SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
Current
Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of
Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 28, 2009
BRINKER
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Delaware
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1-10275
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75-1914582
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(State of Incorporation)
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(Commission File
Number)
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(IRS Employment
Identification No.)
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6820 LBJ Freeway
Dallas, Texas 75240
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrants telephone number, including area
code 972-980-9917
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of
the following provisions:
o Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425).
o Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12).
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)).
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)).
Section 5
Corporate Governance and Management.
Item
5.03. Amendments to Articles
of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year
On May 28, 2009, the
Board of Directors of Registrant amended its Bylaws. A summary of the amendments to the Bylaws is as follows. A complete copy of the amended and revised
Bylaws is attached to this Current Report as Exhibit 99-1.
1. Additional language has been added to
Sections 3 and 5 of Article II to clarify the requirements for shareholder
meeting notices on the means of remote communications by shareholders and
proxies to be present and vote at meetings.
2. Section 6 of Article II has
been added to clarify the process of adjourning and reconvening a shareholder
meeting.
3. Additional language has been added to Section 8A
of Article II (i) to provide greater specificity regarding the text
of proposed shareholder resolutions, (ii) to require more detailed
information on the investment position regarding the Registrant of a
shareholder proposing resolutions or submitting a proposed director nominee,
and (iii) to clarify the information required on a proposed director
nominee.
4. Additional language has been added to Section 9
of Article II to clarify the rules applicable to the revocation of
proxies.
5. Amendments have been made to Section 11
to clarify the process on the appointment of the Inspectors of Votes.
6. Article III has been revised to clarify
(i) the responsibility of the Board of Directors in setting the number of
directors, the succession of directors, and the filling of a vacancy due to a
removed director, (ii) the delegation of authority to the Executive
Committee of the Board of Directors as to adoption of merger or consolidation
agreements and (iii) the requirements around time, place and notice of
Board committee meetings.
7. Additional language has been added to Article VI
to more clearly outline the indemnification rights for certain parties for
certain claims.
8. Section 5 of Article VII has
been clarified to provide that a record date may not precede the date of the
Board resolution fixing the same.
Item 5.05 Amendments to the Registrants
Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics.
On May 28, 2009, the Board of Directors of Registrant also updated its
Code of Conduct and Ethical Business Policy.
The updates made clarifications on (i) referenced policies and
procedures, (ii) the ethics standard, (iii) the prohibition of conflicts of
interest, and (iv) the expectations of parties involved in the Registrants
disclosure process. A complete copy of
the updated Code of Conduct and Ethical Business Policy can be found in the
Corporate Governance section of the Registrant's internet website
(http://www.brinker.com/corp_gov/ethical_business_policy.asp).
Section 7
Regulation FD.
Item
7.01. Regulation FD
Disclosure.
The information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K,
including the Exhibits attached hereto, is being furnished and shall not be
deemed to be filed for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that Section. Furthermore, the
information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other
document filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
On May 28, 2009, the Registrant issued a Press Release, attached as Exhibit 99-2
to this Current Report on Form 8-K, announcing the declaration on May 28,
2009 of the Registrants quarterly dividend to common stock shareholders in the
amount of $0.11 per share. The dividend
will be payable on June 24, 2009 to shareholders of record at the close of
business on June 15, 2009.
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Section 9
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
Item
9.01. Financial Statements and
Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
99-1 Amended Bylaws
99-2 Press Release, dated May 28, 2009
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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BRINKER INTERNATIONAL,
INC.
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Date: May 29, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Douglas H. Brooks
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Douglas H. Brooks,
Chairman of the Board
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President and Chief
Executive Officer
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3
Exhibit 99.1
BYLAWS
OF
BRINKER INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I
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OFFICES
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Section 1.
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Registered Office
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1
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Section 2.
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Other Offices
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1
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ARTICLE II
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MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
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Section 1.
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Place of Meetings
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1
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Section 2.
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Annual Meetings
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1
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Section 3.
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Notice of Annual Meetings
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1
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Section 4.
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Special Meetings
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1
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Section 5.
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Notice of Special Meetings
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2
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Section 6.
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Adjournment
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2
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Section 7.
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Quorum
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2
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Section 8.
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Order of Business
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2
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Section 8A.
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Advance Notice of Shareholder Proposals and Director
Nominations
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4
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Section 9.
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Voting
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6
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Section 10.
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List of Shareholders
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6
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Section 11.
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Inspectors of Votes
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7
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Section 12.
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Action Without a Meeting
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7
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ARTICLE III
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Section 1.
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Powers
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8
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Section 2.
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Number, Qualification and Term of Office
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8
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Section 3.
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Resignation
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8
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Section 4.
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Removal of Directors
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8
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Section 5.
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Vacancies
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8
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MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Section 6.
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Place of Meetings
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9
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Section 7.
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Annual Meetings
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9
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Section 8.
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Regular Meetings
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9
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Section 9.
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Special Meetings; Notice
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9
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Section 10.
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Quorum and Manner of Acting
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9
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Section 11.
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Remuneration
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9
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i
COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS
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Section 12.
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Executive Committee; How Constituted and Powers
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10
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Section 13.
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Organization
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10
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Section 14.
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Meetings
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11
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Section 15.
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Quorum and Manner of Acting
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11
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Section 16.
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Other Committees
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11
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Section 17.
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Alternate Members of Committees
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12
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Section 18.
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Minutes of Committees
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12
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GENERAL
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Section 19.
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Actions Without a Meeting
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12
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Section 20.
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Presence at Meetings by Means or Communications Equipment
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12
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ARTICLE IV
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NOTICES
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Section 1.
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Type of Notice
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13
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Section 2.
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Waiver of Notice
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13
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ARTICLE V
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OFFICERS
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Section 1.
