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UNITED STATES

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) November 30, 2023

 

PacWest Bancorp

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   001-36408   33-0885320
(State of   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
Incorporation)       Identification No.)

 

9701 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Beverly Hills, California 90212

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

 

(310) 887-8500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

  PACW  

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

         

Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 7.75% fixed rate reset non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock, Series A

 

PACWP

  The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
(Title of Each Class)   (Trading Symbol)   (Name of Exchange on Which Registered)

 

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 (see General Instructions A.2. below):

 

¨Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company  ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

 

  

 

 

 

Introductory Note

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 25, 2023 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among PacWest Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (“PacWest”), Banc of California, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Banc of California”) and Cal Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Banc of California (“Merger Sub”).

 

Effective as of November 30, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), PacWest completed its previously announced transaction with Banc of California (the “Closing”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, (a) Merger Sub merged with and into PacWest (the “First-Step Merger”) at the effective time of the First-Step Merger (the “Effective Time”), with PacWest continuing as the surviving entity, (b) immediately following the First-Step Merger, Banc of California caused PacWest to merge with and into Banc of California, with Banc of California continuing as the surviving corporation (the “Second-Step Merger” and together, the “Mergers”), and (c) promptly following the Second-Step Merger, Pacific Western Bank, a California-chartered non-member bank and a wholly-owned subsidiary of PacWest ( “Pacific Western Bank”) became a member of the Federal Reserve System. Effective as of December 1, 2023, Banc of California, National Association, a national banking association and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banc of California (“BOC NA”), merged with and into Pacific Western Bank (the “Bank Merger”), with Pacific Western Bank continuing as the surviving bank (the “Surviving Bank”). Following the Bank Merger, the name and brand of the Surviving Bank was changed to “Banc of California”.

 

Merger Consideration

 

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time, each share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of PacWest (“PacWest Common Stock”) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to certain exceptions, was converted into the right to receive 0.6569 of a share (the “Exchange Ratio”) of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Banc of California (“Banc of California Common Stock” and such consideration, the “Merger Consideration”). At the Effective Time, holders of PacWest Common Stock also became entitled to receive cash in lieu of fractional shares of Banc of California Common Stock. In addition, at the effective time of the Second-Step Merger (the “Second Effective Time”), each share of 7.75% Fixed Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $0.01 per share, of PacWest (the “PacWest Preferred Stock”) was converted into the right to receive one share of a newly created series of preferred stock of Banc of California having such powers, preferences and rights, and such qualifications, limitations and restrictions, taken as a whole, that are not materially less favorable to the holders of PacWest Preferred Stock (the “New BANC Preferred Stock”). In addition, at the Second Effective Time, each outstanding PacWest depositary share representing a 1/40th interest in a share of PacWest Preferred Stock (the “PacWest Depositary Shares”) was converted into a depositary share of Banc of California representing a 1/40th interest in a share of New BANC Preferred Stock (the “New BANC Depositary Shares”).

 

Treatment of PacWest Equity Awards

 

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time, each restricted stock award granted under the Amended and Restated PacWest Bancorp 2017 Stock Incentive Plan (the “PacWest Stock Plan”) was converted into a restricted stock award of Banc of California based on the right to receive the Merger Consideration with respect to each share of PacWest Common Stock underlying such awards, subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to such awards immediately prior to the Effective Time, including with respect to vesting conditions; provided, that such awards granted to non-employee members of the board of directors of PacWest who are continuing as directors on the board of directors of Banc of California (the “Banc of California Board”) vested at the Effective Time.

 

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the actual performance level of each outstanding performance-based restricted stock unit award granted under the PacWest Stock Plan (a “PacWest PRSU Award”) was to be measured at the latest practicable date prior to the Effective Time, and based on such performance determination, at the Effective Time, each PacWest PRSU Award would be converted into a time-based restricted stock unit award of Banc of California (a “BANC RSU Award”). Actual performance for such PacWest PRSU Awards was determined to be below threshold levels at the latest practicable date prior to the Effective Time. Therefore, at the Effective Time, the PacWest PRSU Awards were automatically cancelled without consideration and were not converted into BANC RSU Awards.

 

 

 

 

The foregoing description of the Mergers and the Merger Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The issuances of shares of Banc of California Common Stock, New BANC Preferred Stock and New BANC Depositary Shares in connection with the Mergers were registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-274245) filed by Banc of California with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 28, 2023, as amended on September 29, 2023, October 16, 2023 and October 19, 2023 and as declared effective on October 20, 2023 (the “S-4 Registration Statement”).

 

Item 2.01. Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

 

The information set forth in the Introductory Note of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.

 

Item 3.01. Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.

 

Prior to the Closing Date, PacWest notified The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) of the closing of the Mergers and requested that Nasdaq (i) suspend trading of PacWest Common Stock and the PacWest Depositary Shares after the close of trading on November 30, 2023, (ii) withdraw PacWest Common Stock and the PacWest Depositary Shares from listing on Nasdaq and (iii) file with the SEC a notification on Form 25 of delisting of PacWest Common Stock and the PacWest Depositary Shares under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). As a result, PacWest Common Stock and the PacWest Depositary Shares are no longer listed on Nasdaq.

 

Additionally, Banc of California, as successor to PacWest, intends to file with the SEC as promptly as possible a certification on Form 15 requesting the termination of registration of PacWest Common Stock and the PacWest Depositary Shares under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and the suspension of PacWest’s reporting obligations under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

The information set forth in the Introductory Note of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.01.

 

Item 3.03. Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders.

 

At the Effective Time in the case of PacWest Common Stock and the Second Effective Time in the case of PacWest Preferred Stock, each holder of a certificate or book-entry share representing any shares of PacWest Common Stock and PacWest Preferred Stock ceased to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the consideration described above and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.

 

The information set forth in the Introductory Note, Item 3.01 and Item 5.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03.

 

Item 5.01 Changes in Control of Registrant.

 

The information set forth in the Introductory Note, Item 3.01, Item 3.03 and Item 5.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.01.

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

At the Effective Time and in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, except for John M. Eggemeyer, III, Paul R. Burke and Susan E. Lester, each of PacWest’s directors and executive officers (and not because of any disagreement with PacWest) resigned and ceased serving in such capacities. As previously disclosed, the following three (3) former directors of PacWest were appointed to serve as directors on the Banc of California Board, effective as of the Effective Time: John M. Eggemeyer, III, Paul R. Burke and Susan E. Lester. John M. Eggemeyer, III was appointed as the Chairman of the Banc of California Board.

 

 

 

 

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, as of the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation of PacWest and the bylaws of PacWest were amended and restated in their entirety as set forth in Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, to this Current Report and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Second Restated Articles of Restatement of Banc of California (as amended, the “Banc of California Articles”) and the Sixth Amended and Restated Bylaws of Banc of California (the “Banc of California Bylaws”), as in effect immediately prior to the Second Effective Time, remained the articles of incorporation and bylaws of Banc of California, in each case consistent with the terms of the Merger Agreement, except as set forth below and described in Items 3.03 and 5.03 of Banc of California’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on the date hereof.

