings.  Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place as is set from time to time in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2.4           Notice.  Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each meeting of stockholders, the Secretary shall give to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each stockholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting notice in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called, by mail, by presenting it to such stockholder personally, by leaving it at the stockholder’s residence or usual place of business, by electronic transmission or by any other means permitted by Maryland law.  If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the stockholder at the stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid.  If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted to the stockholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the stockholder at which the stockholder receives electronic transmissions.  The Corporation may give a single notice to all stockholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any stockholder at such address, unless such stockholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes a prior consent to receiving such single notice.  Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more stockholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

Subject to Section 2.12(a) of this Article II, any business of the Corporation may be transacted at an annual meeting of stockholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice.  No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of stockholders except as specifically designated in the notice.  The Corporation may postpone or cancel a meeting of stockholders by making a public announcement (as defined in Section 2.12(c)(3) of this Article II) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting.  Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this Section 2.4.

Section 2.5           Quorum; Voting.  Unless a statute or the charter of the Corporation (the “Charter”) provides otherwise, at any meeting of stockholders, the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this Section 2.5 shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the Charter for the vote necessary for the approval of any matter.  The stockholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough stockholders to leave fewer than would be required to establish a quorum.

A nominee for director shall be elected as a director only if such nominee receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the total votes cast for and affirmatively withheld as to such nominee at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present.  However, directors shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present for which (i) the Secretary receives notice that a stockholder has nominated an individual for election as a director in compliance with the requirements of advance notice of stockholder nominees for director set forth in Section 2.12 of this Article II or the notice requirements of Section 2.13 of this Article II, and (ii) such nomination has not been withdrawn by such stockholder on or before the close of business on the tenth day before the date of filing of the definitive proxy statement of the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and, as a result of which, the number of nominees is greater than the number of directors to be elected at the meeting.  In case of failure to elect directors at the designated time, the directors holding over shall continue to serve as directors until their successors are elected and qualify.  If an incumbent director fails to receive the required vote for re-election in accordance with these Bylaws, he or she shall offer to resign from the Board of Directors, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Nominating Committee”) will consider such offer to resign, will determine whether to accept such director’s resignation and will submit such recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors.  The director whose offer to resign is under consideration shall not participate in any deliberation or vote of the Nominating Committee or Board of Directors regarding that offer to resign.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that no nominee for director receives the vote required in these Bylaws, the Nominating Committee shall make a final determination as to whether to recommend to the Board of Directors whether to accept any or all offers to resign, including those offers to resign from members of the Nominating Committee.  The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors may consider any factors they deem relevant in deciding whether to accept a director’s resignation.  Within 90 days after the date of certification of the election results, the Board of Directors will disclose its decision in a press release, filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or by other public announcement.  If such incumbent director’s offer to resign is not accepted by the Board of Directors, such director will continue to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies, or his or her death, resignation, retirement or removal, whichever event shall occur first.  If a director’s offer to resign is accepted by the Board of Directors, or if a nominee for director is not elected and the nominee is not an incumbent director, then the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy pursuant to these Bylaws.

A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by statute or by the Charter.  Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot or otherwise.

Section 2.6           Adjournments.  Whether or not a quorum is present, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting sine die or from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting.  At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.

Section 2.7           General Right to Vote; Proxies.  Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Charter, each outstanding share of stock, regardless of class, entitles the holder thereof to cast one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders and to vote for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the holder is entitled to vote.  A holder of record of shares of stock of the Corporation may cast votes in person or by proxy executed by the stockholder or by the stockholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law.  Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary before or at the meeting.  No proxy shall be valid more than eleven months after its date unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 2.8           Organization and Conduct.  Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Directors to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the Chairman of the Board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chairman of the Board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order:  the Vice Chairman of the Board, if there is one, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Vice Presidents in their order of rank and, within each rank, in their order of seniority, the Secretary, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy.  The Secretary, or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the case of a vacancy in the office of Assistant Secretary or the absence of both the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary.  In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of stockholders, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of all Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting.  The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting.  The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the stockholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security.  Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 2.9           Voting of Stock by Certain Holders.  Stock of the Corporation registered in the name of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, managing member, manager, general partner or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such stock pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such stock.  Any trustee or fiduciary, in such capacity, may vote stock registered in such trustee’s or fiduciary’s name, either in person or by proxy.

Shares of stock of the Corporation directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a stockholder may certify in writing to the Corporation that any shares of stock registered in the name of the stockholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the stockholder.  The resolution shall set forth the class of stockholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date, the time after the record date 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 by the Corporation of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the holder of record of the specified stock in place of the stockholder who makes the certification.

Section 2.10           Informal Action by Stockholders.  Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting if a unanimous consent setting forth the action is given in writing or by electronic transmission by each stockholder entitled to vote on the matter and filed with the minutes of proceedings of the stockholders.

Section 2.11           Inspectors.  The Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to the inspector.  Except as otherwise provided by the chairman of the meeting, the inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote.  Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting.  If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors.  The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

Section 2.12           Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominees for Director and Other Stockholder Proposals.

(a)           Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

(1)           Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as provided for in this Section 2.12(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and who has complied with this Section 2.12(a), or (iv) by any Eligible Stockholder (as defined in Section 2.13 below) who meets the requirements of and complies with the procedures set forth in Section 2.13.