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Elected and Appointed Officers
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13
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Section 2.
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Time of Election or Appointment
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13
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Section 3.
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Salaries of Elected Officers
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13
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Section 4.
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Term
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14
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Section 5.
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Chairman of the Board
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14
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Section 6.
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Chief Executive Officer
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14
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Section 7.
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President
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14
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Section 8.
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Executive Vice Presidents
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14
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Section 9.
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Senior Vice Presidents
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15
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Section 10.
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Vice Presidents
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15
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Section 11.
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Assistant Vice Presidents
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15
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Section 12.
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Secretary
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15
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Section 13.
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Assistant Secretaries
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16
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Section 14.
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Treasurer
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16
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Section 15.
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Assistant Treasurers
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16
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ARTICLE VI
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INDEMNIFICATION
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Section 1.
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Actions Other Than by or in the Right of the Corporation
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17
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Section 2.
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Actions by or in the Right of the Corporation
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17
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Section 3.
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Determination of Right to Indemnification
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17
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Section 4.
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Right to Indemnification
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18
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Section 5.
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Prepaid Expenses
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18
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Section 6.
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Other Rights and Remedies
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18
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Section 7.
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Insurance
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18
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Section 8.
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Mergers
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18
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ARTICLE VII
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CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
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Section 1.
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Right to Certificate
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19
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Section 2.
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Facsimile Signatures
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19
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Section 3.
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New Certificates
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19
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Section 4.
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Transfers
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20
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Section 5.
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Record Date
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20
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Section 6.
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Registered Shareholders
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20
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ARTICLE VIII
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GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Section 1.
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Dividends
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20
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Section 2.
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Reserves
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20
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Section 3.
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Annual Statement
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21
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Section 4.
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Checks
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21
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Section 5.
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Fiscal Year
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21
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Section 6.
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Corporate Seal
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21
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ARTICLE IX
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AMENDMENTS
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Section 1.
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Amendments
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iii
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1. Registered Office. The
registered office of the Corporation shall be in the City of Wilmington, County
of New Castle, State of Delaware.
Section 2. Other Offices. The
Corporation may also have offices at such other place or places, both within
and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to
time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETING
OF SHAREHOLDERS
Section 1. Place of Meetings. All
meetings of the shareholders for the election of directors shall be held in the
City of Dallas, State of Texas, at such place within such city as may be fixed
from time to time by the Board of Directors, or at such other place either
within or without the State of Delaware as shall be designated from time to
time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting. Meetings of shareholders for any other
purpose may be held at such time and place, within or without the State of
Delaware, as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed
waiver of notice thereof.
Section 2. Annual Meetings. Annual
meetings of shareholders, shall be held on such date and at such time as shall
be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the
notice of the meeting, including the first week of November of each fiscal
year, at which meeting the shareholders shall elect by a plurality vote the
Board of Directors and transact such other business as may be properly brought
before the meeting in accordance with these Bylaws.
Section 3. Notice of Annual Meetings.
Written notice of the annual meeting, stating the place, date and hour
of the meeting, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which
shareholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote
at such meeting shall be given to each shareholder of record entitled to vote
at such meeting not less than ten or more than 60 days before the date of the
meeting.
Section 4. Special Meetings. Special
meetings of the shareholders for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise
prescribed by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, may be called at
any time by order of the Board of Directors and shall be called by the Chairman
of the Board, the President or the Secretary at the request in
writing of a
majority of the Board of Directors. Such
requests shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed special meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting of
shareholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
Section 5. Notice of Special Meetings.
Written notice of a special meeting, stating the place, date and hour of
the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which shareholders
and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such
meeting, and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be
given to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting not less
than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting.
Section 6. Adjournment.
Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may be adjourned from
time to time, to reconvene at the same or some other place and notice need not
be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time, place and the means of
remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be
deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced
at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may
transact any business which might have been transacted at the original
meeting. If the adjournment is for more
than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for
the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each
stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 7. Quorum. Except as
otherwise provided by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders
of stock having a majority of the voting power of the stock entitled to be
voted thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the shareholders. If, however, such quorum shall not be present
or represented at any meeting of the shareholders, the shareholders entitled to
vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to
adjourn the meeting, in accordance with Section 6 of this Article II,
until a quorum shall be present or represented.
At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or
represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at
the meeting as originally notified.
Section 8. Order of Business.
The Chairman of the Board, or such other officer of the Corporation
designated by a majority of the Board of Directors, will call meetings of the
shareholders to order and will act as presiding officer thereof. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors prior to the meeting, the presiding officer of the meeting of the
shareholders will also determine the order of business and have the authority
in his or her sole discretion to regulate the conduct of any such meeting,
including without limitation by (i) imposing restrictions on the persons
(other than shareholders of the Corporation or their duly appointed proxies)
who may attend any such shareholders meeting, (ii) ascertaining whether
any shareholder or his proxy may be excluded from any meeting of the
shareholders based upon any determination by the presiding officer, in his or
her sole discretion, that any such person has unduly disrupted or is likely to
disrupt the proceedings thereat, and (iii) determining the circumstances
in
2
which any person
may make a statement or ask questions at any meeting of the shareholders.
At an annual meeting of the shareholders, only such
business will be conducted or considered as is properly brought before the
meeting. To be properly brought before
an annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting
(or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of
Directors, (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by the
presiding officer or by or at the direction of a majority of the Board of
Directors, or (iii) otherwise properly requested to be brought before the
meeting by a shareholder of the Corporation in accordance with the immediately
succeeding sentence. For business to be
properly requested by a shareholder to be brought before an annual meeting, the
shareholder must (i) be a shareholder of record at the time of the giving
of the notice of such annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of
Directors, (ii) be entitled to vote at such meeting, and (iii) have
given timely written notice thereof to the Secretary in accordance with Article II,
Section 8A of these Bylaws.