 

In connection with the consummation of the Mergers, Banc of California filed an articles supplementary with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, Business Services Division for the purpose of amending the Banc of California Articles, to fix the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the New BANC Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock Articles Supplementary”). The Preferred Stock Articles Supplementary were filed on November 28, 2023.

 

The description of the New BANC Preferred Stock and the New Banc Depositary Shares under the sections of the joint proxy statement/prospectus included in the S-4 Registration Statement entitled “Description of New BANC Preferred Stock” and “Description of the BANC Depositary Shares” are each incorporated herein by reference.

 

The foregoing summaries and referenced descriptions of the Banc of California Articles, the Banc of California Bylaws and the Preferred Stock Articles Supplementary do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Banc of California Articles, the Banc of California Bylaws and the Preferred Stock Articles Supplementary, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibits 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Information set forth under Item 3.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

 

Balance Sheet Repositioning

 

In connection with the Mergers and as of the Closing Date, Pacific Western Bank and BOC NA have sold approximately $1.9 billion in assets as part of the previously-disclosed balance sheet repositioning strategy, comprised of the following assets:

 

·$1.5 billion of Pacific Western Bank’s securities portfolio, which included agency commercial mortgage-backed securities, agency collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMO”), treasury bonds, municipal bonds and corporate bonds; and
·$447.4 million of BOC NA’s securities portfolio which included agency mortgage-backed securities, CMOs, and bonds.

 

In addition, the previously-announced forward sale of $1.8 billion book value of BOC NA’s single-family residential mortgage portfolio (“SFR Portfolio”) is expected to close on or around December 1, 2023. Proceeds of the securities sales and SFR Portfolio sale described above, as well as proceeds from additional balance sheet repositioning sales expected to be completed through the end of the first quarter of 2024, are expected to be utilized primarily for the repayment of the Surviving Bank’s wholesale borrowings and higher cost funding.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
No.
  Description of Exhibit
2.1   Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 25, 2023, by and among PacWest Bancorp, Banc of California, Inc. and Cal Merger Sub, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 of PacWest Bancorp’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 31, 2023 (File No. 001-36408)).*
3.1   Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of PacWest Bancorp.
3.2   Third Amended and Restated Bylaws of PacWest Bancorp.

 

 

 

 

3.3   Second Articles of Restatement of Banc of California, Inc., restated as of June 4, 2018 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of Banc of California, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 5, 2018).
3.4   Sixth Amended and Restated Bylaws of Banc of California, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Banc of California’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 15, 2023).
3.5   Banc of California, Inc. Articles Supplementary designating a new class of preferred stock, effective as of November 28, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 of Banc of California's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 1, 2023).
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

* Pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K, certain schedules and similar attachments have been omitted. The registrant hereby agrees to furnish a copy of any omitted schedule or similar attachment to the SEC upon request.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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.

  BANC OF CALIFORNIA, INC.
 
  (as successor by merger to PacWest Bancorp)
 
Date: December 1, 2023  
  /s/ Ido Dotan
  Ido Dotan
  Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary  

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

PACWEST BANCORP

 

First: The name of the Corporation is PacWest Bancorp (the “Corporation”).

 

Second: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware 19801. The name of its registered agent at that address is The Corporation Trust Company.

 

Third: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as set forth in Title 8 of the Delaware Code (as amended from time to time, the “DGCL”).

 

Fourth:

 

(1)Authorized Shares. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the corporation shall have authority to issue is 5,000,100, of which 100 shares having no par value per share shall be designated as common stock (“Common Stock”) and 5,000,000 shares having a par value of $0.01 per share shall be designated as preferred stock (“Preferred Stock”). Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued in one or more series from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, and the Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to fix by resolution or resolutions the designations and the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the shares of each series of Preferred Stock, including without limitation the following:

 

(i)the distinctive serial designation of such series which shall distinguish it from other series;

 

(ii)the number of shares included in such series;

 

(iii)whether dividends on the shares of such series shall be cumulative and, in the case of shares of any series having cumulative dividend rights, the date or dates or method of determining the date or dates from which dividends on the shares of such series shall be cumulative;

 

(iv)the amount or amounts which shall be payable out of the assets of the corporation to the holders of the shares of such series upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up the corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of the shares of such series;

 

(v)the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which the shares of such series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the corporation or at the option of the holder or holders thereof or upon the happening of a specified event or events;

 

 

 

 

(vi)the obligation, if any, of the corporation to purchase or redeem shares of such series pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise and the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which the shares of such series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

(vii)whether or not the shares of such series shall be convertible or exchangeable, at any time or times at the option of the holder or holders thereof or at the option of the corporation or upon the happening of a specified event or events, into 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, and the price or prices or rate or rates of exchange or conversion and any adjustments applicable thereto; and

 

(viii)whether or not the holders of the shares of such series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and if so the terms of such voting rights.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or series, voting together as a single class, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL or any corresponding provision hereafter enacted.

 

(2)7.75% Fixed Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A. A statement of the designations of the Series A Preferred Stock (as defined below), a series of Preferred Stock, and the terms, preferences, privileges, designations, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof is as follows:

 

2

 

 

Section 1.          Designation and Number of Shares. There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock a series of Preferred Stock designated as the “7.75% Fixed Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A” (referred to herein as the “Series A Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series A Preferred Stock. The number of authorized shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall initially be 575,000 shares. Such number may from time to time be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock, less all shares of any other series of Preferred Stock authorized at the time of such increase) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding), by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, and without the vote or consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock. Shares of outstanding Series A Preferred Stock that are redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired by the corporation shall be cancelled and shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock undesignated as to series. The corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Section 2.          Definitions. The following terms are used in this Certificate of Incorporation solely with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock in this Part (2) of Article FOURTH as defined below:

 

Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate federal banking agency” with respect to the corporation as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1813(q)), or any successor provision.

 

Board” means the board of directors of the corporation.

 

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a legal holiday in New York, New York, and is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in New York, New York or Beverly Hills, California.

 

Bylaws” means the corporation’s Bylaws, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time.

 

Calculation Agent” means such bank or other entity (which may be the corporation or an affiliate of the corporation) as may be appointed by the corporation to act as Calculation Agent for the Series A Preferred Stock, including any successor calculation agent duly appointed by the corporation.

 

Certificate of Incorporation” means the corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time.

 

Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the corporation.

 

corporation” means PacWest Bancorp, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

Dividend Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of the corporation that ranks on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in the payment of current dividends.

 

3

 

 

Dividend Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

 

Dividend Period” means the period from and including a Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date, except that the initial Dividend Period will commence on and include the original issue date of Series A Preferred Stock and continue to but exclude September 1, 2022.

 

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

First Reset Date” means September 1, 2027.

 

Five-Year Treasury Rate” means, as of any Reset Date:

 

The average of the yields on actively traded U.S. treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity, for 5-year maturities, for the five business days immediately preceding the Reset Dividend Determination Date for that Reset Period, appearing under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities” in the most recently published statistical release designated H. 15 Daily Update or any successor publication which is published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) as of any Reset Dividend Determination Date, as determined by the Calculation Agent in its sole discretion; provided that if no such calculation can be determined as described above, then:

 

·if the Calculation Agent determines that the treasury rate has not been discontinued, then the Calculation Agent will use for such Reset Period a substitute base rate that it has determined is most comparable to the treasury rate; or

 

·if the Calculation Agent determines that the treasury rate has been discontinued, then the Calculation Agent will use for such Reset Period and each successive Reset Period a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined is most comparable to the treasury rate; provided that, if the Calculation Agent determines there is an industry-accepted successor base rate to the treasury rate, then the Calculation Agent shall use such successor base rate.