(2)           For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 2.12, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary and any such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders.  To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 2.12 and shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 2.12(c)(3) of this Article II) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, in order for notice by the stockholder to be timely, such notice must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as originally convened, or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.  The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(3)           Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

(i)           as to each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director (each, a “Proposed Nominee”), all information relating to the Proposed

(ii)           Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act;

(iii)           as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the stockholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder or any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or the Stockholder Associated Person therefrom;

(iv)           as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Stockholder Associated Person,

(A)           the class, series and number of all shares of stock or other securities of the Corporation or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Corporation Securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Corporation Security was acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such stock or other security) in any Corporation Securities of any such person,

(B)           the nominee holder for, and number of, any Corporation Securities owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person,

(C)           whether and the extent to which such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, directly or indirectly (through brokers, nominees or otherwise), is subject to or, during the last six months, has engaged in any hedging, derivative or other transaction or series of transactions or entered into any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short interest, any borrowing or lending of securities or any proxy or voting agreement), the effect or intent of which is to (I) manage risk or benefit of changes in the price of (x) Corporation Securities or (y) any security of any entity that was listed in the Peer Group in the Stock Performance Graph in the most recent annual report to security holders of the Corporation (a “Peer Group Company”), for such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person or (II) increase or decrease the voting power of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof (or, as applicable, in any Peer Group Company) disproportionately to such person’s economic interest in the Corporation Securities (or, as applicable, in any Peer Group Company) and

(D)           any substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Corporation), by security holdings or otherwise, of such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person, in the Corporation or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Corporation Securities where such stockholder, Proposed Nominee or Stockholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series;

(v)           as to the stockholder giving the notice, any Stockholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in clauses (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (3) of this Section 2.12(a) and any Proposed Nominee,

(A)           the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Stockholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee and

(B)           the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such stockholder and each such Stockholder Associated Person;

(vi)           the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the stockholder giving the notice or any Stockholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal prior to the date of such stockholder’s notice; and

(vii)           to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a director or the proposal of other business on the date of such stockholder’s notice.

(4)           Such stockholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by a written undertaking executed by the Proposed Nominee (i) that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become, a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (b) will serve as a director of the Corporation if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Corporation, upon request, to the stockholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Corporation are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Corporation are traded).

(5)           Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of this Section 2.12 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased, and there is no public announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 2.12(c)(3) of this Article II) for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.12(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

(6)           For purposes of this Section 2.12, “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder (other than a stockholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such stockholder or such Stockholder Associated Person.

(b)           Business at Special Meetings of Stockholders.  Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting.  Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) by a stockholder that has requested that a special meeting be called for the purpose of electing directors in compliance with Section 2.2 of this Article II and that has supplied the information required by Section 2.2 of this Article II about each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election of directors or (iii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 2.2 of this Article II for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 2.12 and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.12.  In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Directors, any stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice, containing the information required by paragraphs (a)(3) and (4) of this Section 2.12, is delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting.  The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(c)           General.

(1)           If information submitted pursuant to this Section 2.12 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 2.12.  Any such stockholder shall notify the Corporation of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information.  Upon written request by the Secretary or the Board of Directors, any such stockholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 2.12, and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Corporation, written confirmation by such stockholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination or other business proposal before the meeting) submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 2.12 as of an earlier date.  If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 2.12.

(2)           Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 2.12 or in accordance with Section 2.13 shall be eligible for election by stockholders as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.12.  The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 2.12.

(3)           For purposes of this Section 2.12, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.  “Public announcement” shall mean disclosure (A) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (B) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.12.  Nothing in this Section 2.12 shall be deemed to affect any right of a stockholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, nor the right of the Corporation to omit a proposal from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act.  Nothing in this Section 2.12 shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person under Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

Section 2.13           Proxy Access

(a)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, whenever the Board of Directors solicits proxies with respect to the election of directors at an annual meeting of stockholders, subject to the provisions of this Section 2.13, the Corporation shall include in its proxy statement and other applicable filings pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the “Corporation Proxy Materials”), in addition to any individuals nominated for election by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the name, together with the Required Information (as defined below), of any individual nominated for election to the Board of Directors (each such individual being hereinafter referred to as a “Stockholder Nominee”) by a stockholder or group of no more than 20 stockholders that satisfies the requirements of this Section 2.13 (such individual or group, including as the context requires each member thereof, being hereinafter referred to as the “Eligible Stockholder”).  For purposes of this Section 2.13, the “Required Information” that the Corporation shall include in the Corporation Proxy Materials is (i) the information provided to the Secretary concerning the Stockholder Nominee and the Eligible Stockholder that is required to be disclosed in the Corporation Proxy Materials by the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and (ii) if the Eligible Stockholder so elects, a written statement in support of the Stockholder Nominee’s candidacy, not to exceed 500 words, delivered to the Secretary at the time the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination (as defined below) required by this Section 2.13 is provided (the “Statement”).  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.13, the Corporation may omit from the Corporation Proxy Materials any information or Statement (or portion thereof) that the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, determines is materially false or misleading, omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make such information or Statement, in light of the circumstances under which it was provided or made, not misleading, or would violate any applicable law or regulation.

