EX-3.B
Published on February 8, 2010
Exhibit 3(b)
BY-LAWS
of
BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
A New Jersey Corporation
as Amended and Restated as of February 2, 2010
of
BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
A New Jersey Corporation
as Amended and Restated as of February 2, 2010
ARTICLE I
Offices
Offices
The registered office of Becton, Dickinson and Company (the Company) shall be in the Borough
of Franklin Lakes, County of Bergen, State of New Jersey or such other place within or without the
State of New Jersey as the Board of Directors may designate. The Company may also establish and
have such other offices within or without the State of New Jersey, as the Board of Directors may
designate or its business may require.
ARTICLE II
Meetings of Shareholders
Meetings of Shareholders
SECTION 1. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of the shareholders shall be held at the registered
office of the Company in New Jersey, or at such other place, within or without the State of New
Jersey, as may be designated by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting.
SECTION 2.A. ANNUAL MEETINGS. The annual meeting of shareholders for the election of
Directors and the transaction of such other business as may be related to the purposes set forth in
the notice of the meeting shall be held at such time as may be fixed by the Board of Directors.
B. SPECIAL MEETING FOR ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. If the annual meeting of shareholders is not
held on the date designated, the Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the shareholders
for the election of Directors and the transaction of other business.
C. SPECIAL MEETINGS. (a) Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the Board of
Directors or by the Chairman of the Board or by the Chief Executive Officer or by the President,
and shall be called by the Chairman of the Board or by the Chief Executive Officer or by the
President upon written request of a majority of the Directors then in office, which request shall
state the time, place and purpose of the meeting. Subject to the other provisions of this Section
2.C, a special meeting of shareholders shall be called by the Secretary at the written request (a
Special Meeting Request) of holders of record of at least 25% of the voting power of the
outstanding capital stock of the Company entitled to vote on the matter or matters to be brought
before the proposed special meeting. Such Special Meeting Request must be made in proper written
form as specified in subsection (b) of this Section 2.C. This Section 2.C is the exclusive means by
which a shareholder may nominate persons for election to the Board of Directors and/or present
other business at a special meeting of shareholders.
(b) A Special Meeting Request to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at
the principal executive offices of the Company, and shall be signed by each shareholder, or a duly
authorized agent of such shareholder, requesting the special meeting. To be in proper written form,
a Special Meeting Request must set forth (i) all the information required under subsection (c)(i)
and/or (ii) of Article II, Section 2.D of these By-Laws, as applicable, with respect to the
nominations or other business proposed to be brought before such special meeting; (ii) all of the
information required to be set forth in a shareholders notice under subsections (c)(iii) through
(ix) of Article II, Section 2.D of these By-Laws with respect to each shareholder requesting such
meeting; (iii) all information relating to each such shareholder that would be required to be
disclosed in connection with the shareholders solicitation of proxies for the election of
directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), and all
information, whether or not relating to such shareholder, that would otherwise be required in
connection with the shareholders solicitation of proxies with respect to the matters proposed to
be acted upon at the meeting, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended; and (iv) an acknowledgment by such shareholder that any disposition of
shares of common stock of the Company held of record by such shareholder as of the date of delivery
of the Special Meeting Request and prior to the record date for the special meeting of shareholders
requested by such shareholder shall constitute a revocation of such request with respect to such
shares.
