ATTACHMENT A
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER dated as
of ____________________ ("Agreement"), between Force Protection, Inc., a
Colorado corporation ("Force Protection Colorado"), and Force Protection, Inc.,
a Nevada corporation ("Force Protection Nevada").
RECITALS
Whereas, the Board of Directors
of Force Protection Colorado has approved a change of legal domicile to the
State of Nevada as being in the best interests of the corporation and its
shareholders; and
Whereas, the change of legal
domicile through the merger ("Merger") with Force Protection Nevada will take
place under the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Now Therefore, in consideration
of the respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
contained in this Agreement, Force Protection Colorado and Force Protection
Nevada hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I - THE MERGER
1.01 THE MERGER. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement,
and in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Colorado Business
Corporation Act ("Colorado Statute") and the Nevada Business Corporation Act
("Nevada Statute"), respectively, Force Protection Colorado will be merged with
and into Force Protection Nevada as soon as practicable following the
satisfaction or waiver, if permissible, of the conditions set forth in Article
IV of this Agreement. Following the Merger, Force Protection Nevada will
continue as the surviving corporation and will continue its existence under the
laws of the State of Nevada, and the separate corporate existence of Force
Protection Colorado will cease.
1.02 EFFECTIVE DATE. As soon as practicable following the satisfaction or
waiver, if permissible, of the conditions set forth in Article IV of this
Agreement, the Merger will be consummated by filing with the Secretaries of
State of the States of Colorado and Nevada, respectively, Articles of Merger,
and any other appropriate documents ("Articles of Merger") in accordance with
the Colorado Statute and the Nevada Statute, respectively. The Merger will
become effective at such time as the Articles of Merger are duly filed, or at
such later time as specified in the Articles of Merger (the time the Merger
becomes effective being the "Effective Date").
1.03 EFFECTS OF THE MERGER. The Merger will have the effects specified in the
Colorado Statute and the Nevada Statute, respectively.
1.04 DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF FORCE PROTECTION NEVADA. After the Effective
Date, the initial directors and officers of Force Protection Nevada, as the
surviving corporation, will be the following persons:
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Xxxx Xxxxxxx
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Director Class I, Interim Chief Executive Officer
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R. Xxxxx Xxxxx
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Director Class II, Secretary
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Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
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Director Class III
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Xxx Thebes
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Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer
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Such persons will serve until their successors will have been duly elected or
appointed and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal in
accordance with Force Protection Nevada’s Certificate of Incorporation and
by laws.
ARTICLE II - EXCHANGE OF SHARES
2.01 SHARE EXCHANGE. On the Effective Date by virtue of the Merger, each share
of common stock and/or Preferred stock of Force Protection Colorado held by the
shareholders of Force Protection Colorado will be deemed exchanged for
corresponding shares of the common stock and/or Preferred stock as the case may
be of Force Protection Nevada. Promptly after the Effective Date, Force
Protection Nevada may issue to each shareholder of Force Protection Colorado a
certificate representing the common stock and/or preferred stock to be issued to
each shareholder and in such event each shareholder of Force Protection Colorado
will be required to exchange and surrender the certificate representing all of
such shareholder’s shares in Force Protection Colorado. At the close of
business on the day of the Effective date, the stock ledger of Force Protection
Colorado will be closed.
ARTICLE III - COVENANTS
3.01 FURTHER ACTION. The parties will, subject to the fulfillment at or before
the Effective Date of each of the conditions of performance set forth in Section
IV herein, perform such further acts and execute such documents as may be
reasonably required to effect the Merger.
3.02 MEETING OF BREAKTHROUGH SHAREHOLDERS. Force Protection Colorado will submit
the Merger to its shareholders for their consideration and consent in accordance
with the Colorado Statute and other provisions of applicable law. Force
Protection Colorado will notify Force Protection Nevada that the consent of the
shareholders has been obtained.
3.03 BEST EFFORTS TO CLOSE. The parties hereto agree to use their best efforts
to close the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable after the
execution of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV - CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
4.01 CONDITIONS TO EACH PARTY’S OBLIGATION TO EFFECT THE MERGER. The
respective obligations of each party to effect the Merger are subject to the
satisfaction or waiver, where permissible, prior to the Effective Date, of the
following conditions:
(a) This Agreement will have been approved by the affirmative vote of the
shareholders of Force Protection Colorado by the requisite vote in accordance
with applicable law;
(b) No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, injunction or other
order (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent), will have been enacted,
entered, promulgated or enforced by any court or governmental authority which is
in effect and has the effect of prohibiting the consummation of the Merger;
provided, however, that each of the parties will have used its best efforts to
prevent the entry of any injunction or other order and to appeal as promptly as
possible any injunction or other order that may be entered.
ARTICLE V - MISCELLANEOUS
5.01 ASSIGNMENT, BINDING EFFECT; BENEFIT; ENTIRE AGREEMENT. Neither this
Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder will be
assigned by any of the parties hereto (whether by operation of law or otherwise)
without the prior written consent of the other parties. Subject to the preceding
sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon and will inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement,
expressed or implied, is intended to confer on any person other than the parties
hereto or their respective heirs, successors, executors, administrators and
assign any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of
this Agreement. This Agreement and any documents delivered by the parties in
connection herewith constitute the entire agreement among the parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings (oral and written) among the parties with respect thereto. No
addition to or modification of any provision of this Agreement will be binding
upon any party hereto unless made in writing and signed by all parties
hereto.
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5.02 SEVERABILITY. Any term or provision of this Agreement which is invalid or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction will, as to that jurisdiction, be ineffective
to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid
or unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement in any
other jurisdiction. If any provision, clause, section or part of this Agreement
is so broad as to be unenforceable, the provision, clause, section or part will
be interpreted to be only so broad as is enforceable, and all other provisions,
clauses, sections or parts of this Agreement which can be effective without such
unenforceable provision, clause, section or part will, nevertheless, remain in
full force and effect.
5.03 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without regard to its rules of
conflict of laws.
5.04 DESCRIPTIVE HEADINGS. The descriptive headings herein are inserted for
convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or to affect
the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
5.05 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in
separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered will be an
original, but all such counterparts will together constitute one and the same
instrument. Each counterpart may consist of a number of copies of this Agreement
each of which may be signed by less than all of the parties hereto, but together
all such copies will constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed
on its behalf by its respective officers hereunto duly authorized, all as of
the day and year first above written.
Force Protection, Inc. (Colorado)
By:_______________________
Title: President
Force Protection, Inc. (Nevada)
By:_______________________
Title: President
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ATTACHMENT B
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
FORCE PROTECTION, INC.
(The "Corporation")
The undersigned incorporator does hereby file these Articles of Incorporation of
a Private Corporation pursuant to Title Seven of the Nevada Revised Statutes as
follows:
FIRST: The name of the corporation is FORCE PROTECTION, INC.
SECOND: The name of the initial registered agent and registered office
is: Sage International, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxx, Xxxxxx,
00000.
THIRD: The Corporation shall have and may exercise all of the rights,
powers and privileges now or hereafter conferred upon corporations organized
under the laws of Nevada. In addition, the corporation may do everything
necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of any of its corporate
purposes. The corporation may conduct part or all of its business in any part of
Nevada, the United States or the world and may hold, purchase, mortgage, lease
and convey real and personal property in any of such places.
FOURTH: The aggregate number of shares that the corporation shall have
authority to issue is three hundred and ten million (310,000,000) shares of
which a portion shall be common stock and a portion shall be preferred stock,
all as described below.
A. Common Stock. The aggregate number of common
shares which the Corporation shall have the authority to issue is three hundred
million (300,000,000) shares, each with a stated Par Value of $0.001 per share,
which shares shall be designated "Common Stock." Subject to all the rights of
the Preferred Stock as expressly provided herein, by law or by the Board of
Directors pursuant to this Article, the Common Stock of the corporation shall
possess all such rights and privileges as are afforded to capital stock by
applicable law in the absence of any express grant of rights or privileges in
these Articles of Incorporation, including, but not limited to, the following
rights and privileges:
(a) dividends may be declared and paid or set apart
for payment on the Common Stock out of any assets or funds of the corporation
legally available for the payment of dividends;
(b) the holders of Common Stock shall have unlimited
voting rights, including the right to vote for the election of directors and on
all other matters requiring stockholder action. Cumulative voting shall not be
permitted in the election of directors or otherwise.
(c) on the voluntary or involuntary liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the corporation, and after paying or adequately
providing for the payment of all of its obligations and amounts payable in
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, and subject to the rights of the holders
of Preferred Stock, if any, the net assets of the corporation shall be
distributed pro rata to the holders of the Common Stock.
B. Preferred Stock. The aggregate number of
preferred shares which the Corporation shall have the authority to issue is ten
million (10,000,000) shares, each with a stated Par Value of $0.001 per share,
which shares shall be designated "Preferred Stock." Shares of Preferred Stock
may be issued from time to time in one or more series as determined by the Board
of Directors. The Board of Directors is hereby authorized, by resolution or
resolutions, to provide from time to time, out of the un-issued shares of
Preferred Stock not then allocated to any series of Preferred Stock, for a
series of the Preferred Stock. Each such series shall have distinctive serial
designations. Before any shares of any such series of Preferred Stock are
issued, the Board of Directors shall fix and determine, and is hereby expressly
empowered to fix and determine, by resolution or resolutions, the voting powers,
full or limited, or no voting powers, and the designations, preferences and
relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof as provided by Nevada law.