(b)           To be eligible to require the Corporation to include a Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13, an Eligible Stockholder must have Owned (as defined below) at least 3% or more of the shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) of the Corporation outstanding from time to time (the “Required Shares”) continuously for at least three years (as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, or similar events) (the “Minimum Holding Period”) as of both the date the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination is delivered or mailed to and received by the Secretary in accordance with this Section 2.13 and the close of business on the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting of stockholders, and must continuously Own the Required Shares through the date of such annual meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof).  For purposes of this Section 2.13, an Eligible Stockholder shall be deemed to “Own” only those outstanding shares of Common Stock as to which the Eligible Stockholder possesses both (i) the full voting and investment rights pertaining to the shares and (ii) the full economic interest in (including the opportunity for profit from and risk of loss on) such shares; provided that the number of shares calculated in accordance with clauses (i) and (ii) shall not include any shares (A) sold by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its Affiliates (as defined below) in any transaction that has not been settled or closed, including short sales, (B) borrowed by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its Affiliates for any purpose or purchased by such Eligible Stockholder or any of its Affiliates pursuant to an agreement to resell, (C) that are subject to any option, warrant, forward contract, swap, contract of sale, other derivative or similar instrument, agreement, arrangement or understanding entered into by such stockholder or any of its Affiliates, whether any such instrument, agreement, arrangement or understanding is to be settled with shares or with cash based on the notional amount or value of shares of outstanding Common Stock, in any such case which instrument, agreement, arrangement or understanding has, or is intended to have, the purpose or effect of (1) reducing in any manner, to any extent or at any time in the future, such stockholder’s or its Affiliate’s full right to vote or direct the voting of any such shares and/or (2) hedging, offsetting or altering to any degree any gain or loss arising from the full economic ownership of such shares by such stockholder or its Affiliate or (D) for which the Eligible Stockholder has transferred the right to vote the shares other than by means of a proxy, power of attorney or other instrument or arrangement that is unconditionally revocable at any time by such stockholder and that expressly directs the proxy holder to vote at the direction of such stockholder.  In addition, an Eligible Stockholder shall be deemed to “Own” shares of Common Stock held in the name of a nominee or other intermediary so long as such stockholder retains the full right to instruct how the shares are voted with respect to the election of directors and possesses the full economic interest in the shares of Common Stock.  An Eligible Stockholder’s Ownership of shares of Common Stock shall be deemed to continue during any period in which such stockholder has loaned such shares provided that the Eligible Stockholder has the power to recall such loaned shares on five Business Days’ notice and continues to hold such shares through the date of the annual meeting of stockholders.  For purposes of this Section 2.13, the terms “Owned,” “Owning” and other variations of the word “Own” shall have correlative meanings.  Whether outstanding shares of Common Stock are “Owned” for these purposes shall be determined by the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion.  In addition, the term “Affiliate” or “Affiliates” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto under the Exchange Act.

(c)           To be eligible to require the Corporation to include a Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13, an Eligible Stockholder must provide to the Secretary, in proper form and within the times specified below, (i) a written notice expressly electing to have such Stockholder Nominee included in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 (a “Notice of Proxy Access Nomination”) and (ii) any updates or supplements to such Notice of Proxy Access Nomination.  To be timely, the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination must be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 2.12(c)(3) of this Article II) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting of stockholders is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination to be timely must be so delivered or mailed to and received by the Secretary not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as originally convened, or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such annual meeting is first made.  The public announcement of a postponement or an adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time for the giving of a Notice of Proxy Access Nomination as described above.

(d)           To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.13, the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination delivered or mailed to and received by the Secretary shall include the following information:

(1)           one or more written statements from the record holder of the Required Shares (or from each intermediary through which the Required Shares are or have been held during the Minimum Holding Period and, if applicable, each participant in the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or affiliate of a DTC participant through which the Required Shares are or have been held by such intermediary during the Minimum Holding Period if the intermediary is not a DTC participant or affiliate of a DTC participant) verifying that, as of a date within seven Business Days prior to the date the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination is delivered to or mailed to and received by the Secretary, the Eligible Stockholder Owns, and has Owned continuously for the Minimum Holding Period, the Required Shares, and the Eligible Stockholder’s agreement to provide (I) within five Business Days after the record date for the annual meeting of stockholders, written statements from the record holder or intermediaries between the record holder and the Eligible Stockholder verifying the Eligible Stockholder’s continuous Ownership of the Required Shares through the close of business on the record date, together with a written statement by the Eligible Stockholder that such Eligible Stockholder will continue to Own the Required Shares through the date of such annual meeting (and any postponement or adjournment thereof), and (II) the updates and supplements to the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.13;

(2)           a copy of the Schedule 14N filed or to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required by Rule 14a-18 under the Exchange Act;

(3)           information that is the same as would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice of nomination pursuant to Section 2.12 of Article II of these Bylaws, including the written consent of the Stockholder Nominee to being named in the Corporation Proxy Materials as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected;

(4)           the undertaking and questionnaire required by Section 2.12 of Article II of these Bylaws;

(5)           the written agreement of the Stockholder Nominee, upon such Stockholder Nominee’s election, to make such acknowledgments, enter into such agreements and provide such information as the Board of Directors requires of all directors at such time, including, without limitation, agreeing to be bound by the Corporation’s code of conduct, insider trading policy and other similar policies and procedures;

(6)           a representation that the Eligible Stockholder (i) acquired the Required Shares in the ordinary course of business and not with the intent to change or influence control of the Corporation, and that neither the Eligible Stockholder nor any Stockholder Nominee being nominated thereby presently has such intent, (ii) has not nominated and will not nominate for election to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting of stockholders (or any postponement or adjournment thereof) any individual other than the Stockholder Nominee(s) included in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13, (iii) has not engaged and will not engage in a, and has not been and will not be a “participant” in another person’s, “solicitation,” each within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act, in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting (or any postponement or adjournment thereof) other than such Stockholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the Board of Directors, (iv) has complied, and will comply, with all applicable laws and regulations applicable to solicitations and the use, if any, of soliciting material in connection with the annual meeting, including, without limitation, Rule 14a-9 under the Exchange Act, (v) will not distribute to any stockholder any form of proxy for the annual meeting other than the form distributed by the Corporation, and (vi) has not provided and will not provide facts, statements or information in its communications with the Corporation and the stockholders that were not or will not be true, correct and complete in all material respects or which omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make such facts, statements or information, in light of the circumstances under which they were or will be provided, not misleading;