 

If the Calculation Agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the second bullet point immediately above but no calculation with respect to such substitute or successor base rate can be determined as of any subsequent Reset Dividend Determination Date, then a new substitute or successor base rate shall be determined as set forth in the first or second bullet point immediately above, as applicable, as if the previously-determined substitute or successor base rate was the treasury rate. If the Calculation Agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate, then the Calculation Agent will apply any technical, administrative or operational changes that the corporation determines (including changes to the definitions of “Dividend Period”, “Reset Period”, “Reset Date” and “Reset Dividend Determination Date”, timing and frequency of determining rates with respect to each Reset Period and making payments of dividends, rounding of amounts or tenors, and other administrative matters) for calculating such substitute or successor base rate in a manner that is consistent with market practice for such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to the treasury rate; provided that, if the corporation decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the corporation determines that no market practice for use of the substitute or successor base rate exists, the Calculation Agent will apply any such changes for calculating such substitute or successor base rate in such other manner as the corporation determines is reasonably necessary.

 

4

 

 

The Five-Year Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Calculation Agent on the Reset Dividend Determination Date. If the Five-Year Treasury Rate for any Dividend Period cannot be determined pursuant to the methods described in the first and second bullet points above, the dividend rate for such Dividend Period shall be the same as the dividend rate determined for the immediately preceding Dividend Period.

 

Junior Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

 

Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.

 

Liquidation Preference Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of the corporation that ranks on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation.

 

Nonpayment Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).

 

Parity Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b).

 

Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the corporation, including the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Preferred Stock Directors” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).

 

Regulatory Capital Treatment Event” means the good faith determination by the corporation that, as a result of (i) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and other federal bank regulatory agencies) or any political subdivision of or in the United States that is enacted or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) any proposed change in those laws, rules or regulations that is announced or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of the Series A Preferred Stock, or (iii) any official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules or regulations or policies with respect thereto that is announced after the initial issuance of any share of the Series A Preferred Stock, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the corporation will not be entitled to treat the full Stated Amount of the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding as “Tier 1 capital” (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy rules of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor Appropriate Federal Banking Agency) as then in effect and applicable, for so long as any share of the Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding.

 

Reset Date” means the First Reset Date and each date falling on the fifth anniversary of the preceding Reset Date, which in each case, shall not be adjusted for Business Days.

 

5

 

 

Reset Dividend Determination Date” means the third business day immediately preceding the Reset Date.

 

Reset Period” means the period from, and including, the First Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date and thereafter each period from, and including, each Reset Date to, but excluding, the next following Reset Date.

 

Series A Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.

 

Stated Amount” means, in respect of the Series A Preferred Stock, $1,000 per share, and, in respect of any other series of capital stock, the stated amount per share specified in the Certificate of Incorporation including any applicable certificate of designation (including, in the case of any series that does not use the words “stated amount,” the specified amount of any preference upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, without regard to any unpaid dividends that may also be included in the liquidation preference with respect to such shares).

 

Transfer Agent” means the transfer agent with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock, which shall be Equiniti Trust Company as of the original issue date of the Series A Preferred Stock, and its successor, including any successor transfer agent appointed by the corporation.

 

Voting Preferred Stock” means, with regard to any election or removal of a Preferred Stock Director (as defined in Section 7(b) below) or any other matter as to which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as specified in Section 7 of this Certificate of Incorporation, any and all other series of Preferred Stock (other than Series A Preferred Stock) that rank equally with Series A Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to such matter.

 

Section 3.          Ranking. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall rank:

 

(a)          senior, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the corporation, to the Common Stock and to any other class or series of capital stock of the corporation now or hereafter authorized, issued, or outstanding that, by its terms, does not expressly provide that such class or series ranks pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock or senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the corporation, as the case may be (collectively, “Junior Stock”);

 

(b)          on a parity, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the corporation, with any class or series of capital stock of the corporation now or hereafter authorized, issued, or outstanding that, by its terms, expressly provides that such class or series ranks pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the corporation, as the case may be (collectively, “Parity Stock”); and

 

(c)          junior, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the corporation, to any other class or series of capital stock of the corporation now or hereafter authorized, issued, or outstanding that, by its terms, expressly provides that such class or series ranks senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the corporation, as the case may be.

 

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The corporation may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock and Parity Stock from time to time without the consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Section 4.          Dividends.

 

(a)          Rate. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, only out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, non-cumulative cash dividends payable on the Stated Amount at a rate of (i) 7.75% per annum from the original issue date to, but excluding, the First Reset Date or the earlier date of redemption and (ii) from, and including, the First Reset Date, during each Reset Period, a rate per annum equal to the Five-Year Treasury Rate as of the most recent Reset Dividend Determination Date plus 4.82%, and no more, payable quarterly in arrears on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1 of each year, beginning on September 1, 2022, each such day a “Dividend Payment Date”; provided, however, that if any such Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day, then such date shall nevertheless be a Dividend Payment Date but dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall be paid on the next succeeding Business Day (without interest or any other adjustment to the amount of dividends paid in respect of such delayed payment). If the corporation issues additional shares of the Series A Preferred Stock after the original issue date, dividends on such shares may accrue from the original issue or any other date specified by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board at the time such additional shares are issued.

 

(b)          Dividend Record Date. Dividends will be payable to holders of record of Series A Preferred Stock as they appear on the corporation’s stock register on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day before the applicable Dividend Payment Date, or such other record date, not exceeding 60 days nor less than 10 days before the applicable Dividend Payment Date, as shall be fixed by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board in advance of payment of each particular dividend. The corporation shall not pay interest or any sum of money instead of interest on any dividend, or in lieu of dividends not declared.

 

(c)          Dividend Computation. Dividends payable on the Series A Preferred Stock will be calculated for each Dividend Period (or portion thereof) on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends payable on or after September 1, 2027, will be computed based on the actual number of days in a dividend period and a 360-day year. Dollar amounts resulting from such calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will cease to accrue on the redemption date, if any, with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock redeemed, unless the corporation defaults in the payment of the redemption price of the Series A Preferred Stock called for redemption.

 

(d)          Dividends Non-Cumulative. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be cumulative or mandatory. If the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board does not declare a dividend, in full or otherwise, on the Series A Preferred Stock in respect of a Dividend Period, then no dividend shall be deemed to be payable for such Dividend Period, or be cumulative, and the corporation will have no obligation to pay any dividend for that Dividend Period, whether or not the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board declares a dividend on the Series A Preferred Stock, any other series of Preferred Stock or on the Common Stock for any future Dividend Period. Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, securities or other property, other than dividends (if any) declared and payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as specified in this Section 4 (subject to the other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation).