(c) The Secretary shall (as promptly as practicable but in no event more than ten days
following delivery of a Special Meeting Request that complies with subsection (b) of this Section
2.C) determine whether the request has been made by shareholders owning and holding, in the
aggregate, the number of shares necessary to request a special meeting pursuant to this Section
2.C. Upon the Secretarys finding that holders of the requisite number of shares have made the
request, the Board shall determine (as promptly as practicable but in no event more than ten days
following the date of the Secretarys finding), with the advice of counsel, whether the request is
valid under the criteria set forth in subsection (d) of this Section 2.C, and if the request is
determined to be valid shall proceed to fix a date, time and place for the meeting, which date
shall be not more than 90 days after the receipt of the Special Meeting Request. Subject to the
preceding sentence, in fixing a date and time for a special meeting pursuant to a Special Meeting
Request, the Board of Directors may consider such factors as it deems relevant within the good
faith exercise of business judgment, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be
considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for meeting and any plan of the
Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting, and nothing herein will limit
the power of the Board of Directors or the chair appointed for any annual or special meeting in
respect of the conduct of any such meeting.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.C, a special meeting requested
by shareholders shall not be held if: (i) an annual or special meeting of shareholders that
included an identical or substantially similar item of business (Similar Business) (as determined
in good faith by the Board of Directors) was held not more than 120 days before the Special Meeting
Request was received by the Secretary; (ii) the Board of Directors has called or calls for an
annual or special meeting of shareholders to be held within 90 days after the Special Meeting
Request is received by the Secretary and the Board of Directors determines in good faith that the
business to be conducted at such
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meeting includes the Similar Business. For purposes of this Section 2.C, the election of
directors shall be deemed to be Similar Business with respect to all items of business involving
the election or removal of directors, changing the size of the Board of Directors and filling of
vacancies and/or newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number
of directors; or (iii) the Special Meeting Request relates to an item of business that is not a
proper subject for shareholder action under applicable law.
(e) A shareholder may revoke a Special Meeting Request at any time by written revocation
delivered to the Secretary, and if, following such revocation, there are outstanding un-revoked
requests from shareholders holding less than the requisite number of shares of common stock
entitling such shareholders to request the calling of a special meeting in accordance with this
Section 2.C, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, cancel the special meeting. If none of
the shareholders who submitted the Special Meeting Request appears or sends a duly authorized agent
to present the business to be presented for consideration that was specified in the Special Meeting
Request, the Company need not present such business for a vote at such special meeting.
(f) Business conducted at a special meeting requested by shareholders shall be limited to the
matters described in the applicable Special Meeting Request and set forth in the applicable notice
of meeting, provided that nothing herein shall prohibit the Board of Directors from submitting
additional matters to the shareholders at any such special meeting requested by shareholders.
D. (a) ADVANCE NOTICE OF NOMINATIONS AND BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED AT ANNUAL MEETINGS OF
SHAREHOLDERS. No business may be transacted and no nominations of persons for election to the
Board of Directors may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders, other than business and
nominations that are either: (i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto)
given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof);
(ii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of
Directors (or any duly authorized committee thereof); or (iii) otherwise properly brought before
the annual meeting by any shareholder of the Company (1) who is a shareholder of record on the date
of the giving of the notice provided for in this Section 2.D. and on the record date for the
determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting, and (2) who complies with
the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2.D.
(b) Notice. In addition to any other applicable requirements, for any business or
nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an
annual meeting by a shareholder under subsection 2.D(a)(iii) above, such shareholder must have
given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Company. To be timely,
a shareholders notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed and received at the
principal executive offices of the Company not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to
the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders; provided,
however, that in the event that the annual meeting is called for on a date that is not
within 30 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder in order to be
timely must be so received not earlier than the 120th day prior to such annual meeting
and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such
annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which
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such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the date
of the annual meeting was made, whichever first occurs. In no event shall the public announcement
of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholders
notice as described above.
Notwithstanding anything in the first sentence of the preceding paragraph to the contrary, in
the event that the number of Directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and
there is no notice or public disclosure by the Company naming all of the nominees for Director or
specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least 70 days prior to the anniversary
date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders, a shareholders notice required
by this Section 2.D. shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new
positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal
executive offices of the Company not later than the close of business on the tenth day following
the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure
of the date of the annual meeting was made.