(7)           a written undertaking that the Eligible Stockholder (i) assumes all liability stemming from any legal or regulatory violation arising out of communications with the stockholders by the Eligible Stockholder, its Affiliates and associates or their respective agents or representatives, either before or after providing a Notice of Proxy Access Nomination pursuant to this Section 2.13, or out of the facts, statements or information that the Eligible Stockholder or its Stockholder Nominee(s) provided to the Corporation pursuant to this Section 2.13 or otherwise in connection with the inclusion of such Stockholder Nominee(s) in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13, and (ii) indemnifies, protects, defends and holds harmless the Corporation and each of its directors, officers and employees against any liability, loss or damages, including, without limitation, attorney’s fees in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding, whether legal, administrative or investigative, against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or employees arising out of any nomination of a Stockholder Nominee or inclusion of such Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13;

(8)           a written description of any compensatory, payment or other agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation under which the Stockholder Nominee is receiving or will receive compensation or payments directly related to service on the Board of Directors, together with a copy of any such agreement, arrangement or understanding if written;

(9)           in the case of the nomination by a group, the designation by all group members of one group member that is authorized to act on behalf of all group members with respect to matters relating to the nomination, including, without limitation,  withdrawal of the nomination;

(10)           the Corporation may also require each Stockholder Nominee and the Eligible Stockholder to furnish such other information (i) as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such Stockholder Nominee to serve as an independent director (as defined under the listing standards of any securities exchange on which any securities of the Corporation are listed or traded, any applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and any publicly disclosed standards used by the Board of Directors in determining and disclosing the independence of the Corporation’s Board of Directors, as determined by the Board of Directors), (ii) that could be material to a stockholder’s understanding of the independence or lack of independence of such Stockholder Nominee, or (iii) as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine that the Eligible Stockholder meets the criteria for qualification as an Eligible Stockholder; and

(11)           to be eligible to require the Corporation to include a Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13, an Eligible Stockholder must further update and supplement the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such Notice of Proxy Access Information pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall be true, correct and complete as of the record date for the annual meeting of stockholders and as of the date that is ten Business Days prior to such annual meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof, and such update and supplement (or a written notice stating that there is no such update or supplement) shall be delivered or mailed to and received by the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the fifth Business Day after the record date for the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date) and not later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, on the eighth Business Day prior to the date of the meeting, if practicable, or, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten Business Days prior to the meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof).

(e)           In the event that any facts, statements or information provided by the Eligible Stockholder or a Stockholder Nominee to the Corporation or the stockholders ceases to be true, correct and complete in all material respects or omits a material fact necessary to make such facts, statements or information, in light of the circumstances under which they were provided, not misleading, the Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Secretary of any defect in such previously provided facts, statements or information and of the facts, statements or information required to correct any such defect.

(f)           Whenever an Eligible Stockholder consists of a group of more than one stockholder, each provision in this Section 2.13 that requires the Eligible Stockholder to provide any written statements, representations, undertakings, agreements or other instruments or to comply with any other conditions shall be deemed to require each stockholder that is a member of such group to provide such statements, representations, undertakings, agreements or other instruments and to meet such other conditions (which, if applicable, shall apply with respect to the portion of the Required Shares Owned by such stockholder).  When an Eligible Stockholder consists of a group, a violation of any provision of these Bylaws by any member of the group shall be deemed a violation by the entire group.  No person may be a member of more than one group of persons constituting an Eligible Stockholder with respect to any annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that a bank, broker or fiduciary holding shares in a similar capacity as a record holder acting on behalf of one or more beneficial owners will not be counted separately as a stockholder with respect to the shares owned by beneficial owners on whose behalf such record holder has been directed in writing to act.  In determining the aggregate number of Stockholders in a group, two or more funds that are (i) under common management and investment control, (ii) under common management and funded primarily by a single employer, or (iii) a “group of investment companies, ” as such term is defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (a “Qualifying Fund Family”) shall be treated as one stockholder.  Not later than the deadline for delivery of the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination pursuant to this Section 2.13, a Qualifying Fund Family whose stock Ownership is counted for purposes of determining whether a stockholder or group of stockholders qualifies as an Eligible Stockholder shall provide to the Secretary such documentation as is reasonably satisfactory to the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, that demonstrates that the funds comprising the Qualifying Fund Family satisfy the definition thereof.