 

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Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be declared, paid, or set aside for payment to the extent such act would cause the corporation to fail to comply with the laws and regulations applicable to it, including applicable capital adequacy rules of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any Appropriate Federal Banking Agency.

 

(e)          Priority of Dividends and Redemption and Repurchase of Junior Stock and Parity Stock. So long as any share of Series A Preferred Stock remains outstanding, unless dividends on all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock for the most recently completed Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside for payment:

 

(i)          no dividend shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock (other than (A) a dividend payable solely in Junior Stock or (B) any dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholders’ rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of any rights under any such plan);

 

(ii)          no monies may be paid or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption or retirement of any Junior Stock nor shall any shares of Junior Stock be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the corporation, directly or indirectly, during a Dividend Period (other than (A) as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, (B) the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, (C) through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock, (D) purchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of the Junior Stock in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors or consultants, (E) purchases of shares of Junior Stock pursuant to a contractually binding requirement to buy Junior Stock existing prior to or during the most recently completed preceding Dividend Period, including under a contractually binding stock repurchase plan, (F) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of Junior Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such stock or the security being converted or exchanged, or (G) the acquisition by the corporation or any of its subsidiaries of record ownership in Junior Stock for the beneficial ownership of any other persons (other than for the beneficial ownership by the corporation or any of its subsidiaries), including as trustees or custodians); and

 

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(iii)          no monies may be paid or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption or retirement of any Parity Stock nor shall any shares of Parity Stock, if any, be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the corporation, directly or indirectly, during a Dividend Period (other than (A) any purchase or other acquisition of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Parity Stock in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board, or a duly authorized committee of the Board), to all holders of such shares on such terms as the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board), after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes, (B) as a result of a reclassification of Parity Stock for or into other Parity Stock, (C) the exchange or conversion of Parity Stock for or into other Parity Stock or Junior Stock, (D) through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Parity Stock, (E) purchases of shares of Parity Stock pursuant to a contractually binding requirement to buy Parity Stock existing prior to or during the preceding Dividend Period, including under a contractually binding stock repurchase plan, (F) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of Parity Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such stock or the security being converted or exchanged, or (G) the acquisition by the corporation or any of its subsidiaries of record ownership in Parity Stock for the beneficial ownership of any other persons (other than for the beneficial ownership by the corporation or any of its subsidiaries), including as trustees or custodians).

 

Nothing in subsections (e)(ii) or (e)(iii) of this Section 4 shall restrict the ability of the corporation or any affiliate of the corporation to engage in any market-making transactions or purchases in connection with the distribution of securities in the ordinary course of business.

 

(f)          If the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board) elects to declare only partial instead of full dividends for a dividend payment date and the related dividend period (which terms include, in the case of the Series A Preferred Stock, the Dividend Payment Dates and Dividend Periods provided for herein) on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock or any Dividend Parity Stock, then, to the extent permitted by the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock and each outstanding series of Dividend Parity Stock, such partial dividends shall be declared on shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Dividend Parity Stock, and dividends so declared shall be paid, as to any such dividend payment date and related dividend period, in amounts such that the ratio of the partial dividends declared and paid on each such series to full dividends on each such series is the same. As used in this paragraph, “full dividends” means, as to any Dividend Parity Stock that bears dividends on a cumulative basis, the amount of dividends that would need to be declared and paid to bring such Dividend Parity Stock current in dividends, including undeclared dividends for past dividend periods. To the extent any series of Dividend Parity Stock has a longer dividend period than the Dividend Period for the Series A Preferred Stock, or vice versa, for purposes of this paragraph, the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board) may treat such series’ longer dividend period as two or more consecutive shorter dividend periods, none of which coincide with more than one of the other series’ dividend periods, or the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board) may treat such dividend period(s) with respect to any Dividend Parity Stock and Dividend Period(s) with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock for purposes of this paragraph in any other manner that it deems to be fair and equitable in order to achieve ratable payments of dividends on such Dividend Parity Stock and the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

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(g)          Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board) may be declared and paid on any Common Stock or other Junior Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available for such payment, and the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.

 

Section 5.          Liquidation Rights.

 

(a)          Voluntary or Involuntary Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation’s business and affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the corporation may be made to or set aside for the holders of any Junior Stock, holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the corporation legally available for distribution to its stockholders an amount equal to the Stated Amount per share (the “Liquidation Preference”), together with any declared and unpaid dividends, without regard to any undeclared dividends, to but excluding the date of such payment. Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will not be entitled to any other amounts from the corporation after they have received their full liquidating distribution.

 

(b)          Partial Payment. If the assets of the corporation are not sufficient to pay the Liquidation Preference in full to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock and all holders of any Liquidation Preference Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Liquidation Preference Parity Stock shall be pro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate Liquidation Preferences of Series A Preferred Stock and all such Liquidation Preference Parity Stock. In any such distribution, the “Liquidation Preference” of any holder of stock of the corporation other than the Series A Preferred Stock means the amount otherwise payable to such holder in such distribution (assuming no limitation on the assets of the corporation available for such distribution), including an amount equal to any declared but unpaid dividends in the case of any holder of stock on which dividends accrue on a non-cumulative basis and, in the case of any holder of stock on which dividends accrue on a cumulative basis, an amount equal to any unpaid, accrued, cumulative dividends, whether or not earned or declared, as applicable.

 

(c)          Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock and all holders of any Liquidation Preference Parity Stock, the holders of Junior Stock will be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the corporation according to their respective rights and preferences.

 

(d)          Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 5, the merger, consolidation or other business combination of the corporation with or into any other entity, including a transaction in which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock receive cash, securities or property for their shares, or the sale, lease, conveyance, transfer or exchange of all or substantially all of the assets of the corporation for cash, securities or other property, shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation.

 

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Section 6.          Redemption.

 

(a)          Optional Redemption.

 

(i)          The Series A Preferred Stock is perpetual and has no maturity date. The corporation may redeem the Series A Preferred Stock at its option, in whole or in part, from time to time, on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the First Reset Date, at a redemption price equal to the Stated Amount, together (except as otherwise provided herein) with any declared and unpaid dividends, without regard to any undeclared dividends, to but excluding the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the corporation may not redeem shares of the Series A Preferred Stock without having received the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, if the Series A Preferred Stock is capital for bank regulatory purposes or such approval is otherwise required.

 

(ii)          The corporation may redeem shares of the Series A Preferred Stock at any time within 90 days following a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event, in whole but not in part, at a redemption price equal to the Stated Amount, together (except as otherwise provided herein) with any declared and unpaid dividends, without regard to any undeclared dividends, to but excluding the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the corporation may not redeem shares of the Series A Preferred Stock without having received the prior approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, if the Series A Preferred Stock is capital for bank regulatory purposes or such approval is otherwise required.

 

(iii)          The redemption price for any shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such shares to the corporation or its agent, if the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued in certificated form. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the applicable record date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such record date relating to the applicable Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 5 above.