Before issuing any shares of a class or series, the corporation shall deliver to
the secretary of state for filing articles of amendment to these articles of
incorporation that set forth information required by Nevada law, including but
not limited to, the designations, preferences, limitations, and relative rights
of the class or series of shares.
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C. Voting. Unless otherwise ordered by a court of
competent jurisdiction, at all meetings of shareholders one-third of the shares
of a voting group entitled to vote at such meeting, represented in person or by
proxy, shall constitute a quorum of that voting group.
FIFTH: The initial board of directors shall consist of three (3) members
whose name and address are as follows:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
R. Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
All of whose address is 0000 Xxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxxxx #0, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
00000
The number of directors of the corporation shall be fixed from time to time by
the Board of Directors, within a range of no less than one or no more than five.
A Director shall be a natural person who is eighteen years of age or older. A
director need not be a resident of Nevada or a shareholder of the corporation.
SIXTH: The incorporator of the corporation is R. Xxxxx Xxxxx, 0000
Xxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxxxx #0, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000.
SEVENTH: The Corporation shall establish and maintain one or more offices
as may be appropriate from time to time and as required under the laws of the
state of Nevada.
EIGHTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the
business and for the conduct of the affairs of the corporation, and the same are
in furtherance of and not in limitation or exclusion of the powers conferred by
law.
(a) Conflicting Interest Transactions.
As used in this paragraph, "conflicting interest transaction" means any of the
following: (i) a loan or other assistance by the corporation to a director of
the corporation or to an entity in which a director of the corporation is a
director or officer or has a financial interest; (ii) a guaranty by the
corporation of an obligation of a director of the corporation or of an
obligation of an entity in which a director of the corporation is a director or
officer or has a financial interest; or (iii) a contract or transaction between
the corporation and a director of the corporation or between the corporation and
an entity in which a director of the corporation is a director or officer or has
a financial interest. No conflicting interest transaction shall be void or
voidable, be enjoined, be set aside, or give rise to an award of damages or
other sanctions in a proceeding by a shareholder or by or in the right of the
corporation, solely because the conflicting interest transaction involves a
director of the corporation or an entity in which a director of the corporation
is a director or officer or has a financial interest, or solely because the
director is present at or participates in the meeting of the corporation’s
board of directors or of the committee of the board of directors which
authorized, approves or ratifies a conflicting interest transaction, or solely
because the director’s vote is counted for such purpose if: (A) the
material facts as to the director’s relationship or interest and as to the
conflicting interest transaction are disclosed or are known to the board of
directors or the committee, and the board of directors or committee in good
faith authorizes, approves or ratifies the conflicting interest transaction by
the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though
the disinterested directors are less than a quorum; or (B) the material facts as
to the director’s relationship or interest and as to the conflicting
interest transaction are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to
vote thereon, and the conflicting interest transaction is specifically
authorized, approved or ratified in good faith by a vote of the shareholders; or
(C) a conflicting interest transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the
time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the board of directors, a
committee thereof, or the shareholders. Common or interested directors may be
counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the board of
directors or of a committee which authorizes, approves or ratifies the
conflicting interest transaction.
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(b) Loans and Guaranties for the
Benefit of Directors. Neither the board of directors nor any committee thereof
shall authorize a loan by the corporation to a director of the corporation or to
an entity in which a director of the corporation is a director or officer or has
a financial interest, or a guaranty by the corporation of an obligation of a
director of the corporation or of an obligation of an entity in which a director
of the corporation is a director or officer or has a financial interest, until
at least ten days after written notice of the proposed authorization of the loan
or guaranty has been given to the shareholders who would be entitled to vote
thereon if the issue of the loan or guaranty were submitted to a vote of the
shareholders. The requirements of this paragraph (b) are in addition to, and not
in substitution for, the provisions of paragraph (a) of Article EIGHTH.
(c) Indemnification. The corporation
shall indemnify, to the maximum extent permitted by law, any person who is or
was a director, officer, agent, fiduciary or employee of the corporation against
any claim, liability or expenses arising against or incurred by such person made
party to a proceeding because he is or was a director, officer, agent, fiduciary
or employee of the corporation or because he was a director, officer, agent,
fiduciary or employee of the corporation or because he is or was serving another
entity as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, fiduciary or agent at
the corporation’s request. The corporation shall further have the
authority to the maximum extent permitted by law to purchase and maintain
insurance providing such indemnification.
(d) Limitation on Director’s
Liability. No director of this corporation shall have any personal liability for
monetary damages to the corporation or its shareholders for breach of his
fiduciary duty as a director, except that this provision shall not eliminate or
limit the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its
shareholders for monetary damages for: (i) any breach of the director’s
duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders; or (ii) acts or
omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing
violation of law; Nothing contained herein will be construed to deprive any
director of his right to all defenses ordinarily available to a director nor
will anything herein be construed to deprive any director of any right he may
have for contribution from any other director or other person.
The undersigned incorporator does hereby certify the foregoing as a true and
accurate statement of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation.
Dated:
_________________________
By:____________________________
R.
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Incorporator
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ATTACHMENT C
BY-LAWS
FORCE PROTECTION, INC.
(The "Corporation")
ARTICLE I - Offices
The principal office of the corporation shall be designated from time to time by
the corporation and may be within or outside of Nevada.
The corporation may have such other offices, either within or outside Nevada, as
the board of directors may designate or as the business of the corporation may
require from time to time.
The registered office of the corporation required by the Nevada Business
Corporation Act to be maintained in Nevada may be, but need not be, identical
with the principal office, and the address of the registered office may be
changed from time to time by the board of directors.
ARTICLE II - Shareholders
Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders shall be
held each year on a date and at a time fixed by the board of directors of the
corporation (or by the president in the absence of action by the board of
directors), beginning with the year 2005, for the purpose of electing directors
and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting.
If the election of directors is not held on the day fixed as provided herein for
any annual meeting of the shareholders, or any adjournment thereof, the board of
directors shall cause the election to be held at a special meeting of the
shareholders as soon thereafter as it may conveniently be held.
A shareholder may apply to the district court in the county in Nevada where the
corporation’s principal office is located or, if the corporation has no
principal office in Nevada, to the district court of the county in which the
corporation’s registered office is located to seek an order that a
shareholder meeting be held (i) if an annual meeting was not held within six
months after the close of the corporation’s most recently ended fiscal
year or fifteen months after its last annual meeting, whichever is earlier, or
(ii) if the shareholder participated in a proper call of or proper demand for a
special meeting and notice of the special meeting was not given within thirty
days after the date of the call or the date the last of the demands necessary to
require calling of the meeting was received by the corporation pursuant to the
Nevada Revised Statutes, or the special meeting was not held in accordance with
the notice.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Unless otherwise prescribed by statute, special
meetings of the shareholders may be called for any purpose by the president or
by the board of directors. The president shall call a special meeting of the
shareholders if the corporation receives one or more written demands for the
meeting, stating the purpose or purposes for which it is to be held, signed and
dated by holders of shares representing at least ten percent of all the votes
entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at the meeting..
Section 3. Place of Meeting. The board of directors may designate any place,
either within or outside Nevada, as the place for any annual meeting or any
special meeting called by the board of directors. A waiver of notice signed by
all shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting may designate any place, either
within or outside Nevada, as the place for such meeting. If no designation is
made, or if a special meeting is called other than by the board, the place of
meeting shall be the principal office of the corporation.
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Section 4. Notice of Meeting. Written notice stating the place, date, and hour
of the meeting shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before
the date of the meeting, except that (i) if the number of authorized shares is
to be increased, at least thirty days’ notice shall be given, or (ii) any
other longer notice period is required by the Nevada Business Corporation Act.
Notice of a special meeting shall include a description of the purpose or
purposes of the meeting. Notice of an annual meeting need not include a
description of the purpose or purposes of the meeting except the purpose or
purposes shall be stated with respect to (i) an amendment to the articles of
incorporation of the corporation, (ii) a merger or share exchange in which the
corporation is a party and, with respect to a share exchange, in which the
corporation’s shares will be acquired, (iii) a sale, lease, exchange or
other disposition, other than in the usual and regular course of business, of
all or substantially all of the property of the corporation or of another entity
which this corporation controls, in each case with or without the goodwill, (iv)
a dissolution of the corporation, or (v) any other purpose for which a statement
of purpose is required by the Nevada Business Corporation Act. Notice shall be
given personally or by mail, private carrier, telegraph, teletype,
electronically transmitted facsimile or other form of wire or wireless
communication by or at the direction of the president, the secretary, or the
officer or persons calling the meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled
to vote at such meeting. If mailed and if in a comprehensible form, such notice
shall be deemed to be given and effective when deposited in the United States
mail, addressed to the shareholder at his address as it appears in the
corporation’s current record of shareholders, with postage prepaid. If
notice is given other than by mail, and provided that such notice is in a
comprehensible form, the notice is given and effective on the date received by
the shareholder. If requested by the person or persons lawfully calling such
meeting, the corporation shall give notice thereof at corporation expense. No
notice need be sent to any shareholder if three successive notices mailed to the
last known address of such shareholder have been returned as undeliverable until
such time as another address for such shareholder is made known to the
corporation by such shareholder. In order to be entitled to receive notice of
any meeting, a shareholder shall advise the corporation in writing of any change
in such shareholder’s mailing address as shown on the corporation’s
books and records.