(g)           The maximum number of Stockholder Nominees nominated by all Eligible Stockholders and entitled to be included in the Corporation Proxy Materials with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders shall be the greater of (i) 20% of the number of directors in office as of the last day on which a Notice of Proxy Access Nomination may be timely delivered pursuant to and in accordance with this Section 2.13 (the “Final Proxy Access Nomination Date”) or, if such percentage is not a whole number, the closest whole number below such percentage or (ii) two; provided that the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees entitled to be included in the Corporation Proxy Materials with respect to a forthcoming annual meeting of stockholders shall be reduced by the number of individuals who were elected as directors at the immediately preceding or second preceding annual meeting of stockholders after inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 and whom the Board of Directors nominates for reelection at such forthcoming annual meeting of stockholders.  In the event that one or more vacancies for any reason occur on the Board of Directors after the Final Proxy Access Nomination Date but before the date of the annual meeting of stockholders and the Board of Directors elects to reduce the size of the Board of Directors in connection therewith, the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees eligible for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall be calculated based on the number of directors serving as so reduced.  Any individual nominated by an Eligible Stockholder for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 whose nomination is subsequently withdrawn or whom the Board of Directors decides to nominate for election to the Board of Directors shall be counted as one of the Stockholder Nominees for purposes of determining when the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees eligible for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 has been reached.  Any Eligible Stockholder submitting more than one Stockholder Nominee for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall rank such Stockholder Nominees based on the order that the Eligible Stockholder desires such Stockholder Nominees be selected for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials in the event that the total number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by Eligible Stockholders pursuant to this Section 2.13 exceeds the maximum number of Stockholder Nominees eligible for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13(g).  In the event the number of Stockholder Nominees submitted by Eligible Stockholders pursuant to this Section 2.13 exceeds the maximum number of nominees eligible for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13(g), the highest-ranking Stockholder Nominee from each Eligible Stockholder pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be selected for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials until the maximum number is reached, proceeding in order of the number of shares of Common Stock (largest to smallest) disclosed as Owned by each Eligible Stockholder in the Notice of Proxy Access Nomination submitted to the Secretary.  If the maximum number is not reached after the highest-ranking Stockholder Nominee from each Eligible Stockholder has been selected, this selection process shall continue as many times as necessary, following the same order each time, until the maximum number is reached.  The Stockholder Nominees so selected in accordance with this Section 2.13(g) shall be the only Stockholder Nominees entitled to be included in the Corporation Proxy Materials and, following such selection, if the Stockholder Nominees so selected are not included in the Corporation Proxy Materials or are not submitted for election for any reason (other than the failure of the Corporation to comply with this Section 2.13), no other Stockholder Nominees shall be included in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13.

(h)           The Corporation shall not be required to include, pursuant to this Section 2.13, a Stockholder Nominee in the Corporation Proxy Materials for any annual meeting of stockholders (i) if the Secretary receives, in regard to such meeting, a notice that the Eligible Stockholder or any other stockholder has nominated one or more individuals for election to the Board of Directors pursuant to the advance notice requirements for stockholder nominees for director set forth in Section 2.12 of Article II of these Bylaws, (ii) if the Eligible Stockholder who has nominated such Stockholder Nominee has engaged in a or is currently engaged in, or has been or is a “participant” in another person’s, “solicitation,” each within the meaning of Rule 14a-1(l) under the Exchange Act, in support of the election of any individual as a director at the annual meeting other than its Stockholder Nominee(s) or a nominee of the Board of Directors, (iii) if such Stockholder Nominee would not qualify as an independent director, (iv) if such Stockholder Nominee is or becomes a party to any agreement by which the Stockholder Nominee agrees or commits to vote a certain way on certain matters, (v) if the election of such Stockholder Nominee as a director would cause the Corporation to fail to comply with these Bylaws, the Charter, the rules and listing standards of any securities exchange on which any securities of the Corporation are listed or traded, or any applicable state or federal law, rule or regulation, (vi) if such Stockholder Nominee is or has been, within the past three years, an officer or director of a competitor, as defined in Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, (vii) if such Stockholder Nominee is a defendant in or named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses) or has been convicted or has pleaded nolo contendere in such a criminal proceeding within the past ten years, (viii) if such Stockholder Nominee is subject to any order of the type specified in Rule 506(d) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (ix) if the Eligible Stockholder who has nominated such Stockholder Nominee or such Stockholder Nominee provides any facts, statements or information to the Corporation or the stockholders required or requested pursuant to this Section 2.13 that is not true, correct and complete in all material respects or that omits a material fact necessary to make such facts, statements or information, in light of the circumstances in which they were provided, not misleading, or that otherwise contravenes any of the agreements, representations or undertakings made by such Eligible Stockholder or Stockholder Nominee pursuant to this Section 2.13, or (x) if the Eligible Stockholder who has nominated such Stockholder Nominee or such Stockholder Nominee fails to comply with any of its obligations pursuant to this Section 2.13, in each instance as determined by the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion.

(i)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting shall declare a nomination by an Eligible Stockholder to be invalid, and such nomination shall be disregarded notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation, if (i) the Stockholder Nominee(s) and/or the applicable Eligible Stockholder shall have failed to comply with any of its or their obligations under this Section 2.13, including, without limitation, Section 2.13(h), as determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting in its or the chairman’s sole discretion, or (ii) the Eligible Stockholder, or a qualified representative thereof, does not appear at the annual meeting of stockholders to present the nomination of the Stockholder Nominee(s) included in the Corporation Proxy Materials pursuant to this Section 2.13.  For purposes of this Section 2.13(i), to be considered a qualified representative of an Eligible Stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as its proxy at the annual meeting of stockholders, and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction thereof, at such annual meeting.

(j)           The Eligible Stockholder shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any solicitation or other communication with the Corporation’s stockholders relating to the meeting at which the Stockholder Nominee will be nominated, regardless of whether any such filing is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, or whether any exemption from filing is available for such solicitation or other communication under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act.

(k)           Any Stockholder Nominee who is included in the Corporation Proxy Materials for an annual meeting of stockholders but either (i) withdraws from or becomes ineligible or unavailable for election to the Board of Directors at such annual meeting or (ii) does not receive at least 25% of the votes cast in favor of the Stockholder Nominee’s election, will be ineligible for inclusion in the Corporation Proxy Materials as a Stockholder Nominee pursuant to this Section 2.13 for the next two annual meetings of stockholders following the meeting for which the Stockholder Nominee has been included in the Corporation Proxy Materials.  For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 2.13(k) shall not prevent any stockholder from nominating any individual to the Board of Directors pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.12 of Article II of these Bylaws.

(l)           This Section 2.13 provides the exclusive method for a stockholder to require the Corporation to include nominee(s) for election to the Board of Directors in the Corporation Proxy Materials.