 

(b)          No Sinking Fund. The Series A Preferred Stock will not be subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will have no right to require redemption or repurchase of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

(c)          Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books of the corporation, mailed not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption thereof (provided that, if shares of the Series A Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form through DTC or any other similar facility, we may give such notice at such time and in any manner permitted by such facility). Any notice delivered as provided in this subsection shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice, or any defect in such notice or in the delivery thereof, to any holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series A Preferred Stock. Each notice of redemption will include a statement setting forth: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less than all the shares held by the holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed from such holder; (3) the redemption price; (4) the place or places where the certificates evidencing shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price, if the shares are issued in certificated form; and (5) that dividends on such shares will cease to accrue on the redemption date.

 

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(d)          Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata from the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock or by lot. Subject to the provisions hereof (or, if the Preferred Stock is issued or held in book-entry form through DTC or another facility, in accordance with the procedures of such facility), the Board, or a duly authorized committee of the Board, shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time. If the corporation shall have issued certificates for the Series A Preferred Stock and fewer than all shares represented by any certificates are redeemed, new certificates shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holders thereof.

 

(e)          Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for such redemption have been irrevocably set aside by the corporation, separate and apart from its other assets, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption so as to be and continue to be available therefor, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation in the case that the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued in certificated form, on and after the redemption date, unless the corporation defaults in the payment of the redemption price of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock called for redemption, dividends will cease to accrue on all shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption, and all such shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares with respect to such shares will terminate, except the right to receive the amount payable on such redemption, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of two years from the redemption date, to the extent permitted by law, shall be released from the trust so established and may be commingled with the corporation’s other funds, and after that time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares.

 

Section 7.          Voting Rights.

 

(a)          General. The holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will have no voting rights except as set forth below or as otherwise required by law.

 

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(b)          Right to Elect Two Directors on Nonpayment of Dividends. If and whenever dividends payable on Series A Preferred Stock or any class or series of Voting Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid (or, in the case of Voting Preferred Stock bearing dividends on a cumulative basis, shall be in arrears) in an aggregate amount equal to full dividends for at least six quarterly dividend periods or their equivalent, whether or not consecutive (a “Nonpayment Event”), the number of directors on the Board shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of Series A Preferred Stock, together with the holders of any outstanding Voting Preferred Stock then entitled to vote for additional directors, voting together as a single class in proportion to their respective Stated Amounts, shall be entitled to elect the two additional directors (the “Preferred Stock Directors”) by a plurality of the votes cast; provided that the election of any such directors shall not cause the corporation to violate the corporate governance requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or any other exchange on which the corporation’s securities are listed), including that listed companies must have a majority of independent directors, and provided further that the Board shall at no time include more than two Preferred Stock Directors (including, for purposes of this limitation, all directors that the holders of any series of Voting Preferred Stock are entitled to elect pursuant to like voting rights). In the event that the holders of Series A Preferred Stock and such other holders of Voting Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote for the election of the Preferred Stock Directors following a Nonpayment Event, such directors shall be initially elected following such Nonpayment Event only at a special meeting called at the request of the holders of record of at least 10% of the Stated Amount of the Series A Preferred Stock and each other series of Voting Preferred Stock then outstanding (unless such request for a special meeting is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of stockholders, in which event such election shall be held only at such next annual or special meeting of stockholders), and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders. Such request to call a special meeting for the initial election of the Preferred Stock Directors after a Nonpayment Event shall be made by written notice, signed by the requisite holders of Series A Preferred Stock or Voting Preferred Stock, and delivered to the Corporate Secretary of the corporation in such manner as provided for in Section 9 below, or as may otherwise be required or permitted by applicable law. If the corporation fails to call a special meeting for the election of the Preferred Stock Directors within 20 days of receiving proper notice, any holder of Series A Preferred Stock or any class or series of Voting Preferred Stock may call such a meeting at the corporation’s expense solely for the election of the Preferred Stock Directors, and for this purpose and no other (unless provided otherwise by applicable law) such Preferred Stock holder shall have access to the corporation’s stock ledger relating to Series A Preferred Stock and any series of Voting Preferred Stock.

 

Any Preferred Stock Director may be removed at any time without cause by the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Voting Preferred Stock, when they have the voting rights described above (voting together as a single class in proportion to their respective Stated Amounts) except that, in the event of cumulative voting, no Preferred Stock Director may be removed without cause if the votes cast against their removal would be sufficient to elect them if then cumulatively voted at an election of the Preferred Stock Directors. The Preferred Stock Directors elected at any such special meeting shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders if such office shall not have previously terminated as provided below. In case any vacancy shall occur among the Preferred Stock Directors, a successor shall be elected by the Board to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders on the nomination of the then remaining Preferred Stock Director or, if no Preferred Stock Director remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock and Voting Preferred Stock, when they have the voting rights described above (voting together as a single class in proportion to their respective Stated Amounts), provided that the election of any such directors shall not cause the corporation to violate the corporate governance requirements of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or any other exchange on which the corporation’s securities are listed), including that listed companies must have a majority of independent directors. If elected by stockholders, the successor shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. Any such vote of stockholders to remove, or to fill a vacancy in the office of, a Preferred Stock Director may be taken only at a special meeting of such stockholders, called as provided above for an initial election of Preferred Stock Directors after a Nonpayment Event (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the stockholders, in which event such election shall be held at such next annual or special meeting of stockholders). The Preferred Stock Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter that shall come before the Board for a vote. Each Preferred Stock Director elected at any special meeting of stockholders or by the Board on the nomination of the then remaining Preferred Stock Director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the stockholders if such office shall not have previously terminated as above provided.

 

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If and when (i) dividends have been paid (or declared and a sum sufficient for payment thereof set aside) in full on the Series A Preferred Stock on four consecutive Dividend Payment Dates following a Nonpayment Event, and (ii) the rights of holders of any Voting Preferred Stock to participate in electing the Preferred Stock Directors shall have ceased, the right of holders of the Series A Preferred Stock to participate in the election of Preferred Stock Directors shall cease (but subject always to the revesting of such voting rights in the case of any future Nonpayment Event), the terms of office of all the Preferred Stock Directors shall immediately terminate, and the number of directors constituting the Board shall automatically be reduced accordingly. In determining whether dividends have been paid for at least four consecutive quarterly Dividend Periods following a Nonpayment Event, the corporation may take account of any dividend it elects to pay for any Dividend Period after the regular Dividend Payment Date for that period has passed. If and when the rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock terminate for any reason, such voting rights shall terminate along with the other rights (except, if applicable, the right to receive the redemption price, together with any declared and unpaid dividends, without regard to any undeclared dividends, to but excluding the redemption date), and the terms of any Preferred Stock Directors shall terminate automatically and the number of directors reduced by two, assuming that the rights of holders of Voting Preferred Stock have similarly terminated.