(c) Required contents of notice. To be in proper written form, a shareholders notice
under subsection 2.D(a)(iii)(2) to the Secretary must set forth:
(i) as to each person whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as
a Director, all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in
solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise
required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and Rule 14a-11 thereunder (including such persons written consent to being named in the
proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Director if elected);
(ii) as to each other matter such shareholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, a
brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and the reasons
for conducting such business at the annual meeting;
(iii) the name and record address of such shareholder;
(iv) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Company that are owned
beneficially or of record by such shareholder, together with proof of ownership if requested by the
Company;
(v) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between or among such
shareholder and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with such
proposal of such business or nomination by such shareholder, and any material interest of such
shareholder in such business or nomination;
(vi) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any derivative or
short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging
or similar transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date
of the shareholders notice by, or on behalf of, such shareholder, the effect or intent of which is
to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the
voting power of, such shareholder with respect to shares of stock of the Company;
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(vii) a representation that the shareholder will notify the Company in writing of any such
agreement, arrangement or understanding referenced in clause (vi) above (including any amendment or
modification thereto) in effect as of the record date for the annual meeting promptly following the
later of the record date or the date notice of the record date is first publicly disclosed;
(viii) a representation that such shareholder is a holder of record of capital stock of the
Company and is entitled to vote at the annual meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy
at the annual meeting to bring such business or nomination before the meeting; and
(ix) a representation whether the shareholder intends, or is part of a group which intends,
(1) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the
Companys outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee,
and/or (2) otherwise to solicit proxies from shareholders in support of such proposal or
nomination. In addition, a shareholder seeking to submit such business at an annual meeting shall
promptly provide any other information reasonably requested by the Company.
(d) No business or nomination for director shall be conducted at the annual meeting of
shareholders except business or nominations brought before the annual meeting in accordance with
the procedures set forth in this Section 2.D; provided, however, that, once such
business or nomination has been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with such
procedures, nothing in this Section 2.D. shall be deemed to preclude discussion by any shareholder
of any such business or nomination. In addition, only such persons who are nominated in accordance
with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.D shall be eligible to be elected at an annual
meeting of the Company. If the chairman of an annual meeting determines that such business or
nomination was not properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the foregoing
procedures, the chairman shall declare to the meeting that such business or nomination was not
properly brought before the meeting, and such business shall not be transacted or such defective
nomination shall be disregarded.
(e) The provisions of this Section 2.D shall not be applicable to any shareholder proposal
submitted for inclusion in the Companys proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under Regulation
14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
SECTION 3. QUORUM; ADJOURNMENT. The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of
shares representing a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at a meeting shall constitute a
quorum. The shareholders present in person or by proxy at a duly organized meeting may continue to
do business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less
than a quorum. The chairman of the meeting or a majority of the shareholders present in person, or
by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting without notice. At such adjourned meeting, any
business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.
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SECTION 4. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. A written notice of each annual or special meeting of the
shareholders of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or
the President or the Secretary, which shall state the time, place and purpose of such meeting,
shall be delivered personally or mailed, not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days before the
date of any such meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If
mailed, the notice shall be directed to the shareholder at his or her address as it appears on the
records of the stock transfer agent. Any shareholder, in person or by proxy, may at any time by a
duly signed statement in writing to that effect, waive any statutory or other notice of any
meeting, whether such statement be signed before or after such meeting.
SECTION 5. VOTING. At all meetings of the shareholders, each holder of common stock having
the right to vote, and present at the meeting in person or by proxy, shall be entitled to one vote
for each full share of common stock of the Company entitled to vote and registered in his or her
name. Each holder of preferred stock of any series shall have such voting powers, if any, as the
Board of Directors shall have fixed by resolution prior to the issuance of any shares of such
series. Whenever any action is to be taken by vote of the shareholders, other than the election of
Directors, it shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of the shareholders
by the holders of shares entitled to vote, unless a greater plurality is required by law or the
Certificate of Incorporation.
SECTION 6. PROXIES. Any shareholder of record entitled to vote may be represented at any
annual or special meeting of the shareholders by a duly appointed proxy. All proxies shall be
written and properly signed, but shall require no other attestation, and shall be filed with the
Secretary of the meeting before being voted.
SECTION 7. ORGANIZATION. The Chairman of the Board, or in the absence or disability of the
Chairman of the Board or if a vacancy exists in the office of Chairman of the Board, a director or
officer designated by the Board of Directors shall act as chairman of the meeting at all meetings
of the shareholders. The Secretary, or in his or her absence or disability one of the Assistant
Secretaries, shall act as secretary of the meeting. In case none of the officers above designated
to act as secretary of the meeting shall be present, a secretary of the meeting shall be chosen by
the Board of Directors.