ARTICLE III.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 3.1           Function of Directors.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors.  All powers of the Corporation may be exercised by or under authority of the Board of Directors, except as conferred on or reserved to the stockholders by statute or by the Charter or Bylaws.

Section 3.2           Number and Resignation.  At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Directors may establish, increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than the minimum number required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, or any successor statute (the “MGCL”), and further provided that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of directors.  The number of directors may also be increased upon certain events as provided in Articles Supplementary to the Charter adopted by the Board of Directors pursuant to authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by Article FIFTH of the Charter.  Any director of the Corporation may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the Secretary.  Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation.  The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation.

Section 3.3           Removal of Director.  Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed only in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.

Section 3.4           Vacancy on Board.  Subject to the rights of the holders of any class of Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or other causes, except removal from office, shall be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, and any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from removal from office shall be filled by a vote of the stockholders or a majority of the directors then in office, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum.  A director so elected by the stockholders shall serve for the balance of the term of the removed director.  A director so elected by the Board of Directors shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified.

Section 3.5           Regular Meetings.  After each meeting of stockholders at which directors shall have been elected, the Board of Directors shall meet as soon as practicable for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business.  In the event that no other time and place are specified by resolution of the Board of Directors, or by the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Chief Executive Officer, with notice in accordance with Section 3.7, the Board of Directors shall meet immediately following the close of, and at the place of, such stockholders’ meeting.  Any other regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and at any place as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Section 3.6           Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by or at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the directors then in office.  The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix the time and place of any special meeting of the Board of Directors called by them.  The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors without other notice than such resolution.

Section 3.7           Notice of Meeting.  Except as provided in Section 3.6, the Secretary shall give notice to each director of each regular and special meeting of the Board of Directors.  The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting.  Notice is given to a director when it is delivered personally to him, left at his residence or usual place of business, or sent by telegraph, facsimile transmission, electronic mail or telephone, at least 24 hours before the time of the meeting or, in the alternative, by mail or courier to his address as it shall appear on the records of the Corporation, at least 72 hours before the time of the meeting.  Unless these Bylaws or a resolution of the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the notice need not state the business to be transacted at or the purposes of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.  No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need be given to any director who is present at the meeting except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened, or to any director who, by electronic transmission or in writing executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the holding thereof, waives such notice.  Any meeting of the Board of Directors, regular or special, 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.

Section 3.8           Action by Directors.  Unless statute or the Charter or these Bylaws require a greater proportion, the action of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present is the action of the Board of Directors.  A majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, provided that, if, pursuant to applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of directors is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority or such other percentage of such group.  In the absence of a quorum, the directors present by majority vote and without notice other than by announcement may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend.  At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.  The directors present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough directors to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum.  If enough directors have withdrawn from a meeting to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum, but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws.

Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each director and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.

Section 3.9           Meeting by Conference Telephone.  Members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time.  Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at a meeting.

Section 3.10           Compensation.  By resolution of the Board of Directors a fixed sum and expenses, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of committees thereof, and other compensation for their services as such or on committees of the Board of Directors, may be paid to directors other than directors who are full-time employees of the Corporation.  A director who serves the Corporation in any other capacity also may receive compensation for such other services, pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors.

Section 3.11           Advisory Directors.  The Board of Directors may by resolution appoint advisory directors to the Board, who may also serve as directors emeriti, and shall receive such compensation and reimbursement as the Board of Directors shall provide.  Advisory directors or directors emeriti shall not have any right to vote as directors.

Section 3.12           Ratification.  The Board of Directors or the stockholders may ratify any action or inaction by the Corporation or its officers to the extent that the Board of Directors or the stockholders could have originally authorized the matter, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders.  Any action or inaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a director, officer or stockholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Directors or by the stockholders, and such ratification shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

Section 3.13           Emergency Provisions.  Notwithstanding any other provision in the Charter or these Bylaws, this Section 3.13 shall apply during the existence of any catastrophe, or other similar emergency condition, as a result of which a quorum of the Board of Directors under Article III of these Bylaws cannot readily be obtained (an “Emergency”).  During any Emergency, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, (i) a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof may be called by any director or officer by any means feasible under the circumstances; (ii) notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors during such an Emergency may be given less than 24 hours prior to the meeting to as many directors and by such means as may be feasible at the time, including publication, television or radio; and (iii) the number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum shall be one-third of the entire Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV.

COMMITTEES

Section 4.1           Committees.  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 as prohibited by law.  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 or the maximum aggregate offering price of shares to be issued, a committee of the Board, in accordance with that general authorization or any stock option or other plan or program adopted by the Board of Directors, may 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.  Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, any committee may delegate some or all of its power and authority to one or more subcommittees, composed of one or more directors, as the committee deems appropriate in its sole and absolute discretion.

Section 4.2           Committee Procedure.  Each committee may fix rules of procedure for its business.  A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee.  The members of a committee present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a director to act in the place of an absent member.  Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of a committee may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.  The members of a committee may conduct any meeting thereof by conference telephone in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.9.

Section 4.3           Vacancies.  Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE V.

OFFICERS

Section 5.1           Executive and Other Officers.  The Corporation shall have a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  It may also have a Chairman of the Board.  The Corporation may also have one or more Vice-Presidents, including Executive Vice Presidents, as well as one or more assistant officers, and subordinate officers as may be established by or at the direction of the Board of Directors.  A person may hold more than one office in the Corporation except that no person may serve concurrently as both President and Vice-President of the Corporation.  The Chairman of the Board shall be a director; the other officers may be directors.  The Board of Directors may designate who shall serve as Chief Executive Officer and may designate a Chief Operating Officer, and a Chief Financial Officer.  In the absence of any designation, the Chairman of the Board, if there be one, shall serve as Chief Executive Officer and the President, if not the same person, shall serve as Chief Operating Officer.  If the Chairman of the Board and the President are the same person, any Executive Vice President or Vice President may serve as Chief Operating Officer.  In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, or if there be none, the President shall be the Chief Executive Officer and any Executive Vice President or Vice President may serve as Chief Operating Officer.