 

(c)          Other Voting Rights. So long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of all outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock, will be necessary to:

 

(i)          amend or alter the Certificate of Incorporation to authorize or increase the authorized amount of, or issue, any shares of a class or series of the corporation’s capital stock ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation, or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares;

 

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(ii)          amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation so as to materially and adversely affect the powers, preferences, or rights of the Series A Preferred Stock, taken as a whole; or

 

(iii)          consummate (x) a binding share-exchange or reclassification involving the Series A Preferred Stock, or (y) the merger, consolidation or other business combination of the corporation with any other entity, including a transaction in which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock receive cash, securities or property for their shares, or the sale, lease, conveyance, transfer or exchange of all or substantially all of the assets of the corporation for cash, securities or other property, unless in each case (A) the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the corporation is not the surviving or resulting entity, the Series A Preferred Stock is converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent and (B) such shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, as the case may be, have such powers, preferences and rights, and such qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, of the Series A Preferred Stock immediately prior to such consummation, taken as a whole;

 

provided, however, that for all purposes of this Section 7(c), any increase in the amount of the authorized or issued Series A Preferred Stock or authorized Preferred Stock, or the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, of any Parity Stock or Junior Stock (whether dividends payable on such securities, if any, are cumulative or non-cumulative) will not be deemed to adversely affect the powers, preferences or rights of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

(d)          Changes Permitted without Consent. Without the consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, so long as such action does not adversely affect the powers, preferences and rights of the Series A Preferred Stock, the corporation may amend, alter, supplement or repeal any terms of the Series A Preferred Stock:

 

(i)          to cure any ambiguity, or to cure, correct or supplement any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation for the Series A Preferred Stock that may be defective or inconsistent; or

 

(ii)          to make any provision with respect to matters or questions arising with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock that is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

(e)          Changes after Provision for Redemption. The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption on proper notice and sufficient funds have been set aside by the corporation for the benefit of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock to effect the redemption.

 

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(f)          Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any meeting of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a meeting, the obtaining of written consents and any other aspect or matter with regard to such a meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board), in its discretion, may adopt from time to time, which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, applicable law and The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or any other exchange on which the corporation’s securities are listed).

 

Section 8.          Record Holders. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the corporation and the Transfer Agent may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Series A Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the corporation nor the Transfer Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

Section 9.          Notices. All notices or communications in respect of the Series A Preferred Stock will be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered in person or by first class mail, postage prepaid, or if given in such other manner as may be permitted in this Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or by applicable law.

 

Section 10.          Other Rights. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock will not have any powers, preferences or rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation. The holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any preemptive rights or conversion rights.

 

Section 11.          Certificates. The corporation may at its option issue shares of Series A Preferred Stock without certificates.

 

Fifth: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:

 

(1)The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

(2)The directors shall have concurrent power with the stockholders to make, alter, amend, change, add to or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

(3)The number of directors of the Corporation shall be as from time to time fixed by, or in the manner provided in, the Bylaws of the Corporation. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

 

(4)No director or Officer (as defined below) shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or Officer, except for liability of: (i) a director or Officer for any breach of the director’s or Officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders; (ii) a director or Officer for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) a director pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL; (iv) a director or Officer for any transaction from which the director or Officer derived an improper personal benefit; or (v) an Officer in any action by or in the right of the Corporation. Any amendment, repeal or elimination of this Article SIXTH by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not affect its application with respect to an act or omission by a director or Officer occurring before such amendment, repeal or elimination. All references in this Article SIXTH to an “Officer” shall mean only a person who, at the time of an act or omission as to which liability is asserted, falls within the meaning of the term “officer,” as defined in Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL.

 

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(5)In addition to the powers and authority hereinbefore or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation, and the Bylaws; provided, however, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted, amended or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation shall invalidate any prior act of the directors which would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been so adopted, amended or repealed.

 

Sixth: Meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws may provide. The books and records of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the DGCL) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

Seventh: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights herein conferred upon stockholders of the Corporation are granted subject to this reservation.

 

17

 

 

Exhibit 3.2

 

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

PACWEST BANCORP

 

A Delaware Corporation

 

Effective November 30, 2023

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I

 

OFFICES

 

Section 1. Registered Office  1
Section 2. Other Offices  1

 

ARTICLE II

 

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1. Place of Meetings  1
Section 2. Annual Meetings  1
Section 3. Special Meetings  2
Section 4. Notice  2
Section 5. Adjournments and Postponements  3
Section 6. Quorum  3
Section 7. Voting  4
Section 8. Proxies  4
Section 9. Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting  6
Section 10. List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote  8
Section 11. Record Date  9
Section 12. Stock Ledger  10
Section 13. Conduct of Meetings  11

 

ARTICLE III

 

DIRECTORS

 

Section 1. Number and Election of Directors  12
Section 2. Vacancies  12
Section 3. Duties and Powers  12
Section 4. Meetings  13
Section 5. Organization  13
Section 6. Resignations and Removals of Directors  14
Section 7. Quorum  14
Section 8. Actions of the Board by Written Consent  15
Section 9. Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone  15
Section 10. Committees  16
Section 11. Subcommittees  17
Section 12. Compensation  17
Section 13. Interested Directors  18

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

 

Section 1. General  19
Section 2. Election  19
Section 3. Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation  19
Section 4. Chairman of the Board of Directors  20
Section 5. President  20
Section 6. Vice Presidents  21
Section 7. Secretary  21
Section 8. Treasurer  22
Section 9. Assistant Secretaries  23
Section 10. Assistant Treasurers  23
Section 11. Other Officers  24

 

ARTICLE V

 

STOCK

 

Section 1. Form of Certificates  24
Section 2. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates  25
Section 3. Transfers  25
Section 4. Dividend Record Date  25
Section 5. Record Owners  26
Section 6. Transfer and Registry Agents  26

 

ARTICLE VI

 

NOTICES

 

Section 1. Notices  26
Section 2. Waivers of Notice  27

 

ARTICLE VII

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 1. Dividends  27
Section 2. Disbursements  28
Section 3. Fiscal Year  28
Section 4. Corporate Seal  28

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 1. Right to Indemnification  28

 

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Section 2. Right to Advancement of Expenses  29
Section 3. Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit  29
Section 4. Non-Exclusivity of Rights  30
Section 5. Insurance  30
Section 6. Indemnification of Other Persons  30
Section 7. Amendments  30
Section 8. Certain Definitions  31
Section 9. Contract Rights  31
Section 10. Severability  32

 

ARTICLE IX

 

FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF CERTAIN DISPUTES

 

Section 1. Forum for Adjudication of Certain Disputes  32

 

ARTICLE X

 

AMENDMENTS

 

Section 1. Amendments  33
Section 2. Entire Board of Directors  34

 

iii

 

 

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

PACWEST BANCORP

 

(hereinafter called the “Corporation”)

 

ARTICLE I

 

OFFICES

 

Section 1.          Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation in Delaware shall be 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, County of New Castle, DE 19801.

 

Section 2.          Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

 

ARTICLE II

 

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1.          Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of the stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner authorized by Section 211 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

 

Section 2.          Annual Meetings. The Annual Meeting of Stockholders for the election of directors shall be held on such date and at such time as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Any other proper business may be transacted at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

 

 

 

Section 3.          Special Meetings. Unless otherwise required by law or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as amended and restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), Special Meetings of Stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by either (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, or (ii) the President, (iii) any Vice President, if there be one, (iv) the Secretary or (v) any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, and shall be called by any such officer at the request in writing of (i) the Board of Directors, (ii) a committee of the Board of Directors that has been duly designated by the Board of Directors and whose powers and authority include the power to call such meetings or (iii) stockholders owning a majority of the capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on the matter for which such Special Meeting of Stockholders is called. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. At a Special Meeting of Stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall be specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto).