SECTION 8. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The order of business at all meetings of the shareholders shall
be as determined by the chairman of the meeting, but the order of business to be followed at any
meeting at which a quorum is present may be changed by a vote of the shareholders.
SECTION 9. RECORD DATE FOR ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT. In order that the Company may determine
the shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting in accordance
with law, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the
date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and
which date shall not be more than 10 days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the
record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. Any shareholder of record seeking to have the
shareholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the
Secretary, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date. The Board of Directors shall
promptly, but in
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all events within 10 days after the date on which such a request is received, adopt a
resolution fixing the record date. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors
within 10 days after the date on which such a request is received, the record date for determining
shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior
action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a
signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the
Company by delivery to its registered office in New Jersey, its principal place of business or to
any officer or agent of the Company having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of
shareholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Companys registered office shall be by hand or by
certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the
Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, the
record date for determining shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without
a meeting shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board of Directors adopts the
resolution taking such prior action.
Nothing in this Article II, Section 9 shall require the Board of Directors to take any action with
respect to any proposed action or other proposal for which consent is sought other than to fix a
record date as provided for herein; and the fixing of any such record date shall not be deemed to
be an action taken by the Board of Directors with respect to any such proposed action or other
proposal for which consent is sought for any other purpose.
SECTION 10. INSPECTORS OF WRITTEN CONSENT. In the event of the delivery, in the manner
provided by Article II, Section 9, to the Company of the requisite written consent or consents to
take corporate action and/or any related revocation or revocations, the Company shall engage
nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections for the purpose of promptly performing a
ministerial review of the validity of the consents and revocations. For the purpose of permitting
the inspectors to perform such review, no action by written consent without a meeting shall be
effective until such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Company that the consents
delivered to the Company in accordance with Article II, Section 9 represent at least the minimum
number of votes that would be necessary to take the corporate action. Nothing contained in this
paragraph shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors or any
shareholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any consent or revocation thereof,
whether before or after such certification by the independent inspectors, or to take any other
action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation
with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).
SECTION 11. EFFECTIVENESS OF WRITTEN CONSENT. Every written consent shall bear the date of
signature of each shareholder who signs the consent and no written consent shall be effective to
take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within 60 days of the earliest dated written
consent received in accordance with Article II, Section 9, a written consent or consents signed by
a sufficient number of holders to take such action are delivered to the Company in the manner
prescribed in Article II, Section 9.
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ARTICLE III
Directors
Directors
SECTION 1. QUALIFICATIONS. Each Director shall be at least 21 years of age and shall be
elected in the manner provided by the Certificate of Incorporation and these By-Laws.
SECTION 2. DUTIES AND POWERS. The Board of Directors shall control and manage the business
and affairs of the Company, and shall exercise all powers of the Company and perform all acts which
are not required to be exercised or performed by the shareholders. The Board of Directors may
adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of its meetings and the management of the Company
as it may deem proper.
SECTION 3. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the
principal office of the Company or at such other place within or without the State of New Jersey,
as the Chairman of the Board or the Board of Directors may designate.
SECTION 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Any or all Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board
of Directors or a committee thereof by means of conference telephone or any means of communication
by which all persons participating in the meeting are able to hear each other.
SECTION 5. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. There shall be an annual meeting of the Board of Directors
held without notice on the date of the annual meeting of shareholders, or as soon thereafter as
convenient, at the same place as the annual meeting of shareholders unless some other location is
designated by the Chairman of the Board or by the President. Regular meetings, without notice, may
be held at such time and place as the Board of Directors may designate. The Chairman of the Board
or the President may call any special meeting of the Board of Directors, and shall do so whenever
requested in writing by at least one-third of the Directors. Notice of each special meeting shall
be mailed to each Director at least four days before the date on which the meeting is to be held,
or be telephoned or sent to each Director by fax, e-mail, telegraph, telex, TWX, cable, wireless or
similar means of electronic communication, or be delivered in person, not later than the day before
the date on which such meeting is to be held. The Board of Directors may meet to transact business
at any time and place without notice, provided that each Director shall be present, or that any
Director or Directors not present shall waive notice in writing, either before or after such
meeting. The attendance of any Director at a meeting without protesting prior to the conclusion of
the meeting the lack of notice of such meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice by him or her.
Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Directors
need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting. Notice of an adjourned
meeting need not be given if the time and place are fixed at the meeting adjourning, and if the
period of adjournment does not exceed 10 days in any one adjournment.
SECTION 6. QUORUM. A majority of the Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business, but the Director or Directors present, if less than a quorum, may
adjourn any meeting from time-to-time until such quorum shall be
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present. All questions coming before the Board of Directors shall be determined and decided by
a majority vote of the Directors present, unless the vote of a greater number is required by law,
the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws.
SECTION 7. ACTION WITHOUT A MEETING. The Board of Directors may act without a meeting if,
prior or subsequent to such action, each Director shall consent in writing to such action. Such
written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of
Directors.
SECTION 8. COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS. The Board of Directors may, by the affirmative vote of
a majority of the Directors then in office, fix reasonable fees or compensation of the Directors
for services to the Company, including attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors or
committees thereof. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any Director from
serving the Company in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Each Director shall
be entitled to receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of his or
her duties.
ARTICLE IV
Committees
Committees
SECTION 1. HOW CONSTITUTED AND POWERS. The Board of Directors, by resolution of a majority of
the Directors then in office, shall appoint from among its members Audit, Compensation and
Benefits, Corporate and Scientific Affairs, Corporate Governance and Nominating, and Executive
Committees, and may appoint one or more other committees. The Board of Directors shall designate
one member of each committee as its chair. If the chair of a committee is unavailable to attend or
participate in a committee meeting, the committee members attending or participating in the meeting
shall designate one member to serve as the committees acting chair for the meeting.
Each committees purpose, membership, and authority and responsibilities shall be set forth in its
charter established by the Board of Directors, which shall be posted on the Companys website,
www.bd.com. To the extent provided in these By-laws, in each committees charter, or by any
resolution conferring or limiting its powers, each committee shall have and may exercise all the
authority of the Board of Directors, except that no committee shall:
(a) | make, alter, or repeal any By-law of the Company; | ||
(b) | elect, appoint or remove any Director, or elect, appoint or remove any corporate officer; | ||
(c) | submit to shareholders any action that requires approval of shareholders; | ||
(d) | amend or repeal any resolution adopted by the Board of Directors which by its terms is amendable or repealable only by the Board of Directors; | ||
(e) | act on matters assigned to other committees appointed by the Board of Directors; |
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(f) | declare or pay any dividends or issue any additional shares of authorized and unissued capital stock; or | ||
(g) | create, dissolve or fill any vacancy on any committee appointed by the Board of Directors. |
The Board of Directors, by resolution of a majority of the Directors then in office, may fill any
vacancy in any committee; appoint one or more alternate members of any committee to act in the
absence or disability of members of such committees with all the powers of such absent or disabled
members; or remove any Director from membership on any committee.
SECTION 2. MEETINGS AND PROCEDURES. Each committee may make its own rules of procedure and
shall meet as provided by such rules or by resolution of the Board of Directors, and shall also
meet at the call of the chair of the committee, the Chairman of the Board, the President, or a
majority of the members of the committee.
A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum. The affirmative vote of a
majority of all of the members of a committee shall be necessary for the adoption of a resolution
or to approve any matter within the scope of the authority of a committee. Minutes of the
proceedings of a committee shall be recorded in a book provided for that purpose and filed with the
Secretary of the Company. A committee may act without a meeting if, prior or subsequent to such
action, each member shall consent in writing to such action. Such written consent or consents
shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the committee.
Action taken by a committee, with or without a meeting, shall be reported to the Board of
Directors at its next regular meeting following such committee action; except that, when the
meeting of the Board of Directors is held within two days after the committee action, such report,
if not made at the first meeting, shall be made to the Board of Directors at its second meeting
following such action.