Nominations of persons for election as Directors of
the Corporation may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders only by or at
the direction of the Board of Directors.
Any shareholder (i) who is a shareholder of record at the time of
the giving of the notice of an annual meeting of the shareholders by or at the
direction of the Board of Directors, (ii) who is entitled to vote for the
election of directors at such meeting and (iii) who has given timely
written notice thereof to the Secretary in accordance with Article II, Section 8A
of these Bylaws, may recommend one or more persons to be considered as a
potential nominee or nominees for election as a Director or Directors of the
Corporation at an annual meeting of the shareholders. Only persons who are nominated in accordance
with this Article II, Section 8 will be eligible for election at a
meeting of shareholders as Directors of the Corporation.
At a special meeting of shareholders, only such
business may be conducted or considered as is properly brought before the
meeting. To be properly brought before a
special meeting, business must be (i) specified in the notice of the
meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the
Chairman of the Board, the President, a Vice President or the Secretary or (ii) otherwise
properly brought before the meeting by the presiding officer or by or at the
direction of a majority of the Board of Directors.
The determination of whether any business sought to be
brought before any annual or special meeting of the shareholders is properly
brought before such meeting in accordance with this Article II, Section 8,
and whether any nomination of a person for election as a Director of the Corporation
at any annual meeting of the shareholders was properly made in accordance with
this Article II, Section 8, will be made by the presiding officer of
such meeting. If the presiding officer
determines that any business is not properly brought before such meeting, or
any nomination was not properly made, he or
3
she will so declare to the meeting and any such
business will not be conducted or considered and any such nomination will be
disregarded.
Section 8A. Advance
Notice of Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations.
To be timely for purposes of Article II, Section 8
of these Bylaws, a shareholders notice must be addressed to the Secretary and
delivered or mailed to and received at the principal executive offices of the
Corporation not less than one hundred twenty (120) calendar days prior to the
anniversary date of the date (as specified in the Corporations proxy materials
for its immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders) on which the
Corporation first mailed its proxy materials for its immediately preceding
annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event the annual
meeting is called for a date that is not within thirty (30) calendar days of
the anniversary date of the date on which the immediately preceding annual
meeting of shareholders was called, to be timely, notice by the shareholder
must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th)
calendar day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the
annual meeting is first made. In no event
will the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting of
shareholders commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholders
notice as provided above.
In the case of a request by a shareholder for business
to be brought before any annual meeting of shareholders, a shareholders notice
to the Secretary must set forth as to each matter the shareholder proposes to
bring before the annual meeting (i) a description in reasonable detail of
the business desired to brought before the annual meeting and the reasons for
conducting such business at the annual meeting, including the text of the
proposal to be presented and the text of any resolutions to be proposed for
consideration by the shareholders (ii) the name and address, as they
appear on the Corporations books, of the shareholder proposing such business
and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (iii) the
class and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and
of record by the shareholder proposing such business and by the beneficial
owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (iv) whether and the
extent to which any hedging, derivative or other transaction or instrument is
in place or has been entered into prior to the date of delivery or receipt of
such stockholders notice, by or for the benefit of the stockholder or
beneficial owner with respect to the Corporation or its subsidiaries or any of
their respective securities, debt instruments or credit ratings, including any
transaction or instrument the intent or effect of which is to give rise to gain
or loss as a result of changes in a trading price or credit rating of the
Corporation and (v) any material interest of such shareholder proposing
such business and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is
made in such business.
In the case of a recommendation by a shareholder of a
person to be considered as a potential nominee for election as a director of
the Corporation at any annual meeting of shareholders, a shareholder notice to
the Secretary must set forth (i) the shareholders
4
intent to nominate one or more persons to be a
potential nominee or nominees for election as a director of the Corporation,
the name of each such nominee proposed by the shareholder giving the notice,
and the reason for making such nomination at the annual meeting, (ii) the
name and address, as they appear on the Corporations books, of the shareholder
proposing such nomination and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the
nomination is proposed, (iii) the class and number of shares of the
Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by the shareholder
proposing such nomination and by the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf
the nomination is proposed, (iv) whether and the extent to which any
hedging, derivative or other transaction or instrument is in place or has been
entered into prior to the date of delivery or receipt of such stockholders
notice, by or for the benefit of the stockholder or beneficial owner with
respect to Corporation or its subsidiaries or any of their respective
securities, debt instruments or credit ratings, including any transaction or
instrument the intent or effect of which is to give rise to gain or loss as a
result of changes in a trading price or credit rating of the Corporation, (v) any
material interest of such shareholder proposing such nomination and the
beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made, (vi) a
description of all arrangements or understandings between or among any of (A) the
shareholder giving the notice, (B) each nominee, and (C) any other
person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the
nomination or nominations are to be made by the shareholder giving the notice, (vii) such
other information regarding each nominee proposed by the shareholder giving the
notice as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed in
accordance with the proxy rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission
had the nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated, by the Board, and (viii) the
signed consent of each nominee proposed by the shareholder giving the notice to
serve as a director of the Company if so elected. All recommendations will be presented to the
Board of Directors, or the appropriate committee of the Board of Directors, for
consideration.