When a meeting is adjourned to another date, time or place, notice need not be
given of the new date, time or place if the new date, time or place of such
meeting is announced before adjournment at the meeting at which the adjournment
is taken. At the adjourned meeting the corporation may transact any business
which may have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is
for more than 120 days, or if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned
meeting, a new notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each
shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting as of the new record
date.
A shareholder may waive notice of a meeting before or after the time and date of
the meeting by a writing signed by such shareholder. Such waiver shall be
delivered to the corporation for filing with the corporate records. Further, by
attending a meeting either in person or by proxy, a shareholder waives objection
to lack of notice or defective notice of the meeting unless the shareholder
objects at the beginning of the meeting to the holding of the meeting or the
transaction of business at the meeting because of lack of notice or defective
notice. By attending the meeting, the shareholder also waives any objection to
consideration at the meeting of a particular matter not within the purpose or
purposes described in the meeting notice unless the shareholder objects to
considering the matter when it is presented.
Section 5. Fixing of Record Date. For the purposes of determining shareholders
entitled to (i) notice of or vote at any meeting of shareholders or any
adjournment thereof, (ii) receive distributions or share dividends, or (ii)
demand a special meeting, or to make a determination of shareholders for any
other proper purpose, the board of directors may fix a future date as the
record date for any such determination of shareholders, such date in any case to
be not more than seventy days, and, in case of a meeting of shareholders not
less than ten days, prior to the date on which the particular action requiring
such determination of shareholders is to be taken. If no record date is fixed by
the directors, the record date shall be the date on which notice of the meeting
is mailed to shareholders, or the date on which the resolution of the board of
directors providing for a distribution is adopted, as the case may be. When a
determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders is
made as provided in this Section, such determination shall apply to any
adjournment thereof unless the board of directors fixes a new record date, which
it must do if the meeting is adjourned to a date more than 120 days after the
date fixed for the original meeting.
Notwithstanding the above, the record date for determining the shareholders
entitled to take action without a meeting or entitled to be given notice of
action so taken shall be the date a writing upon which the action is taken is
first received by the corporation. The record date for determining shareholders
entitled to demand a special meeting shall be the date of the earliest of any of
the demands pursuant to which the meeting is called.
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Section 6. Voting Lists. The secretary shall make, at the earlier of ten days
before each meeting of shareholders or two business days after notice of the
meeting has been given, a complete list of the shareholders entitled to be given
notice of such meeting or any adjournment thereof. The list shall be arranged by
voting groups and within each voting group by class or series of shares, shall
be in alphabetical order within each class or series, and shall show the address
of and the number of shares of each class or series held by each shareholder.
For the period beginning the earlier of ten days prior to the meeting or two
business days after notice of the meeting is given and continuing through the
meeting and any adjournment thereof, this list shall be kept on file at the
principal office of the corporation, or at a place (which shall be identified in
the notice) in the city where the meeting will be held. Such list shall be
available for inspection on written demand by any shareholder (including for the
purpose of this Section 6 any holder of voting trust certificates) or his agent
or attorney during regular business hours and during the period available for
inspection. The original stock transfer books shall be prima facie evidence as
to the shareholders entitled to examine such list or to vote at any meeting of
shareholders.
Any shareholder, his agent or attorney may copy the list during regular business
hours and during the period it is available for inspection, provided (i) the
shareholder has been a shareholder for at least three months immediately
preceding the demand or holds at least five percent of all outstanding shares of
any class of shares as of the date of the demand, (ii) the demand is made in
good faith and for a purpose reasonably related to the demanding
shareholder’s interest as a shareholder, (iii) the shareholder describes
with reasonable particularity the purpose and the records the shareholder
desires to inspect, (iv) the records are directly connected with the described
purpose and (v) the shareholder pays a reasonable charge covering the costs of
labor and material for such copies, not to exceed the estimated cost of
production and reproduction.
Section 7. Recognition Procedure for Beneficial Owners. The board of
directors may adopt by resolution a procedure whereby a shareholder of the
corporation may certify in writing to the corporation that all or a portion of
the shares registered in the name of such shareholder are held for the account
of a specified person or persons. The resolution may set forth (i) the types of
nominees to which it applies, (ii) the rights or privileges that the corporation
will recognize in a beneficial owner, which may include rights and privileges
other than voting; (iii) the form of certification and the information to be
contained therein, (iv) if the certification is with respect to a record date,
the time within which the certification must be received by the corporation, (v)
the period for which the nominee’s use of the procedure is effective, and
(vi) such other provisions with respect to the procedure as the board deems
necessary or desirable. Upon receipt by the corporation of a certificate
complying with the procedure established by the board of directors, the persons
specified in the certification shall be deemed, for the purpose or purposes set
forth in the certification, to be the registered holders of the number of shares
specified in place of the shareholder making the certification.
Section 8. Quorum and Manner of Acting. One-third of the votes entitled to be
cast on a matter by a voting group shall constitute a quorum of that voting
group for action on the matter. If less than one-third of such votes are
represented at a meeting, a majority of the votes so represented may adjourn the
meeting from time to time without further notice, for a period not to exceed 120
days for any one adjournment. If a quorum is present at such adjourned meeting,
any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting
as originally noticed. The shareholders present at a duly organized meeting may
continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal
of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum, unless the meeting is
adjourned and a new record date is set for the adjourned meeting.
If a quorum exists, action on a matter other than the election of directors by a
voting group is approved if the votes cast within the voting group favoring the
action exceed the votes cast within the voting group opposing the action, unless
the vote of a greater number or voting by classes is required by law or the
articles of incorporation.
Section 9. Proxies. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by
proxy by signing an appointment form or similar writing, either personally or by
his duly authorized attorney-in-fact. A shareholder may also appoint a proxy by
transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, teletype, or other
electronic transmission providing a written statement of the appointment to the
proxy, a proxy solicitor, proxy support service organization, or other person
duly authorized by the proxy to receive appointments as agent for the proxy, or
to the corporation. The transmitted appointment shall set forth or be
transmitted with written evidence from which it can be determined that the
shareholder transmitted or authorized the transmission of the appointment. The
proxy appointment form or similar writing shall be filed with the secretary of
the corporation before or at the time of the meeting. The appointment of a proxy
is effective when received by the corporation and is valid for eleven months
unless a different period is expressly provided in the appointment form or
similar writing.
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Any complete copy, including an electronically transmitted facsimile, of an
appointment of a proxy may be substituted for or used in lieu of the original
appointment for any purpose for which the original appointment could be used.
Revocation of a proxy does not affect the right of the corporation to accept the
proxy’s authority unless (i) the corporation had notice that the
appointment was coupled with an interest and notice that such interest is
extinguished is received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized
to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his authority under the
appointment, or (ii) other notice of the revocation of the appointment is
received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes
before the proxy exercises his authority under the appointment. Other notice of
revocation may, in the discretion of the corporation, be deemed to include the
appearance at a shareholders’ meeting of the shareholder who granted the
proxy and his voting in person on any matter subject to a vote at such
meeting.
The death or incapacity of the shareholder appointing a proxy does not affect
the right of the corporation to accept the proxy’s authority unless notice
of the death or incapacity is received by the secretary or other officer or
agent authorized to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his authority
under the appointment.
The corporation shall not be required to recognize an appointment made
irrevocable if it has received a writing revoking the appointment signed by the
shareholder (including a shareholder who is a successor to the shareholder who
granted the proxy) either personally or by his attorney-in-fact, notwithstanding
that the revocation may be a breach of an obligation of the shareholder to
another person not to revoke the appointment.
Subject to Section 11 and any express limitation on the proxy’s authority
appearing on the appointment form, the corporation is entitled to accept the
proxy’s vote or other action as that of the shareholder making the
appointment.
Section 10. Voting of Shares. Each outstanding share, regardless of class,
shall be entitled to one vote, except in the election of directors, and each
fractional share shall be entitled to a corresponding fractional vote on each
matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders, except to the extent
that the voting rights of the shares of any class or classes are limited or
denied by the articles of incorporation and by the resolution of the board of
directors authorizing the issuance of the shares of any particular class, as
permitted by the Nevada Business Corporation Act. Cumulative voting shall not be
permitted in the election of directors or for any other purpose. Each record
holder of shares of common stock shall be entitled to vote in the election of
directors and shall have as many votes for each of the shares owned by him as
there are directors to be elected and for whose election he has the right to
vote.
At each election of directors, that number of candidates equaling the number of
directors to be elected, having the highest number of votes cast in favor of
their election, shall be elected to the board of directors.
Except as otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction upon a finding
that the purpose of this Section would not be violated in the circumstances
presented to the court, the shares of the corporation are not entitled to be
voted if they are owned, directly or indirectly, by a second corporation,
domestic or foreign, and the first corporation owns, directly or indirectly, a
majority of the shares entitled to vote for directors of the second corporation
except to the extent the second corporation holds the shares in a fiduciary
capacity.
Redeemable shares are not entitled to be voted after notice of redemption is
mailed to the holders and a sum sufficient to redeem the shares has been
deposited with a bank, trust company or other financial institution under an
irrevocable obligation to pay the holders the redemption price on surrender of
the shares.
Section 11. Corporation’s Acceptance of Votes. If the name signed on a
vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment, or proxy appointment revocation
corresponds to the name of a shareholder, the corporation, if acting in good
faith, is entitled to accept the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or
proxy appointment revocation and give it effect as the act of the shareholder.