 

Section 4.          Notice. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting, in the form of a writing or electronic transmission, shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, 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 meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting and, in the case of a Special Meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise required by law, notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting.

 

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Section 5.          Adjournments and Postponements. Any meeting of the stockholders may be adjourned or postponed from time to time by the chairman of such meeting or by the Board of Directors, without the need for approval thereof by stockholders to reconvene or convene, respectively at the same or some other place. Notice need not be given of any such adjourned or postponed meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof, 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 or postponed meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or, with respect to a postponed meeting, are publicly announced. At the adjourned or postponed meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment or postponement is for more than thirty (30) days, notice of the adjourned or postponed meeting in accordance with the requirements of Section 4 hereof shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If, after the adjournment or postponement, a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned or postponed meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned or postponed meeting in accordance with Section 11 hereof, and shall give notice of the adjourned or postponed meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned or postponed meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned or postponed meeting.

 

Section 6.          Quorum. Unless otherwise required by the DGCL or other applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the Corporation’s capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business. A quorum, once established, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, in the manner provided in Section 5 hereof, until a quorum shall be present or represented.

 

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Section 7.          Voting. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, or permitted by the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or quotation system on which the securities of the Corporation are listed or quoted for trading, any question brought before any meeting of the stockholders, other than the election of directors, shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the total number of votes of the Corporation’s capital stock present at the meeting in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such question, voting as a single class. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to Section 11(a) of this Article II, each stockholder represented at a meeting of the stockholders shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote for each share of the capital stock entitled to vote thereat held by such stockholder. Such votes may be cast in person or by proxy as provided in Section 8 of this Article II. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the chairman of a meeting of the stockholders, in his or her discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

 

Section 8.          Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of the stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted upon after three years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority:

 

4

 

 

(i)            A stockholder may execute a document authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy. Execution may be accomplished in the manner permitted by the DGCL by the stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent.

 

(ii)            A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of an electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such transmissions are valid, the inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information on which they relied.

 

Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the document (including any electronic transmission) authorizing another person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original document for any and all purposes for which the original document could be used; provided, however, that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original document.

 

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Section 9.          Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any Annual or Special Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be executed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. No written consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take action are delivered to the Corporation in the manner required by this Section 9 within sixty (60) days of the first date on which a written consent is so delivered to the Corporation. Any person executing a consent may provide, whether through instruction to an agent or otherwise, that such a consent will be effective at a future time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event), no later than sixty (60) days after such instruction is given or such provision is made, if evidence of such instruction or provision is provided to the Corporation. Unless otherwise provided, any such consent shall be revocable prior to its becoming effective. An electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxy holder, or by a person or persons authorized to act for a stockholder or proxy holder, shall be deemed to be written and signed for the purposes of this Section 9, provided that any such electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the Corporation can determine (i) that the electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or proxy holder or by a person or persons authorized to act for the stockholder or proxy holder and (ii) the date on which such stockholder or proxy holder or authorized person or persons transmitted such electronic transmission.

 

6

 

 

A consent given by electronic transmission shall be deemed delivered to the Corporation upon the earliest of: (i) when the consent enters an information processing system, if any, designated by the Corporation for receiving consents, so long as the electronic transmission is in a form capable of being processed by that system and the Corporation is able to retrieve that electronic transmission; (ii) when a paper reproduction of the consent is delivered to the Corporation’s principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded; (iii) when a paper reproduction of the consent is delivered to the Corporation’s registered office by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested; or (iv) when delivered in such other manner, if any, provided by resolution of the Board of Directors. Any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for notice of such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation as provided above in this Section 9.

 

7

 

 

Section 10.          List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting; provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the meeting date, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date. Such list shall be arranged in alphabetical order, and show the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder; provided, that the Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

 

8

 

 

Section 11.          Record Date.

 

(a)            In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of the stockholders or any adjournment thereof, 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 record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of the stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix, as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting, the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.

 

9

 

 

(b)            In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, 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 record date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders 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 Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s 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 stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

Section 12.          Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by Section 10 of this Article II or the books and records of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders. As used herein, the stock ledger of the Corporation shall refer to one (1) or more records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfer of stock of the Corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL.

 

10

 

 

Section 13.          Conduct of Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of any meeting of the stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there shall be one, or in his or her absence, or there shall not be a Chairman of the Board of Directors or in his or her absence, the President. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to appoint a temporary chairman to serve at any meeting of the stockholders if the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President is unable to do so for any reason. Except to the extent inconsistent with any rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors, the chairman of any meeting of the stockholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) the determination of when the polls shall open and close for any given matter to be voted on at the meeting; (iii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (iv) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (v) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (vi) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by stockholders.

 

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ARTICLE III

 

DIRECTORS

 

Section 1.          Number and Election of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than one nor more than fifteen members, each of whom shall be a natural person, the exact number of which shall initially be fixed by the Incorporator and thereafter from time to time by the Board of Directors. Except as provided in Section 2 of this Article III, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at each Annual Meeting of Stockholders and each director so elected shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until such director’s successor is duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders.

 

Section 2.          Vacancies. Unless otherwise required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies on the Board of Directors or any committee thereof resulting from the death, resignation or removal of a director, or from an increase in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors or such committee or otherwise, may be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. The directors so chosen shall, in the case of the Board of Directors, hold office until the next annual election and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal and, in the case of any committee of the Board of Directors, shall hold office until their successors are duly appointed by the Board of Directors or until their earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

Section 3.          Duties and Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation except as may be otherwise provided in the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws.

 

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Section 4.          Meetings. The Board of Directors and any committee thereof may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be held without notice at such time and at such place as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors or such committee, respectively. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, the President, or by any director. Special meetings of any committee of the Board of Directors may be called by the chairman of such committee, if there be one, the President, or any director serving on such committee. Notice of any special meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each director (or, in the case of a committee, to each member of such committee) not less than twenty-four hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone, or in the form of a writing or electronic transmission, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.

 

Section 5.          Organization. At each meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the chairman of such committee, as the case may be, or, in his or her absence or if there be none, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall act as chairman of such meeting. Except as provided below, the Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at each meeting of the Board of Directors and of each committee thereof. In case the Secretary shall be absent from any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof, an Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of secretary at such meeting; and in the absence from any such meeting of the Secretary and all the Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the members of each committee of the Board of Directors may appoint any person to act as secretary of any meeting of such committee and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation may, but need not if such committee so elects, serve in such capacity.