The Corporation may also require any proposed nominee
to furnish such other information, including completion of the Corporations
directors questionnaire, as it may reasonably require to determine the
eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation,
or whether such proposed nominee would be considered independent as a
director or as a member of the audit or any other committee of the Board of
Directors under the various rules and standards applicable to the
Corporation.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 8 and 8A of
this Article II, a shareholder must also comply with all applicable
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in Sections 8 and
8A of this Article II. Nothing in
Sections 8 and 8A of this Article II will be deemed to affect any rights
of shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporations proxy
statement in accordance with the provisions of Rule 14a-8 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
For purposes of this Article II, Section 8A,
public announcement means disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow
Jones News Service, Associated Press,
5
or comparable national news service or in a document
publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or furnished to shareholders.
Section 9. Voting. Except as
otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, each shareholder shall,
at each meeting of the shareholders, be entitled to one vote in person or by
proxy for each share of stock of the Corporation held by him and registered in
his name on the books of the Corporation on the date fixed pursuant to the
provisions of Section 5 of Article VII of these Bylaws as the record
date for the determination of shareholders who shall be entitled to notice of
and to vote at such meeting. Shares of
its own stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a
majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such
other corporation is held directly or indirectly by the Corporation, shall not
be entitled to vote. Any vote of stock
of the Corporation may be given at any meeting of the shareholders by the shareholder
entitled thereto, in person or by his proxy appointed by an instrument in
writing subscribed by such shareholder or by his attorney thereunto duly
authorized and delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation or to the
secretary of the meeting; provided, however, that no proxy shall be voted or
acted upon after three years from its date, unless said proxy shall provide for
a longer period. A duly executed proxy
shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as
long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an
irrevocable power, regardless of whether the interest with which it is coupled
is an interest in the stock itself or an interest in the corporation
generally. A stockholder may revoke any
proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or
by filing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy or another duly executed
proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary of the Corporation. At all meetings of the shareholders, all
matters, except where other provision is made by law, the Certificate of
Incorporation or these Bylaws, shall be decided by the vote of a majority of
the votes cast by the shareholders present in person or by proxy and entitled
to vote thereat, a quorum being present.
Unless demanded by a shareholder of the Corporation present in person or
by proxy at any meeting of the shareholders and entitled to vote thereat, or so
directed by the chairman of the meeting, the vote thereat on any question other
than the election or removal of directors need not be by written ballot. Upon a demand of any such shareholder for a
vote by written ballot on any question or at the direction of such chairman
that a vote by written ballot be taken on any question, such vote shall be
taken by written ballot. On a vote by
written ballot, each ballot shall be signed by the shareholder voting, or by
his proxy, if there be such a proxy, and shall state the number of shares
voted.
Section 10. List of Shareholders.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary or other officer of the
Corporation who shall have charge of its stock ledger, either directly or
through another officer of the Corporation designated by him or through a
transfer agent appointed by the Board of Directors, to prepare and make, at
least ten days before every meeting of the shareholders, a complete list of the
shareholders entitled to vote thereat, arranged in alphabetical order, and
showing the address of each shareholder and the number of shares registered in
the name of each shareholder. Such list
shall be open to
6
the examination of
any shareholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary
business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to said meeting, either
at a place within the city where said meeting is to be held, which place shall
be specified in the notice of said meeting, or, if not so specified, at the
place where said meeting is to be held.
The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of said
meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any shareholder
of record who shall be present thereat.
The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the
shareholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, such list or the books of
the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of
shareholders.
Section 11. Inspectors of Votes.
In advance of any meeting of the shareholders, the Corporation shall
appoint up to two Inspectors of Votes to act thereat. If no Inspector of Votes is able to act at a
meeting of the shareholders, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint up to
two Inspectors of Votes to act at the meeting.
Each Inspector of Votes, before entering upon the discharge of his or
her duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of
inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her
ability. Such Inspectors of Votes shall
take charge of the ballots, if any, at such meeting and after the balloting
thereat on any question shall count the ballots cast thereon and shall make a
report in writing to the secretary of such meeting of the results thereof. An Inspector of Votes need not be a
shareholder of the Corporation, and any officer of the Corporation may be an
Inspector of Votes on any question other than a vote for or against his
election to any position with the Corporation or on any other question in which
he may be directly interested.
Section 12. Action Without a Meeting.
Any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of
shareholders of the Corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual
or special meeting of shareholders, may be taken without a meeting, without
prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action
so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less
than the minimum number of votes (determined as of the record date of such
consent) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting
at which all shares entitled to vote thereat were present and voted. The record date of a written consent shall be
determined by the Board of Directors and shall be not later than 10 days after
the date on which a shareholder gives notice to the Board of Directors of (i) the
proposed action to be taken by consent and (ii) the date on which the
first written consent to take such action has been executed. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate
action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given
to those shareholders owning shares as of the record date who have not
consented in writing.
7
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Powers. The business
and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors,
which shall have and may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all
such lawful acts and things as are not by statute, the Certificate of
Incorporation or these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by
the shareholders.
Section 2. Number, Qualification and Term of Office.
The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board of
Directors shall not be less than one nor more than ten. The number of directors which shall
constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be determined by resolution of
the Board of Directors. Directors need
not be shareholders. The directors shall
be elected at the annual meeting of the shareholders, except as provided in
Sections 4 and 5 of this Article III, and each director elected shall hold
office until the annual meeting next after his election and until his successor
is elected and qualified, or until his death or retirement or until he shall
earlier resign or shall earlier be removed in the manner hereinafter provided.
Section 3. Resignation.
Any director may resign at any time by giving written notice of his
resignation to the Secretary of the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the
time specified therein, or, if the time when it shall become effective shall
not be specified therein, then it shall take effect immediately upon its
receipt by the Secretary. Unless
otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be
necessary to make it effective.
Section 4. Removal of Directors.
Any director may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time,
by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting interest of the shareholders of
record of the Corporation entitled to vote, given at any annual or special
meeting of the shareholders called for that purpose. The vacancy in the Board of Directors caused
by any such removal shall be filled by the Board of Directors as provided in Section 5
of this Article III.