If the name signed on a vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy
appointment revocation does not correspond to the name of a shareholder, the
corporation, if acting in good faith, is nevertheless entitled to accept the
vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation and to
give it effect as the act of the shareholder if:
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(i) the shareholder is an entity and the name signed
purports to be that of an officer or agent of the entity;
(ii) the name
signed purports to be that of an administrator, executor, guardian or
conservator representing the shareholder and, if the corporation requests,
evidence of fiduciary status acceptable to the corporation has been presented
with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy
appointment revocation;
(iii) the name signed purports to be that of a
receiver or trustee in bankruptcy of the shareholder and, if the corporation
requests, evidence of this status acceptable to the corporation has been
presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy
appointment revocation;
(iv) the name signed purports to be that of a pledgee,
beneficial owner or attorney-in-fact of the shareholder and, if the corporation
requests, evidence acceptable to the corporation of the signatory’s
authority to sign for the shareholder has been presented with respect to the
vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation;
(v) two or more persons are the shareholder as
co-tenants or fiduciaries and the name signed purports to be the name of at
least one of the co-tenants or fiduciaries, and the person signing appears to be
acting on behalf of all the co-tenants or fiduciaries; or
(vi) the acceptance of the vote, consent, waiver,
proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation is otherwise proper under
rules established by the corporation that are not inconsistent with this Section
11.
The corporation is entitled to reject a vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment
or proxy appointment revocation if the secretary or other officer or agent
authorized to tabulate votes, acting in good faith, has reasonable basis for
doubt about the validity of the signature on it or about the signatory’s
authority to sign for the shareholder.
Neither the corporation nor its officers nor any agent who accepts or rejects a
vote, consent, waiver, proxy appointment or proxy appointment revocation in good
faith and in accordance with the standards of this Section is liable in damages
for the consequences of the acceptance or rejection.
Section 12. Informal Action by Shareholders. Any action required or permitted
to be taken at a meeting of the shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a
written consent (or counterparts thereof) that sets forth the action so taken is
signed by all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject
matter thereof and received by the corporation. Such consent shall have the same
force and effect as a unanimous vote of the shareholders and may be stated as
such in the document. Action taken under this Section 12 is effective as of the
date the last writing necessary to effect this action is received by the
corporation, unless all of the writings specify a different effective date, in
which case such specified date shall be the effective date for such action. If
any shareholder revokes his consent as provided for herein prior to what would
otherwise be the effective date, the action proposed in the consent shall be
invalid. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to take action
without a meeting is the date the corporation receives a writing upon which the
action is taken.
Any shareholder who has signed a writing describing and consenting to action
taken pursuant to this Section 12 may revoke such consent by a writing signed by
the shareholder describing the action and stating that the shareholder’s
prior consent thereto is revoked, if such writing is received by the corporation
before the effectiveness of the action.
Section 13. Meetings by Telecommunication. Any or all of the shareholders may
participate in an annual or special shareholders’ meeting by, or the
meeting may be conducted through the use of, any means of communication by which
all persons participating in the meeting may hear each other during the meeting.
A shareholder participating in a meeting by this means is deemed to be present
in person at the meeting.
ARTICLE III - Board of Directors
Section 1. General Powers. All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under
the authority of, and the business and affairs of the corporation shall be
managed under the direction of its board of directors, except as otherwise
provided in the Nevada Business Corporation Act or the articles of
incorporation.
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Section 2. Number, Qualifications and Tenure. The number of directors of the
corporation and their class shall be fixed from time to time by the board of
directors, within a range of no less than one or more than nine. A director
shall be a natural person who is eighteen years of age or older. A director need
not be a resident of Nevada or a shareholder of the corporation.
The Board of Directors shall be and is divided into three classes: Class I,
Class II and Class III. No one class shall have more than one director more than
any other class. If a fraction is contained in the quotient arrived at by
dividing the designated number of directors by three, then if such fraction is
one third, the extra director shall be a member of Class I, and if such fraction
is two-thirds, one of the extra directors shall be a member of Class I and one
of the extra directors shall be a member of Class II, unless otherwise provided
from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. Each director
shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of
stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director
was elected; provided, that each initial director in Class I shall serve for a
term ending on the date of the annual meeting of stockholders in 2005; each
initial director in Class II shall serve for a term ending on the date of the
annual meeting of stockholders in 2006, and each initial director in Class III
shall serve for a term ending on the date of the annual meeting of stockholders
in 2007; and provided further, that term of each director shall be subject to
the election and qualification of his successor and to his earlier death,
resignation or removal. In the event of any increase or decrease in the
authorized number of directors, (i) each director then serving as such shall
nevertheless continue as a director of the class of which he is a member for the
full term of such class and (ii) the newly created or eliminated directorships
resulting from such increase or decrease shall be apportioned by the Board of
Directors among the three classes of a directors so as to ensure that no one
class has more than one director more than any other class. To the extent
possible, consistent with the foregoing rule, any newly created directorships
shall be added to those classes whose terms of office are to expire at the
latest dates following such allocation, and any newly eliminated directorships
shall be subtracted from those classes whose terms of offices are to expire at
the earliest dates following such allocation, unless otherwise provided from
time to time by resolution adopted by the board of directors. Any vacancy in the
Board of Directors, however occurring, including (without limitation) a vacancy
resulting from an increase in the number of directors, shall be filled only by a
vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum,
or by a sole remaining director. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the
holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation
after approval by the Board of Directors shall have the right, voting separately
by class or series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of
stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other
features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of the Restated
Articles of Incorporation (including such terms as may be adopted by the Board
of Directors pursuant to power granted to them in the Restated Articles of
Incorporation) applicable thereto, such directors so elected shall not be
divided into classes pursuant to this Article III, Section 2, and the number of
such directors shall not be counted in determining the maximum number of
directors permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Article III, Section
2, in each case unless expressly provided by such terms.
Directors shall be removed in the manner provided by the Nevada Business
Corporation Act.
Section 3. Vacancies. Any director may resign at any time by giving written
notice to the corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time the
notice is received by the corporation unless the notice specifies a later
effective date. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the
corporation’s acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to
make it effective. Any vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders or the board of directors. If
the directors remaining in office constitute fewer than a quorum of the board,
the directors may fill the vacancy by the affirmative vote of a majority of all
the directors remaining in office. If elected by the directors, the director
shall hold office until the next annual shareholder’s meeting at which
directors are elected. If elected by the shareholders, the director shall hold
office for the unexpired term of his predecessor in office; except that, if the
director’s predecessor was elected by the directors to fill a vacancy, the
director elected by the shareholders shall hold office for the unexpired term of
the last predecessor elected by the shareholders.
Section 4. Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the board of directors shall
be held without notice immediately after and at the same place as the annual
meeting of shareholders. The board of directors may provide by resolution the
time and place, either within or outside Nevada, for the holding of additional
regular meetings without other notice.
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Section 5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors may be
called by or at the request of the president or chief executive officer, or any
director. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the board
of directors may fix any place, either within or outside Nevada, as the place
for holding any special meeting of the board of directors called by them,
provided that no meeting shall be called outside the State of Nevada unless a
majority of the board of directors has so authorized.
Section 6. Notice. Notice of any special meeting shall be given at least two
days prior to the meeting by written notice either personally delivered or
mailed to each director at his business address, or by notice transmitted by
telegraph, telex, electronically transmitted facsimile or other form of wire or
wireless communication. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given and
to be effective on the earlier of (i) three days after such notice is deposited
in the United States mail, properly addressed, with postage prepaid, or (ii) the
date shown on the return receipt, if mailed by registered or certified mail
return receipt requested. If notice is given by telex, electronically
transmitted facsimile or other similar form of wire or wireless communication,
such notice shall be deemed to be given and to be effective when sent, and with
respect to a telegram, such notice shall be deemed to be given and to be
effective when the telegram is delivered to the telegraph company. If a director
has designated in writing one or more reasonable addresses or facsimile numbers
for delivery of notice to him, notice sent by mail, telegram, telex,
electronically transmitted facsimile or other form of wire or wireless
communication shall not be deemed to have been given or to be effective unless
sent to such addresses or facsimile numbers, as the case may be.
A director may waive notice of a meeting before or after the time and date of
the meeting by a writing signed by such director. Such waiver shall be delivered
to the corporation for filing with the corporate records. Further, a
director’s attendance at or participation in a meeting waives any required
notice to him of the meeting unless at the beginning of the meeting, or promptly
upon his arrival, the director objects to holding the meeting or transacting
business at the meeting because of lack of notice or defective notice and does
not thereafter vote for or assent to action taken at the meeting. Neither the
business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting
of the board of directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of
such meeting.
Section 7. Quorum. A majority of the number of directors fixed by the board of
directors pursuant to Section 2 or, if no number is fixed, a majority of the
number in office immediately before the meeting begins, shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the board of directors.
If less than such majority is present at a meeting, a majority of the directors
present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, for a
period not to exceed sixty days at any one adjournment.
Section 8. Manner of Acting. The act of the majority of the directors present
at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of
directors. No director may vote or act by proxy at any meeting of directors.
Section 9. Compensation. By resolution of the board of directors, any director
may be paid any one or more of the following: his expenses, if any, of
attendance at meetings, a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting, a stated
salary as director, or such other compensation as the corporation and the
director may reasonably agree upon. No such payment shall preclude any director
from serving the corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation
therefor.