Section 5.2           Chief Executive Officer.  The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Executive Officer.  The Chief Executive Officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Corporation, as determined by the Board of Directors, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.  He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Corporation or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

Section 5.3           Chief Operating Officer.  The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Operating Officer.  The Chief Operating Officer shall have supervision of the operations of the Corporation and such other responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 5.4           Chief Financial Officer.  The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Financial Officer.  The Chief Financial Officer shall among other functions, have supervision of the finance, treasury and accounting functions of the Corporation and such other responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.  The Chief Financial Officer shall be the Treasurer unless the Board of Directors designates another person to be the Treasurer.

Section 5.5           Chairman of the Board.  The Chairman of the Board, if one be elected, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he shall be present.  In general, he shall perform all such duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may designate the Chairman of the Board as an executive or non-executive chairman.

Section 5.6           Vice Chairman of the Board and President.  Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, the Vice Chairman of the Board, if there is one, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors.  Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, in the absence of the Chairman and Vice Chairman, the President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors.  The President may sign and execute, in the name of the Corporation, all authorized deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments, except in cases in which the signing and execution thereof shall have been expressly delegated to some other officer or agent of the Corporation.  In general, the President shall perform such other duties usually performed by a president of a corporation and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

Section 5.7           Vice-Presidents.  The Vice-President or Vice-Presidents designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as Executive Vice-Presidents, at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or in the President’s absence or during his inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the President, and when so acting shall have the powers of the President.  If there be more than one Executive Vice-President, the Board of Directors may determine which one or more of the Executive Vice-Presidents shall perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions, or if such determination is not made by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may make such determination; otherwise any of the Executive Vice-Presidents may perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions.  If there be no Vice-President or Vice-Presidents designated as Executive Vice-President, the Vice-President or Vice-Presidents, at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or in the President’s absence or during his inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the President, and when so acting shall have the powers of the President.  If there be more than one Vice-President, the Board of Directors may determine which one or more of the Vice-Presidents shall perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions, or if such determination is not made by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may make such determination; otherwise, any of the Vice-Presidents may perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions.  The Vice-President or Vice-Presidents, including the Executive Vice-Presidents, shall have such other powers and perform such other duties, and have such additional descriptive designations in their titles (if any), as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.

Section 5.8           Secretary.  The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, of the Board of Directors and of any committees; he shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; he shall be custodian of the records of the Corporation; he may witness any document on behalf of the Corporation, the execution of which is duly authorized, see that the corporate seal is affixed where such document is required or desired to be under the Corporation’s seal, and, when so affixed, may attest the same; and, in general, he shall perform all duties incident to the office of a secretary of a corporation, and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.

Section 5.9           Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds, securities, receipts and disbursements of the Corporation, and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in the name of the Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall, from time to time, be selected by the Board of Directors; he shall render to the President and to the Board of Directors, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the Corporation; and, in general, he shall perform all the duties incident to the office of a treasurer of a corporation, and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President.

Section 5.10           Assistant and Subordinate Officers.  The assistant and subordinate officers of the Corporation are all officers below the office of Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer.  The assistant or subordinate officers shall have such duties as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or any person designated as their superior officer by the committee or person electing them.

Section 5.11           Election, Tenure, Removal and Resignation of Officers.  The Board of Directors shall elect the officers.  The Board of Directors may from time to time authorize any committee or officer to appoint assistant and subordinate officers.  Election or appointment of an officer, employee or agent shall not of itself create contract rights.  All officers shall be elected or appointed to hold their offices, respectively, at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors (or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board) may remove an officer at any time, if the Board (or any committee or officer authorized by the Board, as the case may be) in its judgment finds that the best interests of the Corporation will be served thereby.  The removal of an officer does not prejudice any of his contract rights.  The Board of Directors (or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board) may fill a vacancy which occurs in any office for the unexpired portion of the term.  Any officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary.  Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation.  The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation.  Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Corporation.

Section 5.12           Compensation.  The Board of Directors shall have power to fix the salaries and other compensation and remuneration, of whatever kind, of all officers of the Corporation.  No officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary by reason of the fact that he is also a director of the Corporation.  The Board of Directors may authorize any committee or officer, upon whom the power of appointing assistant and subordinate officers may have been conferred, to fix the salaries, compensation and remuneration of such assistant and subordinate officers.

ARTICLE VI.

DIVISIONAL TITLES

Section 6.1           Conferring Divisional Titles.  The Board of Directors may from time to time confer upon any employee of a division of the Corporation the title of president, vice-president, treasurer or controller of such division or any other title or titles deemed appropriate, or may authorize the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President to do so.  Any such titles so conferred may be discontinued and withdrawn at any time by the Board of Directors, or by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President if so authorized by the Board of Directors.  Any employee of a division designated by such a divisional title shall have the powers and duties with respect to such division as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

Section 6.2           Effect of Divisional Titles.  The conferring of divisional titles shall not create an office of the Corporation under Article V unless specifically designated as such by the Board of Directors; but any person who is an officer of the Corporation may also have a divisional title.

ARTICLE VII.