Section 5. Vacancies. Vacancies and
newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized
number of directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office
though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and the directors
so chosen shall hold office until the annual meeting next after their election
and until their successors are elected and qualified, unless sooner
displaced. If there are no directors in
office, then an election of directors may be held in the manner provided by
statute.
8
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 6. Place of Meetings.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation may hold meetings, both
regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware.
Section 7. Annual Meetings. The
first meeting of each newly elected Board of Directors shall be held
immediately following the annual meeting of shareholders and no notice of such
meeting shall be necessary to the newly elected directors in order legally to
constitute the meeting, provided a quorum shall be present. In the event such meeting is not held
immediately following the annual meeting of shareholders, the meeting may be
held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as
hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Directors, or as
shall be specified in a written waiver signed by all of the directors.
Section 8. Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at
such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the
Board of Directors.
Section 9. Special Meetings; Notice.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman
of the Board, President or Secretary on 24 hours notice to each director,
either personally or by telephone or by mail, telegraph, telex, cable, wireless
or other form of recorded communication; special meetings shall be called by
the Chairman of the Board, President or Secretary in like manner and on like
notice on the written request of two directors.
Notice of any such meeting need not be given to any director, however,
if waived by him in writing or by telegraph, telex, cable, wireless or other
form of recorded communication, or if he shall be present at such meeting.
Section 10. Quorum and Manner of Acting.
At all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the directors
at the time in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business, and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at
which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as
may be otherwise specifically provided by statute or by the Certificate of
Incorporation. If a quorum shall not be
present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat
may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than
announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 11. Remuneration.
Unless otherwise expressly provided by resolution adopted by the Board
of Directors, no director shall, as such, receive any stated remuneration for
his services; but the Board of Directors may at any time and from time to time
by resolution provide that a specified sum shall be paid to any director of the
Corporation, either as his annual remuneration as such director or member of
any committee of the Board of Directors or as remuneration for his attendance
at each meeting of the Board of Directors or any such committee. The Board of Directors may also likewise
provide that the Corporation shall reimburse each director for any expenses
paid by him on account of his attendance at any meeting. Nothing in this Section 11 shall
9
be construed to
preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and
receiving remuneration thereof.
COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS
Section 12. Executive Committee; How Constituted and
Powers. The Board of Directors may, in its
discretion, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors,
designate an Executive Committee consisting of one or more of the directors of
the Corporation. Subject to the
provisions of Section 141 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation, and these Bylaws, the Executive
Committee shall have and may exercise, when the Board of Directors is not in
session, all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the
management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and shall have the
power to authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers
which may require it; but the Executive Committee shall not have the power to
amend the Certificate of Incorporation (except that the Executive Committee
may, to the extent authorized in the resolution or resolutions providing for
the issuance of shares of stock adopted by the Board of Directors as provided
in the Delaware General Corporation Law, fix the designations and any of the
preferences or rights of such shares relating to dividends, redemptions, dissolution,
any distribution of assets of the Corporation or the conversion into, or the
exchange of such shares for, shares of any other class or classes or any other
series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation or
fix the number of shares of any series of stock or authorize the increase or
decrease of the shares or any series), to fill vacancies in the Board of
Directors or the Executive Committee, to adopt an agreement of merger or
consolidation under Section 251, 252, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 263 or 264
of the Delaware General Corporation Law, to recommend to the shareholders the
sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporations
property and assets, to recommend to the shareholders a dissolution of the
Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or to amend the Bylaws of the
Corporation. Except as otherwise
provided herein or in the Corporations Certificate of Incorporation, the
Executive Committee shall have the power and authority to authorize the
issuance of common stock and grant and authorize options and other rights with
respect to such issuance, to declare a dividend, to adopt a certificate of
ownership and merger pursuant to Section 253 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, and to fill vacancies in any other committee of directors
elected or approved by officers of the Corporation. The Board of Directors shall have the power
at any time, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors,
to change the membership of the Executive Committee, to fill all vacancies in
it, or to dissolve it, with or without cause.
Section 13. Organization.
The Chairman of the Executive Committee, to be selected by the Board of
Directors, shall act as chairman at all meetings of the Executive Committee and
the Secretary shall act as secretary thereof.
In case of the absence from any meeting of the Executive Committee of
the Chairman of the Executive Committee or
10
the Secretary, the
Executive Committee may appoint a chairman or secretary, as the case may be, of
the meeting.
Section 14. Meetings. Regular
meetings of the Executive Committee, of which no notice shall be necessary, may
be held on such days and at such places, within or without the State of
Delaware, as shall be fixed by resolution adopted by a majority of the
Executive Committee and communicated in writing to all its members. Special meetings of the Executive Committee
shall be held whenever called by the Chairman of the Executive Committee or a
majority of the members of the Executive Committee then in office. Notice of each special meeting of the
Executive Committee shall be given by mail, telegraph, telex, cable, wireless
or other form of recorded communication or be delivered personally or by
telephone to each member of the Executive Committee not later than the day
before the day on which such meeting is to be held. Notice of any such meeting need not be given
to any member of the Executive Committee, however, if waived by him in writing
or by telegraph, telex, cable, wireless or other form of recorded
communication, or if he shall be present at such meeting; and any meeting of
the Executive Committee shall be a legal meeting without any notice thereof
having been given, if all the members of the Executive Committee shall be
present thereat. Subject to the
provisions of this Article III, the Executive Committee, by resolution
adopted by a majority of the whole Committee, shall fix its own rules of
procedure.
Section 15. Quorum and Manner of Acting.
A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at a
meeting thereof at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Committee.