Section 10. Presumption of Assent. A director of the corporation who is
present at a meeting of the board of directors or committee of the board at
which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented
to the action taken unless (i) the director objects at the beginning of the
meeting, or promptly upon his arrival, to the holding of the meeting or the
transaction of business at the meeting and does not thereafter vote for or
assent to any action taken at the meeting, (ii) the director contemporaneously
requests that his dissent or abstention as to any specific action taken be
entered in the minutes of the meeting, or (iii) the director causes written
notice of his dissent or abstention as to any specific action to be received by
the presiding officer of the meeting before its adjournment or by the
corporation promptly after the adjournment of the meeting. A director may
dissent to a specific action at a meeting, while assenting to others. The right
to dissent to a specific action taken at a meeting of the board of directors or
a committee of the board shall not be available to a director who voted in favor
of such action.
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Section 11. Committees. By resolution adopted by a majority of all the
directors in office when the action is taken, the board of directors may
designate from among its members an executive committee and one or more other
committees, and appoint one or more members of the board of directors to serve
on them. To the extent provided in the resolution, each committee shall have all
the authority of the board of directors, except that no such committee shall
have the authority to (i) authorize distributions, (ii) approve or propose to
shareholders actions or proposals required by the Nevada Business Corporation
Act to be approved by shareholders, (iii) fill vacancies on the board of
directors or any committee thereof, (iv) amend articles of incorporation, (v)
adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws, (vi) approve a plan of merger not requiring
shareholder approval, (vii) authorize or approve the reacquisition of shares
unless pursuant to a formula or method prescribed by the board of directors, or
(viii) authorize or approve the issuance or sale of shares, or contract for the
sale of shares or determine the designations and relative rights, preferences
and limitations of a class or series of shares, except that the board of
directors may authorize a committee or officer to do so within limits
specifically prescribed by the board of directors. The committee shall then have
full power within the limits set by the board of directors to adopt any final
resolution setting forth all preferences, limitations and relative rights of
such class or series and to authorize an amendment of the articles of
incorporation stating the preferences, limitations and relative rights of a
class or series for filing with the Secretary of State under the Nevada Business
Corporation Act.
Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 12 of Article III, which govern meetings, notice,
waiver of notice, quorum, voting requirements and action without a meeting of
the board of directors, shall apply to committees and their members appointed
under this Section 11.
Neither the designation of any such committee, the delegation of authority to
such committee, nor any action by such committee pursuant to its authority shall
alone constitute compliance by any member of the board of directors or a member
of the committee in question with his responsibility to conform to the standards
of care set forth in Article III, Section 14 of these bylaws.
Section 12. Action Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be
taken at a meeting of the directors or any committee designated by the board of
directors may be taken without a meeting if a written consent (or counterparts
thereof) that sets forth the action so taken is signed by all of the directors
entitled to vote with respect to the action taken. Such consent shall have the
same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the directors or committee members
and may be stated as such in any document. Unless the consent specifies a
different effective date, action taken under this Section 12 is effective at the
time the last director signs a writing describing the action taken, unless,
before such time, any director has revoked his consent by a writing signed by
the director and received by the president or secretary of the corporation.
Section 13. Telephonic Meetings. The board of directors may permit any
director (or any member of a committee designated by the board) to participate
in a regular or special meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof
through the use of any means of communication by which all directors
participating in the meeting can hear each other during the meeting. A director
participating in a meeting in this manner is deemed to be present in person at
the meeting.
Section 14. Standard of Care. A director shall perform his duties as a
director, including, without limitation his duties as a member of any committee
of the board, in good faith, in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the
best interests of the corporation, and with the care an ordinarily prudent
person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances. In
performing his duties, a director shall be entitled to rely on information,
opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other
financial data, in each case prepared or presented by the persons herein
designated. However, he shall not be considered to be acting in good faith if
he has knowledge concerning the matter in question that would cause such
reliance to be unwarranted. A director shall not be liable to the corporation or
its shareholders for any action he takes or omits to take as a director if, in
connection with such action or omission, he performs his duties in compliance
with this Section 14.
The designated persons on whom a director is entitled to rely are (i) one or
more officers or employees of the corporation whom the director reasonably
believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, (ii) legal
counsel, public accountant, or other person as to matters which the director
reasonably believes to be within such person’s professional or expert
competence, or (iii) a committee of the board of directors on which the director
does not serve if the director reasonably believes the committee merits
confidence.
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ARTICLE IV - Officers and Agents
Section 1. General. The officers of the corporation shall be as determined by
the board of directors from time to time, and may include a president, one or
more vice presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and such other officers,
assistant officers, committees and agents, including a chairman of the board,
assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, as the board may consider
necessary. Each officer shall be a natural person eighteen years of age or
older. The board of directors or the officer or officers authorized by the board
shall from time to time determine the procedure for the appointment of officers,
their term of office, their authority and duties and their compensation. One
person may hold more than one office. In all cases where the duties of any
officer, agent or employee are not prescribed by the bylaws, or by the board of
directors, such officer, agent or employee shall follow the orders and
instructions of the president of the corporation.
Section 2. Appointment and Term of Office. The officers of the corporation
shall be appointed by the board of directors at each annual meeting of the board
held after each annual meeting of the shareholders. If the appointment of
officers is not made at such meeting or if an officer or officers are to be
appointed by another officer or officers of the corporation, such appointment
shall be made as soon thereafter as conveniently may be. Each officer shall hold
office until the first of the following occurs: his successor shall have been
duly appointed and qualified, his death, his resignation, or his removal in the
manner provided in Section 3.
Section 3. Resignation and Removal. An officer may resign at any time by
giving written notice of resignation to the corporation. The resignation is
effective when the notice is received by the corporation unless the notice
specifies a later effective date.
Any officer or agent may be removed at any time with or without cause by the
board of directors or an officer or officers authorized by the board. Such
removal does not affect the contract rights, if any, of the corporation or of
the person so removed. The appointment of an officer or agent shall not in
itself create contract rights.
Section 4. Vacancies. A vacancy in any office, however occurring, may be
filled by the board of directors, or by the officer or officers authorized by
the board, for the unexpired portion of the officer’s term. If an officer
resigns and his resignation is made effective at a later date, the board of
directors, or officer or officers authorized by the board, may permit the
officer to remain in office until the effective date and may fill the pending
vacancy before the effective date if the board of directors or officer or
officers authorized by the board provide that the successor shall not take
office until the effective date. In the alternative, the board of directors, or
officer or officers authorized by the board of directors, may remove the officer
at any time before the effective date and may fill the resulting vacancy.
Section 5. President. Subject to the direction and supervision of the board of
directors, and unless otherwise determined by the board of directors in its
designation of officers from time to time, the president shall be the chief
executive officer of the corporation, and shall have general and active control
of its affairs and business and general supervision of its officers, agents and
employees. Unless otherwise directed by the board of directors, the president
shall attend in person or by substitute appointed by him, or shall execute on
behalf of the corporation written instruments appointing a proxy or proxies to
represent the corporation, at all meetings of the stockholders of any other
corporation in which the corporation holds any stock. On behalf of the
corporation, the president may in person or by substitute or by proxy execute
written waivers of notice and consents with respect to any such meetings. At all
such meetings and otherwise, the president, in person or by substitute or proxy,
may vote the stock held by the corporation, execute written consents and other
instruments with respect to such stock, and exercise any and all rights and
powers incident to the ownership or said stock, subject to the instructions, if
any, of the board of directors. The president shall have custody of the
treasurer’s bond, if any.
Section 6. Vice Presidents. Any vice presidents designated by the board of
directors as officers of the corporation shall assist the president and shall
perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the president or by the board
of directors. In the absence of the president, the vice president, if any (or,
if more than one, the vice presidents in the order designated by the board of
directors, or if the board makes no such designation, then the vice president
designated by the president, or if neither the board nor the president makes any
such designation, the senior vice president as determined by first election to
that office), shall have the powers and perform the duties of the
president.
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Section 7. Secretary. In the event a secretary is designated by the board of
directors as an officer of the corporation, the secretary shall (i) prepare and
maintain as permanent records the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders
and the board of directors, a record of all actions taken by the shareholders or
board of directors without a meeting, a record of all actions taken by a
committee of the board of directors in place of the board of directors on behalf
of the corporation, and a record of all waivers of notice of meetings of
shareholders and of the board of directors or any committee thereof, (ii) see
that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these
bylaws and as required by law, (iii) serve as custodian of the corporate records
and of the seal of the corporation and affix the seal to all documents when
authorized by the board of directors, (iv) keep at the corporation’s
registered office or principal place of business a record containing the names
and addresses of all shareholders in a form that permits preparation of a list
of shareholders arranged by voting group and by class or series of shares within
each group, that is alphabetical within each class or series and that shows the
address of, and the number of shares of each class or series held by each
shareholder, unless such a record shall be kept at the office of the
corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, (v) maintain at the
corporation’s principal office the originals or copies of the
corporation’s articles of incorporation, bylaws, minutes of all
shareholders’ meetings and records of all action taken by shareholders
without a meeting for the past three years, all written communications within
the past three years to shareholders as a group or to the holders of any class
or series of shares as a group, a list of the name and business addresses of the
current directors and officers, a copy of the corporation’s most recent
corporate report filed with the Secretary of State, and financial statements
showing in reasonable detail the corporation’s assets and liabilities and
results of operations for the last three years, (vi) have general charge of the
stock transfer books of the corporation, unless the corporation has a transfer
agent, (vii) authenticate records of the corporation, and (vii) in general,
perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as
from time to time may be assigned to him by the president or by the board of
directors. Assistant secretaries, if any, shall have the same duties and powers
subject to supervision by the secretary. The directors and/or shareholders may
however respectively designate a person other than the secretary or assistant
secretary to keep the minutes of their respective meetings.