ARTICLE V
Officers
Officers
SECTION 1. ENUMERATION, APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL. The corporate officers of the Company shall
be a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and
such other corporate officers (including assistant corporate officers) as the Board of Directors
may deem necessary or desirable for the transaction of the business of the Company. In its
discretion, the Board of Directors may leave unfilled any office except those of the President,
Treasurer, and Secretary, and should any vacancy occur among said officers by death, resignation or
otherwise, the same shall be filled at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors or at a
special meeting. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. The Board of Directors,
by resolution adopted by a majority of the Directors then in office, shall designate the Chairman
of the Board or the President to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
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The corporate officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall hold office until
the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors, subject to the power of the Board of Directors
to remove any corporate officer at its pleasure by an affirmative vote of the majority of the
Directors then in office.
Every corporate officer shall have such authority and perform such duties in the management of
the Company as may be provided in these By-laws, or such duties consistent with these By-laws as
may be assigned by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.
The Chief Executive Officer shall have the authority to appoint persons to the position of
Senior Vice President, Vice President or another Vice President designation with respect to any
business unit or function within the Company. Such persons shall not be deemed to be corporate
officers solely by virtue of such appointment.
SECTION 2. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of
the Board of Directors and of the shareholders, and shall perform such other duties as these
By-laws or the Board of Directors may prescribe. In the absence or disability of the Chairman of
the Board or if a vacancy exists in the office of Chairman of the Board, the Board of Directors
shall designate a director or officer who shall have all the powers and perform all the duties of
the Chairman of the Board.
SECTION 3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general charge and
supervision over and responsibility for the business and affairs of the Company. He or she shall
keep the Board of Directors fully informed concerning those areas in his or her charge, and shall
perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4. PRESIDENT. The President shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be
provided by statute, these By-laws, and as may be assigned by the Board of Directors or the Chief
Executive Officer.
SECTION 5. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of the Company funds and
securities, maintain banking relationships and execute credit and collection policies. He or she
shall perform such other duties and possess such other powers as are incident to his or her office.
SECTION 6. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and
of the shareholders, and shall record all proceedings of such meetings in books to be kept for that
purpose. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the
shareholders and the Board of Directors. He or she shall have the custody of the seal of the
Company and shall affix the same to all instruments requiring it, and attest the same. He or she
shall perform such other duties and possess such other powers as are incident to his or her office.
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ARTICLE VI
Certificate of Capital Stock
Certificate of Capital Stock
SECTION 1. FORM AND TRANSFERS. The interest of each shareholder of the Company shall be
evidenced by certificates for shares of capital stock, certifying the number of shares represented
thereby.
Transfers of shares of the capital stock of the Company shall be made only on the books of the
Company, which shall include the books of the stock transfer agent, by the registered holder
thereof, or by his or her attorney authorized by power of attorney duly executed and filed with the
Secretary of the Company, or a transfer agent appointed as provided in Section 4 of this Article,
and on surrender of the certificate or certificates for such shares properly endorsed and the
payment of all taxes thereon. The person in whose name shares of capital stock stand on the books
of the Company shall be deemed the owner thereof for all purposes. The Board of Directors may,
from time-to-time, make such additional rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning
the issue, transfer, and registration of certificates for shares of the capital stock of the
Company. Certificates shall be signed by, or in the name of the Company by, the Chairman, the
President or a Vice President who is a corporate officer, and may be countersigned by the Treasurer
or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and may be
sealed with the seal of the Company or a facsimile thereof. Any or all signatures upon a
certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or
whose facsimile signature has been placed upon such certificate, shall have ceased to be such
corporate officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued
by the Company with the same effect as if he were such corporate officer, transfer agent or
registrar at the date of its issue.
SECTION 2. FIXING RECORD DATE. Except as provided in Article II, Section 9, for the purpose
of determining the shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or
an adjournment thereof, or to express consent to or dissent from any proposal without a meeting, or
for the purpose of determining the shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or
allotment of any right, or for the purpose of any other action, the Board of Directors shall fix a
date not more than 60 days nor less than 10 days before the date of any such meeting, nor more than
60 days prior to any other action, as the record date for any such determination of shareholders.