STOCK

Section 7.1           Certificates.  The Corporation may issue some or all of the shares of any or all of the Corporation’s classes or series of stock without certificates if authorized by the Board of Directors.  In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized officer, shall contain the statements and information required by the MGCL and shall be signed by the officers of the Corporation in any manner permitted by the MGCL.  In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock without certificates, to the extent then required by the MGCL, the Corporation shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates.  There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of stockholders based on whether or not their shares are represented by certificates.  If a class or series of stock is authorized by the Board of Directors to be issued without certificates, no stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate or certificates representing any shares of such class or series of stock held by such stockholder unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors and then only upon written request by such stockholder to the Secretary.

Section 7.2           Transfers.  All transfers of shares of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Directors or any officer of the Corporation may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed.  The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Directors that such shares shall no longer be represented by certificates.  Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, the Corporation shall provide to the record holders of such shares, to the extent then required by the MGCL, a written statement of the information required by the MGCL to be included on stock certificates.

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 expressly provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of stock will be subject in all respects to the Charter and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

Section 7.3           Replacement Certificate.  Any officer of the Corporation may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such stockholder and the Board of Directors has determined that such certificates may be issued.  Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Corporation, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Corporation a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation.

Section 7.4           Fixing of Record Date.  The Board of Directors may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of stockholders for any other proper purpose.  Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of stockholders of record is to be held or taken.

If no record date is fixed for the determination of stockholders, (a) the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day on which the notice of meeting is mailed or the 30th day before the meeting, whichever is the closer date to the meeting; and (b) the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any other rights shall be the close of business on the day on which the resolution of the Board of Directors, declaring the dividend or allotment of rights, is adopted.

When a record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been set as provided in this Section 7.4, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except if the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date originally fixed for the meeting, in which case a new record date for such meeting shall be determined as set forth herein.

Section 7.5           Stock Ledger.  The Corporation shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate stock ledger containing the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of each class held by such stockholder.

Section 7.6           Fractional Stock; Issuance of Units.  The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation to issue fractional shares of stock or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of units consisting of different securities of the Corporation.  Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Corporation, except that the Board of Directors may provide that for a specified period securities of the Corporation issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Corporation only in such unit.

Section 7.7           Exemption from Control Share Acquisition Statute.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the MGCL shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of stock of the Corporation.  This Section 7.7 may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

ARTICLE VIII.

FINANCE

Section 8.1           Checks, Drafts, Etc.  All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Corporation in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 8.2           Annual Statement of Affairs.  The President 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.

Section 8.3           Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the twelve calendar months period ending December 31 in each year, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors.

Section 8.4           Dividends and Other Distributions.  If authorized by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof, the Corporation may pay dividends and other distributions on its shares in cash, property, or in shares of the stock of the Corporation, unless such dividend or other distribution is contrary to law or to a restriction contained in the Charter.

Section 8.5           Contracts.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, and except as otherwise prescribed by the Charter or these Bylaws with respect to certificates for shares, the Board of Directors may authorize any officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation.  Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

ARTICLE IX.

SUNDRY PROVISIONS

Section 9.1           Books and Records.  The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of its accounts and transactions and minutes of the proceedings of its stockholders and Board of Directors and of any executive or other committee when exercising any of the powers of the Board of Directors.  The books and records of the Corporation may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection.  Minutes shall be recorded in written form but may be maintained in the form of a reproduction.  The original or a certified copy of these Bylaws, including any amendments to them, shall be kept at the principal office of the Corporation.

Section 9.2           Corporate Seal.  The Board of Directors shall provide a suitable seal, bearing the name of the Corporation, which shall be in the charge of the Secretary.  The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.  If the Corporation is required to place its corporate seal to a document, it is sufficient to meet the requirement of any law, rule or regulation relating to a corporate seal to place the word “(Seal)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to sign the document on behalf of the Corporation.

Section 9.3           Bonds.  The Board of Directors may require any officer, agent or employee of the Corporation to give a bond to the Corporation, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his duties, with one or more sureties and in such amount as may be satisfactory to the Board of Directors.

Section 9.4           Voting upon Shares in Other Corporations.  Stock of other corporations or associations, registered in the name of the Corporation, may be voted by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice-President, or a proxy appointed by any of them.  The Board of Directors, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.

Section 9.5           Execution of Documents.  A person who holds more than one office in the Corporation may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.

Section 9.6           Amendments.  Except as otherwise provided in the Charter, these Bylaws may be repealed, altered, amended or rescinded only by the Board of Directors pursuant to the procedures for actions by the Board of Directors set forth in Section 3.8 of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE X.

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCE OF EXPENSES

To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Corporation shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present, former or proposed director or officer of the Corporation and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a director or officer of the Corporation and at the request of the Corporation, serves or has served as a director, officer, trustee, member, manager or partner of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.  The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Charter and these Bylaws shall vest immediately upon election of a director or officer.  The Corporation may, with the approval of its Board of Directors, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to an individual who served a predecessor of the Corporation in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Corporation or a predecessor of the Corporation.  The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article X, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article X, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

ARTICLE XI.

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice of a meeting is required to be given pursuant to the Charter or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing or by electronic transmission, given by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice.  Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by statute.  The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened.

ARTICLE XII.

EXCLUSIVE FORUM FOR CERTAIN LITIGATION

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that Court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, shall 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 any duty owed by any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the stockholders of the Corporation, (c) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL, the Charter or these Bylaws, or (d) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned, being the duly elected, qualified and acting Assistant Secretary, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Essex Property Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that the foregoing Sixth Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation were duly adopted at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, duly noticed and at which a quorum was present and acting throughout, to replace the Corporation’s previous bylaws in their entirety and to be effective as of February 21, 2017.

Signature page follows

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name on February 21, 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SIXTH AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

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