Any books, records, or minutes of the corporation may be in written form or in
any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable
time.
Section 8. Treasurer. In the event a treasurer is designated by the board of
directors as an officer of the corporation, the treasurer shall be the principal
financial officer of the corporation, shall have the care and custody of all
funds, securities, evidences of indebtedness and other personal property of the
corporation and shall deposit the same in accordance with the instructions of
the board of directors. He shall receive and give receipts and acquittances for
money paid in on account of the corporation, and shall pay out of the
corporation’s funds on hand all bills, payrolls and other just debts of
the corporation of whatever nature upon maturity. He shall perform all other
duties incident to the office of the treasurer and, upon request of the board,
shall make such reports to it as may be required at any time. He shall, if
required by the board, give the corporation a bond in such sums and with such
sureties as shall be satisfactory to the board, conditioned upon the faithful
performance of his duties and for the restoration to the corporation of all
books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his
possession or under his control belonging to the corporation. He shall have such
other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be
prescribed by the board of directors or the president. The assistant treasurers,
if any, shall have the same powers and duties, subject to the supervision of the
treasurer.
The treasurer shall also be the principal accounting officer of the corporation.
He shall prescribe and maintain the methods and systems of accounting to be
followed, keep complete books and records of account as required by the Nevada
Business Corporation Act, prepare and file all local, state and federal tax
returns, prescribe and maintain an adequate system of internal audit and prepare
and furnish to the president and the board of directors statements of account
showing the financial position of the corporation and the results of its
operations.
ARTICLE V - Stock
Section 1. Certificates. The board of directors shall be authorized to issue
any of its classes of shares with or without certificates. The fact that the
shares are not represented by certificates shall have no effect on the rights
and obligations of shareholders. If the shares are represented by certificates,
such shares shall be represented by consecutively numbered certificates signed,
either manually or by facsimile, in the name of the corporation by one or more
persons designated by the board of directors. In case any officer who has signed
or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon such certificate shall have
ceased to be such officer before such
certificate is issued, such certificate may nonetheless be issued by the
corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer at the date of its
issue. Certificates of stock shall be in such form and shall contain such
information consistent with law as shall be prescribed by the board of
directors. If shares are not represented by certificates, within a reasonable
time following the issue or transfer of such shares, the corporation shall send
the shareholder a complete written statement of all of the information required
to be provided to holders of uncertificated shares by the Nevada Business
Corporation Act.
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Section 2. Consideration for Shares. Certificated or uncertificated shares
shall not be issued until the shares represented thereby are fully paid. The
board of directors may authorize the issuance of shares for consideration
consisting of any tangible or intangible property or benefit to the corporation,
including cash, promissory notes, services performed or other securities of the
corporation. Future services shall not constitute payment or partial payment for
shares of the corporation. The promissory note of a subscriber or an affiliate
of a subscriber shall not constitute payment or partial payment for shares of
the corporation unless the note is negotiable and is secured by collateral,
other than the shares being purchased, having a fair market value at least equal
to the principal amount of the note. For purposes of this Section 2, "promissory
note"
means a negotiable instrument on which there is an obligation to pay independent
of collateral and does not include a non-recourse note.
Section 3. Lost Certificates. In case of the alleged loss, destruction or
mutilation of a certificate of stock, the board of directors may direct the
issuance of a new certificate in lieu thereof upon such terms and conditions in
conformity with law as the board may prescribe. The board of directors may in
its discretion require an affidavit of lost certificate and/or a bond in such
form and amount and with such surety as it may determine before issuing a new
certificate.
Section 4. Transfer of Shares. Upon surrender to the corporation or to a
transfer agent of the corporation of a certificate of stock duly endorsed or
accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to
transfer, and receipt of such documentary stamps as may be required by law and
evidence of compliance with all applicable securities laws and other
restrictions, the corporation shall issue a new certificate to the person
entitled thereto, and cancel the old certificate. Every such transfer of stock
shall be entered on the stock books of the corporation which shall be kept at
its principal office or by the person and at the place designated by the board
of directors. Except as otherwise expressly provided in Article II, Sections 7
and 11, and except for the assertion of dissenters’ rights to the extent
provided in the Nevada Business Corporation Act, the corporation shall be
entitled to treat the registered holder of any shares of the corporation as the
owner thereof for all purposes, and the corporation shall not be bound to
recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such shares or rights
deriving from such shares on the part of any person other than the registered
holder, including without limitation any purchaser, assignee or transferee of
such shares or rights deriving from such shares, unless and until such other
person becomes the registered holder of such shares, whether or not the
corporation shall have either actual or constructive notice of the claimed
interest of such other person.
Section 5. Transfer Agent, Registrars and Paying Agents. The board may at its
discretion appoint one or more transfer agents, registrars and agents for making
payment upon any class of stock, bond, debenture or other security of the
corporation. Such agents and registrars may be located either within or outside
Nevada. They shall have such rights and duties and shall be entitled to such
compensation as may be agreed.
ARTICLE VI - Indemnification of Certain Persons
Section 1. Indemnification. For purposes of Article VI, a "Proper Person"
means any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
any threatened, pending, or complete action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal, by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or
agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation
as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, fiduciary or agent of any
foreign or domestic profit or nonprofit corporation or of any partnership, joint
venture, trust, profit or nonprofit unincorporated association, limited
liability company, or other enterprise or employee benefit plan. The corporation
shall indemnify any Proper Person against reasonably incurred expenses
(including any attorneys’ fees), judgments, penalties, fines (including
any excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan) and amounts
paid in settlement reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action,
suit or proceeding if it is determined by the groups set forth in Section 4 of
this Article that he conducted himself in good faith and that he reasonably
believed (i) in the case of conduct in his official capacity with the
corporation, that his conduct was in the corporation’s best interests, or
(ii) in all other cases (except criminal cases), that his conduct was at least
not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, or (iii) in the case of
any criminal proceeding, that he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was unlawful. A Proper Person will be deemed to be acting in his official
capacity while acting as a director, officer, employee or agent on behalf of
this corporation and not while acting on this corporation’s behalf for
some other entity.
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No indemnification shall be made under this Article VI to a Proper Person with
respect to any claim, issue or matter in connection with a proceeding by or in
the right of a corporation in which the Proper Person was adjudged liable to the
corporation or in connection with any proceeding charging that the Proper Person
derived an improper personal benefit, whether or not involving action in an
official capacity, in which he was adjudged liable on the basis that he derived
an improper personal benefit. Further, indemnification under this Section in
connection with a proceeding brought by or in the right of the corporation shall
be limited to reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in
connection with the proceeding.
Section 2. Right to Indemnification. The corporation shall indemnify any
Proper Person who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense
of any action, suit, or proceeding as to which he was entitled to
indemnification under Section 1 of this Article VI against expenses (including
attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred by him in connection with the
proceeding without the necessity of any action by the corporation other than the
determination in good faith that the defense has been wholly successful.
Section 3. Effect of Termination of Action. The termination of any action,
suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea
of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not of itself create a
presumption that the person seeking indemnification did not meet the standards
of conduct described in Section 1 of this Article VI. Entry of a judgment by
consent as part of a settlement shall not be deemed an adjudication of
liability, as described in Section 2 of this Article VI.
Section 4. Groups Authorized to Make Indemnification Determination. Except
where there is a right to indemnification as set forth in Sections 1 or 2 of
this Article or where indemnification is ordered by a court in Section 5, any
indemnification shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the
specific case upon a determination by a proper group that indemnification of the
Proper Person is permissible under the circumstances because he has met the
applicable standards of conduct set forth in Section 1 of this Article. This
determination shall be made by the board of directors by a majority vote of
those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, which quorum shall
consist of directors not parties to the proceeding ("Quorum"). If a Quorum
cannot be obtained, the determination shall be made by a majority vote of a
committee of the board of directors designated by the board, which committee
shall consist of two or more directors not parties to the proceeding, except
that directors who are parties to the proceeding may participate in the
designation of directors for the committee. If a Quorum of the board of
directors cannot be obtained and the committee cannot be established, or even if
a Quorum is obtained or the committee is designated and a majority of the
directors constituting such Quorum or committee so directs, the determination
shall be made by (i) independent legal counsel selected by a vote of the board
of directors or the committee in the manner specified in this Section 4, or, if
a Quorum of the full board of directors cannot be obtained and a committee
cannot be established, by independent legal counsel selected by a majority vote
of the full board (including directors who are parties to the action) or (ii) a
vote of the shareholders.
Section 5. Court-Ordered Indemnification. Any Proper Person may apply for
indemnification to the court conducting the proceeding or to another court of
competent jurisdiction for mandatory indemnification under Section 2 of this
Article, including indemnification for reasonable expenses incurred to obtain
court- ordered indemnification. If the court determines that such Proper Person
is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant
circumstances, whether or not he met the standards of conduct set forth in
Section 1 of this Article or was adjudged liable in the proceeding, the court
may order such indemnification as the court deems proper except that if the
Proper Person has been adjudged liable, indemnification shall be limited to
reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding and reasonable
expenses incurred to obtain court-ordered indemnification.