SECTION 3. LOST, STOLEN, DESTROYED OR MUTILATED CERTIFICATES. No certificate for shares of
capital stock in the Company shall be issued in place of any certificate alleged to have been lost,
destroyed or stolen, except on production of evidence of such loss, destruction or theft and on
delivery to the Company, if the Board of Directors shall so require, of a bond of indemnity upon
such terms and secured by such surety as the Board of Directors may in its discretion require. A
new certificate may be issued without requiring any bond when, in the judgment of the Board of
Directors, it is proper to do so.
SECTION 4. TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more
transfer agents and one or more registrars, and may
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require all certificates of capital stock to bear the signature or signatures of any of them.
One corporation may serve as both transfer agent and registrar.
SECTION 5. EXAMINATION OF BOOKS BY SHAREHOLDERS. So far as it is not inconsistent with law,
the Board of Directors shall have power to determine, from time-to-time, whether, to what extent,
at what times and places, and under what conditions and regulations the books and records of
account, minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, the Board of Directors and any committee
of the Board, and other documents of the Company, or any of them, shall be open to inspection of
the shareholders.
SECTION 6. VOTING SHARES OF OTHER CORPORATIONS. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of
Directors, the Chairman of the Board and the President, or either of them, shall have full power
and authority on behalf of the Company to attend and to act and to vote at any meeting of
shareholders of any corporation in which the Company may hold stock, and at any such meeting shall
possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of such stock, and
which, as the owner thereof, the Company might have possessed and exercised if present. The Board
of Directors, by resolution, from time-to-time, may confer like powers upon any other person or
persons.
ARTICLE VII
Dividends
Dividends
Dividends shall be declared and paid at such times and in such amounts as the Board of
Directors may in its absolute discretion determine and designate, subject to the restrictions and
limitations imposed by law.
ARTICLE VIII
Signatures
Signatures
Unless otherwise required or permitted by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation, by these
By-laws, or by resolution of the Board of Directors, any corporate officer may enter into and
execute in the name of the Company, contracts or other instruments and filings in the ordinary
course of business, or contracts or other instruments and filings not in the ordinary course of
business which are authorized, either generally or specifically, by the Board of Directors, and the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall affix the Company seal thereto and attest the same, if
required.
ARTICLE IX
Fiscal Year
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Company shall begin on the 1st day of October in each year and end on
the September 30th next succeeding.
ARTICLE X
Directors May Contract With Company
Directors May Contract With Company
Any Director or corporate officer may be a party to or may be interested in any agreement or
transaction of the Company by which he or she may personally benefit, with
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the same force and effect as if he or she were either an entire stranger to the Company or to
the Board of Directors, provided the fact that he or she is so interested or may personally benefit
shall be disclosed or shall have been known to the majority of the Board of Directors; and further
provided that such agreement or transaction shall be approved or ratified by the affirmative vote
of a majority of the Directors, or a committee thereof, not so interested or benefited.
ARTICLE XI
Indemnification
Indemnification
The Company shall indemnify to the full extent authorized or permitted by the New Jersey
Business Corporation Act, any corporate agent (as defined in said Act), or his or her legal
representative, made, or threatened to be made, a party to any action, suit or proceeding (whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) by reason of the fact that he or she is, or was,
a corporate agent of the Company.
ARTICLE XII
Amendments
Amendments
These By-laws may be altered, amended or repealed by the shareholders or by a majority vote of
the Directors then in office. Any By-law adopted, amended or repealed by the shareholders may be
amended or repealed by a majority vote of the Directors then in office unless the resolution of the
shareholders adopting such By-law expressly reserves to the shareholders the right to amend or
repeal it.
ARTICLE XIII
Force and Effect of By-Laws
Force and Effect of By-Laws
These By-laws are subject to the provisions of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act and the
Companys Certificate of Incorporation, as they may be amended from time-to-time. If any provision
in these By-laws is inconsistent with a provision in that Act or the Certificate of Incorporation,
the provision of that Act or the Certificate of Incorporation, as the case may be, shall govern to
the extent of such inconsistency.
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