Section 16. Other Committees.
The Board of Directors may, by resolution or resolutions passed by a
majority of the whole Board of Directors, designate one or more other
committees consisting of one or more directors of the Corporation, which, to
the extent provided in said resolution or resolutions, shall have and may
exercise, subject to the provisions of Section 141 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation and
these Bylaws, the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the
management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and shall have the
power to authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers
which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power to fill vacancies
in the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee or any other committee or in
their respective membership, appoint or remove officers of the Corporation, or
authorize the issuance of shares of the capital stock of the corporation except
that such a committee may, to the extent provided in said resolutions, grant
and authorize options and other rights with respect to the common stock of the
Corporation pursuant to and in accordance with any plan approved by the Board
of Directors. Such committee or committees
shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by
resolution adopted by the Board of Directors.
A majority of all the members of any such committee may determine its
action and fix the time and place of its meetings, within or without the State
of Delaware, and specify what notice thereof, if any, shall be given, unless
the Board of
11
Directors shall
otherwise provide. Special meetings of
the committees shall be held whenever called by the Chairman of the applicable
committee or a majority of the members of such committee then in office. Notice of each special meeting of the any
such committee shall be given by mail, telegraph, telex, cable, wireless or
other form of recorded communication or be delivered personally or by telephone
to each member of such committee not later than the day before the day on which
such meeting is to be held. Notice of
any such meeting need not be given to any member of such committee, however, if
waived by him in writing or by telegraph, telex, cable, wireless or other form
of recorded communication, or if he shall be present at such meeting; and any
meeting of such committee shall be a legal meeting without any notice thereof
having been given, if all the members of such committee shall be present
thereat. The Board of Directors shall
have power to change the members of any such committee at any time to fill
vacancies, and to discharge any such committee, either with or without cause,
at any time.
Section 17. Alternate Members of Committees.
The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate
members of the Executive Committee or any other committee, who may replace any
absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, or if none be so
appointed, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not
disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may
unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the
meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
Section 18. Minutes of Committees.
Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and
proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors at the next meeting
thereof.
GENERAL
Section 19. Actions Without a Meeting.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these
Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the
Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting,
if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be,
consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the
minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or the committee.
Section 20. Presence at Meetings by Means or
Communications Equipment. Members of the Board of
Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may
participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means
of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation
in a meeting pursuant to this Section 20 shall constitute presence in
person at such meeting.
12
ARTICLE IV
NOTICES
Section 1. Type of Notice.
Whenever, under the provisions of the statutes, the Certificate of
Incorporation or these Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any director
or shareholder, it shall not be construed to mean personal notice, but such
notice may be given in writing, in person or by mail, addressed to such
director or shareholder, at his address as it appears on the records of the
Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to
be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United States
mail. Notice to directors may also be
given in any manner permitted by Article III hereof and shall be deemed to
be given at the time when first transmitted by the method of communication so
permitted.
Section 2. Waiver of Notice.
Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the
statutes, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in
writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether
before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto,
and transmission of a waiver of notice by a director or shareholder by mail,
telegraph, telex, cable, wireless or other form of recorded communication may
constitute such a waiver.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1. Elected and Appointed Officers.
The elected officers of the Corporation shall be a Chief Executive
Officer, a President, one or more Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice
Presidents and Vice Presidents, with or without such descriptive titles as the
Board of Directors shall deem appropriate, a Secretary and a Treasurer and, if
the Board of Directors so elects, a Chairman of the Board (who shall be a
director). The Board of Directors or the
Executive Committee of the Board of Directors by resolution also may appoint
one or more Assistant Vice Presidents, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant
Secretaries, and such other officers and agents as from time to time may appear
to be necessary or advisable in the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 2. Time of Election or Appointment.
The Board of Directors at its annual meeting shall elect or appoint, as
the case may be, the officers to fill the positions designated in or pursuant
to Section 1 of this Article V.
Officers of the Corporation may also be elected or appointed, as the
case may be, at any other time.
Section 3. Salaries of Elected Officers.
The salaries of all elected officers of the Corporation shall be fixed
by the Board of Directors.
13
Section 4. Term. Each officer of the Corporation shall hold
his office until his successor is elected or appointed and qualified or until
his earlier resignation or removal. Any
officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board
of Directors or the Executive Committee may be removed at any time by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the whole Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the
Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise may be filled by the
Board of Directors or the appropriate committee thereof.
Section 5. Chairman
of the Board. The Chairman of the
Board shall preside, if present, at all meetings of the Board of Directors and
the shareholders and shall perform such other reasonable duties as may be
prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors or by the Bylaws.
Section 6. Chief
Executive Officer. The Chief
Executive Officer shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Corporation
and shall have general and active control of all its business. He shall preside, in the absence of the
Chairman of the Board, at all meetings of shareholders. He shall see that all orders and resolutions
of the Board of Directors and the shareholders are carried into effect. He shall have general authority to execute
bonds, deeds, and contracts in the name of the Corporation and affix the
corporation seal thereto; to sign stock certificates; to cause the employment
or appointment of such officers, employees, and agents of the Corporation as
the proper conduct of operations may require, and to fix their compensation,
subject to the provisions of these Bylaws; to remove or suspend any employee or
agent who was employed or appointed under his authority or under authority of
an officer subordinate to him; to suspend for cause, pending final action by
the authority that elected or appointed him, any officer subordinate to him; in
coordination with the other officers and directors of the Corporation, to develop
the Corporations basic strategic and long-range plans, including marketing
programs, expansion plans and financial structure; and, in general, to exercise
all of the powers of authority usually appertaining to the chief executive
officer of a corporation, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws.