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Section 6. Advance of Expenses. Reasonable expenses (including
attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending an action, suit or proceeding as
described in Section 1 may be paid by the corporation to any Proper Person in
advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt
of (i) a written affirmation of such Proper Person’s good faith belief
that he has met the standards of conduct prescribed by Section 1 of this Article
VI, (ii) a written undertaking, executed personally or on the Proper
Person’s behalf, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined
that he did not meet the prescribed standards of conduct (the undertaking shall
be an unlimited general obligation of the Proper Person but need not be secured
and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make repayment),
and (iii) a determination is made by the proper group (as described in Section 3
of this Article VI) that the facts as then known to the group would not preclude
indemnification. Determination and authorization of payments shall be made in
the same manner specified in Section 4 of this Article VI.
Section 7. Witness Expenses. The sections of this Article VI do not limit the
corporation’s authority to pay or reimburse expenses incurred by a
director in connection with an appearance as a witness in a proceeding at a time
when he has not been a named defendant or respondent in the proceeding.
Section 8. Report to Shareholders. Any indemnification of or advance of
expenses to a director in accordance with this Article VI, if arising out of a
proceeding by or on behalf of the corporation, shall be reported in writing to
the shareholders with or before the notice of the next shareholders’
meeting. If the next shareholder action is taken without a meeting at the
instigation of the board of directors, such notice shall be given to the
shareholders at or before the time the first shareholder signs a writing
consenting to such action.
ARTICLE VII - Provision of Insurance
By action of the board of directors, notwithstanding any interest of the
directors in the action, the corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, in
such scope and amounts as the board of directors deems appropriate on behalf of
any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent of
the corporation, or who, while a director, officer, employee, fiduciary or agent
of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a
director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, fiduciary or agent of any other
foreign or domestic corporation or of any partnership, joint venture, trust,
profit or nonprofit unincorporated association, limited liability company or
other enterprise or employee benefit plan, against any liability asserted
against, or incurred by, him in that capacity arising out of his status as such,
whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
such liability under the provisions of Article VI or applicable law. Any such
insurance may be procured from any insurance company designated by the board of
directors of the corporation, whether such insurance company is formed under the
laws of Nevada or any other jurisdiction of the United States or elsewhere,
including any insurance company in which the corporation has an equity interest
or any other interest, through stock ownership or otherwise.
ARTICLE VIII - Miscellaneous
Section 1. Seal. The corporate seal of the corporation shall be circular in
form and shall contain the name of the corporation and the words, "Seal,
Nevada."
Section 2. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be as
established by the board of directors.
Section 3. Amendments. The board of directors shall have power, to the maximum
extent permitted by the Nevada Business Corporation Act, to make, amend and
repeal the bylaws of the corporation at any regular or special meeting of the
board unless the shareholders, in making, amending or repealing a particular
bylaw, expressly provide that the directors may not amend or repeal such bylaw.
The shareholders also shall have the power to make, amend or repeal the bylaws
of the corporation at any annual meeting or at any special meeting called for
that purpose.
Section 4. Gender. The masculine gender is used in these bylaws as a matter of
convenience only and shall be interpreted to include the feminine and neuter
genders as the circumstances indicate.
Section 5. Conflicts. In the event of any irreconcilable conflict between
these bylaws and either the corporation’s articles of incorporation or
applicable law, the latter shall control.
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Section 6. Definitions. Except as otherwise specifically provided in these
bylaws, all terms used in these bylaws shall have the same definition as in the
Nevada Business Corporation Act.
THE FOREGOING BYLAWS, constitute the bylaws of Force Protection Inc., adopted by
the board of directors of the corporation as of _________________, 2005.
By:__________________________
Title:
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ATTACHMENT D
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
FORCE PROTECTION, INC.
The undersigned hereby certifies as follows:
ONE: That they are the President and Secretary, respectively, of Force
Protection, Inc., a ________ Corporation (the "Corporation"), being the
surviving entity of a Merger between the Corporation and a Colorado corporation
of the same name (“FPI Colorado”) which merger was duly authorized
and approved and which became effective as of __________________. Under the
terms of the Merger, all existing corporate action, identity and authority of
FPI Colorado was transferred and merged into the Corporation.
TWO: That, at a meeting of the Board of Directors held on ___________ which
was approved by a subsequent stockholders’ vote, the Corporation resolved
to amend its Articles of Incorporation (such action being the action of the
Corporation by virtue of the Merger), as follows:
IT IS RESOLVED, that the Articles of Incorporation are hereby amended to read as
follows:
NINTH: That the Board of Directors be authorized,
without further approval of the shareholders, to take all steps necessary to
effect, or in its discretion not to effect, a reverse split of the Common Stock
of the Corporation on the basis of a ratio within the range of two to twelve
PRE-SPLIT shares for every one POST-SPLIT share of Common Stock, with the ratio
to be selected and implemented by the Corporation’s Board of Directors in
its sole discretion (the "Reverse Split"), and further that the Board of
Director be authorized to take all others actions necessary and appropriate to
effect such Reverse Split if so required.
THREE: This Amendment was approved by the required vote of stockholders in
accordance with the Corporation’s law of the state of __________. The
total number of outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote for the
amendment was _______________. The number of shares of each class voting for the
amendment equaled or exceeded the vote required, that being over fifty (50%)
percent. The amendment was approved by a vote of __________ shares, or _______%
of all shares entitled to vote.
Dated: __________________
We the undersigned, hereby declare under penalty of perjury, in accordance with
the laws of the state of _______________, that we are the President and
Secretary of the above-referenced Corporation, that we executed this Certificate
of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, that we have personal knowledge
of the information contained therein, and that the information contained therein
is true and correct.
By: __________________________
Title:
By: __________________________
Title:
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Attachment E
RIGHTS OF DISSENTERS - COLORADO LAW
0-000-000.
Definitions.
For purposes of
this article:
(1) "Beneficial shareholder" means the
beneficial owner of shares held in a voting trust or by a nominee as the record
shareholder.
(2) "Corporation" means the issuer of
the shares held by a dissenter before the corporate action, or the surviving or
acquiring domestic or foreign corporation, by merger or share exchange of that
issuer.
(3) "Dissenter" means a shareholder
who is entitled to dissent from corporate action under section 0-000-000
and who exercises that right at the time and in the manner required by part 2 of
this article.
(4) "Fair value", with respect to a
dissenter’s shares, means the value of the shares immediately before the
effective date of the corporate action to which the dissenter objects, excluding
any appreciation or depreciation in anticipation of the corporate action except
to the extent that exclusion would be inequitable.
(5) "Interest" means interest from the
effective date of the corporate action until the date of payment, at the average
rate currently paid by the corporation on its principal bank loans or, if none,
at the legal rate as specified in section 5-12-101,
C.R.S.
(6) "Record shareholder" means the
person in whose name shares are registered in the records of a corporation or
the beneficial owner of shares that are registered in the name of a nominee to
the extent such owner is recognized by the corporation as the shareholder as
provided in section 0-000-000.
(7) "Shareholder" means either a
record shareholder or a beneficial shareholder.
0-000-000.
Right to dissent.
(1) A shareholder, whether or not
entitled to vote, is entitled to dissent and obtain payment of the fair value of
the shareholder’s shares in the event of any of the following corporate
actions:
(a) Consummation of a plan of merger
to which the corporation is a party if:
(I) Approval by the shareholders of
that corporation is required for the merger by section 0-000-000
or 0-000-000 or by the articles of incorporation; or
(II) The corporation is a subsidiary
that is merged with its parent corporation under section 0-000-000;
(b) Consummation of a plan of share
exchange to which the corporation is a party as the corporation whose shares
will be acquired;
(c) Consummation of a sale, lease,
exchange, or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property of
the corporation for which a shareholder vote is required under section 0-000-000
(1); and
(d) Consummation of a sale, lease,
exchange, or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property of
an entity controlled by the corporation if the shareholders of the corporation
were entitled to vote upon the consent of the corporation to the disposition
pursuant to section 0-000-000
(2).
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(1.3) A shareholder is not entitled to
dissent and obtain payment, under subsection (1) of this section, of the fair
value of the shares of any class or series of shares which either were listed on
a national securities exchange registered under the federal "Securities Exchange
Act of 1934", as amended, or on the national market system of the national
association of securities dealers automated quotation system, or were held of
record by more than two thousand shareholders, at the time of:
(a) The record date fixed under
section 0-000-000
to determine the shareholders entitled to receive notice of the
shareholders’ meeting at which the corporate action is submitted to a
vote;
(b) The record date fixed under
section 0-000-000
to determine shareholders entitled to sign writings consenting to the corporate
action; or
(c) The effective date of the
corporate action if the corporate action is authorized other than by a vote of
shareholders.
(1.8) The limitation set forth in
subsection (1.3) of this section shall not apply if the shareholder will receive
for the shareholder’s shares, pursuant to the corporate action, anything
except:
(a) Shares of the corporation
surviving the consummation of the plan of merger or share exchange;
(b) Shares of any other corporation
which at the effective date of the plan of merger or share exchange either will
be listed on a national securities exchange registered under the federal
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934", as amended, or on the national market system
of the national association of securities dealers automated quotation system, or
will be held of record by more than two thousand shareholders;
(c) Cash in lieu of fractional shares;
or
(d) Any combination of the foregoing
described shares or cash in lieu of fractional shares.