Section 7. President. The President shall be the Chief Operating
Officer of the Corporation and, as such, shall have, subject to review and
approval of the Chief Executive Officer, the responsibility for the day-to-day
operations of the Corporation.
Section 8. Executive
Vice Presidents. In the absence of
the President or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the Executive
Vice President (or, if there be more than one, the Executive Vice Presidents in
the order designated or, in the absence of any designation, in the order of
their election) shall perform the duties of the President and, when so acting,
shall have all of the powers of and be subject to all of the restrictions upon
the President. The Executive Vice
Presidents shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the
Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time
prescribe. The officer in charge of
finance, if one is so elected, shall
14
also perform the duties
and assume the responsibilities described in Section 14 of this Article for
the Treasurer.
Section 9. Senior
Vice Presidents. In the absence of
the Executive Vice President or in the event of his inability or refusal to
act, the Senior Vice President (or, if there be more than one, the Senior Vice
Presidents in the order designated or, in the absence of any designation, in
the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the Executive Vice
President and, when so acting, shall have all of the powers of and be subject
to all of the restrictions upon the Executive Vice President. The Senior Vice Presidents shall perform such
other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief
Executive Officer, or the Chief Operating Officer may from time to time
prescribe. The officer in charge of
finance, if one is so elected, shall also perform the duties and assume the
responsibilities described in Section 14 of this Article for the
Treasurer.
Section 10. Vice
Presidents. In the absence of the
Senior Vice President or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the
Vice President (or, if there be more than one, the Vice Presidents in the order
designated or, in the absence of any designation, in the order of their
election) shall perform the duties of the Senior Vice President and, when so
acting, shall have all of the powers of and be subject to all of the
restrictions upon the Senior Vice President.
The Vice Presidents shall perform such other duties and have such other
powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Chief
Operating Officer may from time to time prescribe. The officer in charge of finance, if one is
so elected, shall also perform the duties and assume the responsibilities
described in Section 14 of this Article for the Treasurer.
Section 11. Assistant
Vice Presidents. In the absence of a
Vice President or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the
Assistant Vice President (or, if there be more than one, the Assistant Vice
Presidents in the order designated or of their election or in such other manner
as the Board of Directors shall determine) shall perform the duties and
exercise the powers of that Vice President and shall perform such other duties
and have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive
Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, or the Vice President under whose
supervision he is appointed may from time to time prescribe.
Section 12. Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of
the Board of Directors and all meetings of the shareholders and record all
proceedings of such meetings in a book to be kept for that purpose and shall
perform like duties for the Executive Committee or other standing committees
when required. He shall give, or cause
to be given, notice of all meetings of the shareholders and special meetings of
the Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed
by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, under whose
supervision he shall be. He shall have
custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation and he, or an Assistant
Secretary, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring
it, and when so affixed, it may be attested by his signature or by the
signature of such Assistant
15
Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general
authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest
the affixing by his signature. The
Secretary shall keep and account for all books, documents, papers, and records
of the Corporation except those for which some other officer or agent is
properly accountable. He shall have
authority to sign stock certificates and shall generally perform all of the
duties usually appertaining to the office of the secretary of a corporation.
Section 13. Assistant
Secretaries. In the absence of the
Secretary or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the Assistant
Secretary (or, if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the
order determined by the Board of Directors or, if there be no such
determination, in the order of their appointment) shall perform the duties and
exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties and
have such other powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer,
or the Secretary may from time to time prescribe.
Section 14. Treasurer. The Treasurer (or the Vice President in
charge of finance, if one is so elected) shall have the custody of the
corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of
receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall
deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of
the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of
Directors. He shall disburse the funds
of the Corporation as ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers
for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chairman of the Board and the
Board of Directors, at its regular meetings or when the Board of Directors so
requires, an account of all of his transactions as Treasurer and of the
financial condition of the Corporation.
If required by the Board of Directors, he shall give the Corporation a
bond (which shall be reviewed every six years) in such sum and with such surety
or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful
performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the
Corporation, in case of his death, resignation, retirement, or removal from
office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money, and other property or whatever
kind in his possession or under his control belonging to the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties
as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or
any such officer in charge of finance.
Section 15. Assistant
Treasurers. The Assistant Treasurer
or Assistant Treasurers shall assist the Treasurer and, in the absence of the
Treasurer or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the Assistant
Treasurer (or if there be more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order
determined by the Board of Directors or, if there is no such determination, in
the order of their appointment), shall perform the duties and exercise the
powers of the Treasurer, and shall perform such other duties and have such
other powers as the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Treasurer
may from time to time prescribe.
16
ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. Actions
Other Than by or in the Right of the Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify any person,
to the fullest extent permitted by law, who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or contemplated action, suit, or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (other
than as provided in Article VI, Section 2 with respect to an action
by or in the right of the Corporation), by reason of the fact that he is or was
a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request
of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise (all of
such persons being hereafter referred to in this Article as a Corporate
Functionary), against expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines,
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in
connection with such action, suit, or proceeding, if he acted in good faith and
in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit, or
proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
contendre or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption
that the Corporate Functionary did not act in good faith and in a manner which
he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Corporation or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that he had
reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 2. Actions
by or in the Right of the Corporation.
The Corporation shall indemnify any Corporate Functionary who was or is
a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or
contemplated action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a Corporate
Functionary against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and
reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such
action or suit, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation,
except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue, or
matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Corporation, unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the
court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court
shall deem proper.
Section 3. Determination
of Right to Indemnification. Any
indemnification under Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VI (unless ordered
by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific
case upon a determination that indemnification of the Corporate Functionary is
proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of
conduct set forth in Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VI.
17
Such determination shall
be made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum
consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or
proceeding, or (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if
obtainable if a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent
legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the shareholders.
Section 4. Right
to Indemnification. Notwithstanding
the other provisions of this Article VI, to the extent that a Corporate
Functionary has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any
action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 1 or 2 of this Article VI,
or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred
by him in connection therewith.
Section 5. Prepaid
Expenses. Expenses incurred in
defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the
Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or
proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors in the specific case, upon
receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or
agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined he is
entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article VI.
Section 6. Other
Rights and Remedies. The indemnification provided by this Article VI
shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking
indemnification may be entitled under any Bylaw, agreement, vote of
shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his
official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such
office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director,
officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
executors and administrators of such a person.
Section 7. Insurance. Upon resolution passed by the Board of
Directors, the Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any
past or present Corporate Functionary against any liability asserted against
him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or 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 this Article VI.
Section 8. Mergers. For purposes of this Article VI,
references to the Corporation shall include, in addition to the resulting or
surviving corporation, constituent corporations (including any constituent of a
constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate
existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its
directors, officers, employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation or is or
was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise shall stand in the same position under the provisions
of this
18
Article VI with
respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect
to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
ARTICLE VII
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
Section 1. Right
to Certificate. Every holder of
stock in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate, signed by, or
in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairman of the Board, the President or
a Vice President, and the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
Corporation certifying the number of shares owned by him in the
Corporation. If the Corporation shall be
authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any
class, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating,
optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and
the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or
rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the
certificate which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series
of stock, provided that, except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, in lieu of the foregoing
requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate
which the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a
statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each shareholder
who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative,
participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or
series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such
preferences and/or rights. The Board of
Directors may, by resolution or resolutions passed by a majority of the whole
Board of Directors, provide that some or all of any or all classes or series of
the Corporations stock may be in the form of uncertificated shares.
Section 2. Facsimile
Signatures. Any of or all the
signatures on the certificate may be facsimile.
In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose
facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be
such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it
may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such
officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 3. New
Certificates. The Board of Directors
may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any
certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation and alleged
to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that
fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or
destroyed. When authorizing such issue
of a new certificate or certificates, the Board of Directors may, in its
discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the
owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his
legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require
and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity
against any claim
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that may be made against
the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost,
stolen or destroyed or the issuance of such new certificate.
Section 4. Transfers. Upon surrender to the Corporation or the
transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or
accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to
transfer, it shall be the duty of the Corporation, subject to any proper
restrictions on transfer, to issue a new certificate to the person entitled
thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.
Section 5. Record
Date. In order that the Corporation
may determine the shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting
of shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate
action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to
exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock
or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix,
in advance, a record date, which shall not precede the date upon which the
resolution fixing the date is adopted by the Board of Directors and which shall
not be less than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of such meeting, nor
more than 60 days prior to any other action.
A determination of shareholders of record entitled to notice of or to
vote at a meeting of shareholders shall apply to any adjournment of the
meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record
date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 6. Registered
Shareholders. The Corporation shall
be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its
books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner,
and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books
as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or
other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other
person, whether or not provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the
Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if
any, may be declared by the Board of Directors (but not any committee thereof)
at any regular meeting, pursuant to law.
Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the capital
stock, subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 2. Reserves. Before payment of any dividend, there may be
set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum
or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute
discretion, thinks proper as a reserve
20
or reserves to meet
contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any
property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of
Directors shall think conducive to the interest of the Corporation, and the
Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in
which it was created.
Section 3. Annual
Statement. The Board of Directors
shall present at each annual meeting, and at any special meeting of the
shareholders when called for by vote of the shareholders, a full and clear
statement of the business and condition of the Corporation.
Section 4. Checks. All checks or demands for money and notes of
the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other
person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 5. Fiscal
Year. The fiscal year of the
Corporation shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Corporate
Seal. The corporate seal shall have
inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and
the word Delaware. The seal may be
used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed, affixed, reproduced
or otherwise.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments. These Bylaws may be altered, amended or
repealed or new Bylaws may be adopted by the shareholders or by the Board of
Directors at any regular meeting of the shareholders or the Board of Directors
or at any special meeting of the shareholders or the Board of Directors if
notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new Bylaws be
contained in the notice of such special meeting.
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EXHIBIT
99.2
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Contacts:
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Stacey Sullivan,
Media Relations
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Marie Perry, Investor Relations
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(972) 770-7290 |
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(972) 770-7228 |
BRINKER INTERNATIONAL BOARD DECLARES
COMMON DIVIDEND
DALLAS
(May 28, 2009) -The Board of Directors for Brinker International, Inc.
(NYSE: EAT) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.11 per share on the common
stock of the company.
The
dividend will be paid on June 24, 2009 to shareholders of record as of June 15,
2009.
At
the end of the third quarter of fiscal quarter 2009, Brinker International
either owned, operated, or franchised 1,679 restaurants under the names Chilis
Grill & Bar (1,478 restaurants), On The Border Mexican Grill &
Cantina (156 restaurants) and Maggianos Little Italy (45 restaurants) in 28
countries worldwide. Brinker also holds a minority investment in Romanos
Macaroni Grill.
The
statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties and, consequently, could be affected by general business and
economic conditions, the impact of competition, the impact of acquisitions and
divestitures and other strategic transactions, the seasonality of the companys
business, adverse weather conditions, future commodity prices, fuel and utility
costs and availability, terrorists acts, consumer perception of food safety,
changes in consumer taste and behavior, health epidemics or pandemics, changes
in demographic trends, availability of employees, unfavorable publicity, the
companys ability to meet its growth plan, acts of God, governmental
regulations, and inflation.
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