(2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 96, p.
1321, § 30, effective June 1, 1996.)
(2.5) A shareholder, whether or not
entitled to vote, is entitled to dissent and obtain payment of the fair value of
the shareholder’s shares in the event of a reverse split that reduces the
number of shares owned by the shareholder to a fraction of a share or to scrip
if the fractional share or scrip so created is to be acquired for cash or the
scrip is to be voided under section 0-000-000.
(3) A shareholder is entitled to
dissent and obtain payment of the fair value of the shareholder’s shares
in the event of any corporate action to the extent provided by the bylaws or a
resolution of the board of directors.
(4) A shareholder entitled to dissent
and obtain payment for the shareholder’s shares under this article may not
challenge the corporate action creating such entitlement unless the action is
unlawful or fraudulent with respect to the shareholder or the corporation.
0-000-000.
Dissent by nominees and beneficial owners.
(1) A record shareholder may assert
dissenters’ rights as to fewer than all the shares registered in the
record shareholder’s name only if the record shareholder dissents with
respect to all shares beneficially owned by any one person and causes the
corporation to receive written notice which states such dissent and the name,
address, and federal taxpayer identification number, if any, of each person on
whose behalf the record shareholder asserts dissenters’ rights. The rights
of a record shareholder under this subsection (1) are determined as if the
shares as to which the record shareholder dissents and the other shares of the
record shareholder were registered in the names of different shareholders.
(2) A beneficial shareholder may
assert dissenters’ rights as to the shares held on the beneficial
shareholder’s behalf only if:
(a) The beneficial shareholder causes
the corporation to receive the record shareholder’s written consent to the
dissent not later than the time the beneficial shareholder asserts
dissenters’ rights; and
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(b) The beneficial shareholder
dissents with respect to all shares beneficially owned by the beneficial
shareholder.
(3) The corporation may require that,
when a record shareholder dissents with respect to the shares held by any one or
more beneficial shareholders, each such beneficial shareholder must certify to
the corporation that the beneficial shareholder and the record shareholder or
record shareholders of all shares owned beneficially by the beneficial
shareholder have asserted, or will timely assert, dissenters’ rights as to
all such shares as to which there is no limitation on the ability to exercise
dissenters’ rights. Any such requirement shall be stated in the
dissenters’ notice given pursuant to section 0-000-000.
PART
2 PROCEDURE FOR EXERCISE OF DISSENTERS’ RIGHTS
0-000-000.
Notice of dissenters’ rights.
(1) If a proposed corporate action
creating dissenters’ rights under section 0-000-000>
is submitted to a vote at a shareholders’ meeting, the notice of the
meeting shall be given to all shareholders, whether or not entitled to vote. The
notice shall state that shareholders are or may be entitled to assert
dissenters’ rights under this article and shall be accompanied by a copy
of this article and the materials, if any, that, under articles 101 to 117 of
this title, are required to be given to shareholders entitled to vote on the
proposed action at the meeting. Failure to give notice as provided by this
subsection (1) shall not affect any action taken at the shareholders’
meeting for which the notice was to have been given, but any shareholder who was
entitled to dissent but who was not given such notice shall not be precluded
from demanding payment for the shareholder’s shares under this article by
reason of the shareholder’s failure to comply with the provisions of
section 0-000-000
(1).
(2) If a proposed corporate action
creating dissenters’ rights under section 0-000-000
is authorized without a meeting of shareholders pursuant to section 0-000-000,
any written or oral solicitation of a shareholder to execute a writing
consenting to such action contemplated in section 0-000-000
shall be accompanied or preceded by a written notice stating that shareholders
are or may be entitled to assert dissenters’ rights under this article, by
a copy of this article, and by the materials, if any, that, under articles 101
to 117 of this title, would have been required to be given to shareholders
entitled to vote on the proposed action if the proposed action were submitted to
a vote at a shareholders’ meeting. Failure to give notice as provided by
this subsection (2) shall not affect any action taken pursuant to section 0-000-000
for which the notice was to have been given, but any shareholder who was
entitled to dissent but who was not given such notice shall not be precluded
from demanding payment for the shareholder’s shares under this article by
reason of the shareholder’s failure to comply with the provisions of
section 0-000-000
(2).
(1) If a proposed corporate action
creating dissenters’ rights under section 0-000-000
is submitted to a vote at a shareholders’ meeting and if notice of
dissenters’ rights has been given to such shareholder in connection with
the action pursuant to section 0-000-000
(1), a shareholder who wishes to assert dissenters’ rights shall:
(a) Cause the corporation to receive,
before the vote is taken, written notice of the shareholder’s intention to
demand payment for the shareholder’s shares if the proposed corporate
action is effectuated; and
(b) Not vote the shares in favor of
the proposed corporate action.
(2) If a proposed corporate action
creating dissenters’ rights under section 0-000-000
is authorized without a meeting of shareholders pursuant to section 0-000-000
and if notice of dissenters’ rights has been given to such shareholder in
connection with the action pursuant to section 0-000-000
(2), a shareholder who wishes to assert dissenters’ rights shall not
execute a writing consenting to the proposed corporate
action.
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(3) A shareholder who does not satisfy
the requirements of subsection (1) or (2) of this section is not entitled to
demand payment for the shareholder’s shares under this article.
0-000-000.
Dissenters’ notice.
(1) If a proposed corporate action
creating dissenters’ rights under section 0-000-000
is authorized, the corporation shall give a written dissenters’ notice to
all shareholders who are entitled to demand payment for their shares under this
article.
(2) The dissenters’ notice
required by subsection (1) of this section shall be given no later than ten days
after the effective date of the corporate action creating dissenters’
rights under section 0-000-000
and shall:
(a) State that the corporate action
was authorized and state the effective date or proposed effective date of the
corporate action;
(b) State an address at which the
corporation will receive payment demands and the address of a place where
certificates for certificated shares must be deposited;
(c) Inform holders of uncertificated
shares to what extent transfer of the shares will be restricted after the
payment demand is received;
(d) Supply a form for demanding
payment, which form shall request a dissenter to state an address to which
payment is to be made;
(e) Set the date by which the
corporation must receive the payment demand and certificates for certificated
shares, which date shall not be less than thirty days after the date the notice
required by subsection (1) of this section is given;
(f) State the requirement contemplated
in section 0-000-000
(3), if such requirement is imposed; and
(g) Be accompanied by a copy of this
article.
0-000-000.
Procedure to demand payment.
(1) A shareholder who is given a
dissenters’ notice pursuant to section 0-000-000
and who wishes to assert dissenters’ rights shall, in accordance with the
terms of the dissenters’ notice:
(a) Cause the corporation to receive a
payment demand, which may be the payment demand form contemplated in section 0-000-000
(2) (d), duly completed, or may be stated in another writing; and
(b) Deposit the shareholder’s
certificates for certificated shares.
(2) A shareholder who demands payment
in accordance with subsection (1) of this section retains all rights of a
shareholder, except the right to transfer the shares, until the effective date
of the proposed corporate action giving rise to the shareholder’s exercise
of dissenters’ rights and has only the right to receive payment for the
shares after the effective date of such corporate action.
(3) Except as provided in section 0-000-000
or 0-000-000 (1) (b), the demand for payment and deposit of certificates are
irrevocable.
(4) A shareholder who does not demand
payment and deposit the shareholder’s share certificates as required by
the date or dates set in the dissenters’ notice is not entitled to payment
for the shares under this article.
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0-000-000.
Uncertificated shares.
(1) Upon receipt of a demand for
payment under section 0-000-000
from a shareholder holding uncertificated shares, and in lieu of the deposit of
certificates representing the shares, the corporation may restrict the transfer
thereof.
(2) In all other respects, the
provisions of section 0-000-000
shall be applicable to shareholders who own uncertificated shares.
0-000-000. Payment
(1) Except as provided in section 0-000-000,
upon the effective date of the corporate action creating dissenters’
rights under section 0-000-000
or upon receipt of a payment demand pursuant to section 0-000-000,
whichever is later, the corporation shall pay each dissenter who complied with
section 0-000-000,
at the address stated in the payment demand, or if no such address is stated in
the payment demand, at the address shown on the corporation’s current
record of shareholders for the record shareholder holding the dissenter’s
shares, the amount the corporation estimates to be the fair value of the
dissenter’s shares, plus accrued interest.
(2) The payment made pursuant to
subsection (1) of this section shall be accompanied by:
(a) The corporation’s balance
sheet as of the end of its most recent fiscal year or, if that is not available,
the corporation’s balance sheet as of the end of a fiscal year ending not
more than sixteen months before the date of payment, an income statement for
that year, and, if the corporation customarily provides such statements to
shareholders, a statement of changes in shareholders’ equity for that year
and a statement of cash flow for that year, which balance sheet and statements
shall have been audited if the corporation customarily provides audited
financial statements to shareholders, as well as the latest available financial
statements, if any, for the interim or full-year period, which financial
statements need not be audited;
(b) A statement of the
corporation’s estimate of the fair value of the shares;
(c) An explanation of how the interest
was calculated;
(d) A statement of the
dissenter’s right to demand payment under section 0-000-000;
and
(e) A copy of this
article.
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