 

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Section 6.          Resignations and Removals of Directors. Any director of the Corporation may resign from the Board of Directors or any committee thereof at any time, by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation and, in the case of a committee, to the chairman of such committee, if there be one. Such resignation shall take effect when delivered or, if such resignation specifies a later effective time or an effective time, determined upon the happening of an event or events, in which case, such resignation takes effect upon such effective time. Unless otherwise specified in such resignation, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. A resignation which is conditioned upon the director failing to receive a specified vote for reelection as a director may provide that it is irrevocable. Except as otherwise required by applicable law and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of preferred stock then outstanding, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors. Any director serving on a committee of the Board of Directors may be removed from such committee at any time by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 7.          Quorum. Except as otherwise required by law, or the Certificate of Incorporation or the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or quotation system on which the securities of the Corporation are listed or quoted for trading, at all meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, a majority of the entire Board of Directors or a majority of the directors constituting such committee, as the case may be, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the vote of a majority of the directors or committee members, as applicable, present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors or such committee, as applicable. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting of the time and place of the adjourned meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

 

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Section 8.          Actions of the Board by Written Consent. Unless otherwise provided in 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 the members of the Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. Any person, whether or not then a director, may provide, through instruction to an agent or otherwise, that a consent to action will be effective at a future time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event) no later than sixty (60) days after such instruction is given or such provision is made and such consent shall be deemed to have been given at such effective time so long as such person is then a director and did not revoke the consent prior to such time. Any such consent shall be revocable prior to its becoming effective. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained.

 

Section 9.          Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or other 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 9 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

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Section 10.          Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. Each member of a committee must meet the requirements for membership, if any, imposed by applicable law and the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or quotation system on which the securities of the Corporation are listed or quoted for trading. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of any such committee. Subject to the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or quotation system on which the securities of the Corporation are listed or quoted for trading, in the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, and in the absence of a designation by the Board of Directors of an alternate member to replace the absent or disqualified member, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another qualified member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; provided, however, that no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve, adopt, or recommend to the stockholders any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend, or repeal any of these Bylaws. Each committee shall keep regular minutes and report to the Board of Directors when required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Article III, the resolution of the Board of Directors establishing any committee of the Board of Directors and/or the charter of any such committee may establish requirements or procedures relating to the governance and/or operation of such committee that are different from, or in addition to, those set forth in these Bylaws and, to the extent that there is any inconsistency between these Bylaws and any such resolution or charter, the terms of such resolution or charter shall be controlling.

 

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Section 11.          Subcommittees. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or the resolution of the Board of Directors designating a committee, such committee may create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee. Except for references to committees and members of committees in Section 10 of this Article III, every reference in these Bylaws to a committee of the Board of Directors or a member of a committee shall be deemed to include a reference to a subcommittee or member of a subcommittee.

 

Section 12.          Compensation. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary for service as director, payable in cash or securities. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for service as committee members.

 

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Section 13.          Interested Directors. No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because any such director’s or officer’s vote is counted for such purpose if: (i) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or (ii) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes such contract or transaction.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

 

Section 1.          General. The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall be a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, also may choose a Chairman of the Board of Directors (who must be a director) and one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and other officers. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. The officers of the Corporation need not be stockholders of the Corporation nor, except in the case of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, need such officers be directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 2.          Election. The Board of Directors, at its first meeting held after each Annual Meeting of Stockholders (or action by written consent of stockholders in lieu of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders), shall elect the officers of the Corporation who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and each officer of the Corporation shall hold office until such officer’s successor is elected and qualified, or until such officer’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors. The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.          Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the President or any Vice President or any other officer authorized to do so by the Board of Directors and any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation or other entity in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

 

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Section 4.          Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, unless the Board of Directors designates the President as the Chief Executive Officer, and, except where by law the signature of the President is required, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall possess the same power as the President to sign all contracts, certificates and other instruments of the Corporation which may be authorized by the Board of Directors. During the absence or disability of the President, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties of the President. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.          President. The President shall, subject to the oversight and control of the Board of Directors and, if there be one, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, have general supervision of the business of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The President shall execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except that the other officers of the Corporation may sign and execute documents when so authorized by these Bylaws, the Board of Directors or the President. In the absence or disability of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if there be none, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and, if the President is also a director, the Board of Directors. If there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if the Board of Directors shall otherwise designate, the President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The President shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned to such officer by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 6.          Vice Presidents. At the request of the President or in the President’s absence or in the event of the President’s inability or refusal to act (and if there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors), the Vice President, or the Vice Presidents if there are more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors), if there be any, shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe. If there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors and no Vice President, the Board of Directors shall designate the officer of the Corporation who, in the absence of the President or in the event of the inability or refusal of the President to act, shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President.

 

Section 7.          Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for committees of the Board of Directors when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President, under whose supervision the Secretary shall be. If the Secretary shall be unable or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and if there be no Assistant Secretary, then either the Board of Directors or the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The Secretary shall have custody of the seal of the Corporation and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by the signature of the Secretary or by the signature of any such Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the Corporation and to attest to the affixing by such officer’s signature. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.

 

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Section 8.          Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the Corporation’s funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys 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. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors or the President taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond 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 the office of the Treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of the Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Treasurer’s possession or under the Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation.

 

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Section 9.          Assistant Secretaries. Assistant Secretaries, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Secretary, and in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of the Secretary’s inability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary.

 

Section 10.          Assistant Treasurers. Assistant Treasurers, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Treasurer, and in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of the Treasurer’s inability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer. If required by the Board of Directors, an Assistant Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond 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 the office of Assistant Treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of the Assistant Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Assistant Treasurer’s possession or under the Assistant Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation.

 

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Section 11.          Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.

 

ARTICLE V

 

STOCK

 

Section 1.          Form of Certificates. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates; provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any class or series shall be uncertificated shares that may be evidenced by a book-entry system maintained by the registrar of such stock. If shares are represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in the form, other than bearer form, approved by the Board of Directors. The certificates representing shares of stock of each class shall be signed by, or in the name of, the Corporation by any two authorized officers of the Corporation. Any or all such signatures may be facsimiles. Although any officer, transfer agent, or registrar whose manual or facsimile signature is affixed to such a certificate ceases to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate has been issued, it may nevertheless be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such officer, transfer agent, or registrar were still such at the date of its issue.

 

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Section 2.          Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or uncertificated shares to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the owner of the allegedly lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or uncertificated shares, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of the lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate, or the owner’s legal representative to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim 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 or uncertificated shares.

 

Section 3.          Transfers. Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by applicable law and in these Bylaws. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof, by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and, in the case of certificated shares, upon the surrender of the certificate thereof, which shall be cancelled before a new certificate or uncertificated shares shall be issued. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred. To the extent designated by the president or any vice president or the treasurer of the Corporation, the Corporation may recognize the transfer of fractional uncertificated shares, but shall not otherwise be required to recognize the transfer of fractional shares.

 

Section 4.          Dividend Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders 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 a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

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Section 5.          Record Owners. 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 it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by law.

 

Section 6.          Transfer and Registry Agents. The Corporation may from time to time maintain one or more transfer offices or agencies and registry offices or agencies at such place or places as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

NOTICES

 

Section 1.          Notices. Whenever written notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, such notice may be given in writing directed to such director’s, committee member’s or stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to such director’s, committee member’s or stockholder’ electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given: (a) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, (b) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such director’s, committee member’s or stockholder’s address or (c) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such director’s, committee member’s or stockholder’s electronic mail address unless such director, committee member or stockholder has notified the corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail or such notice is prohibited by the under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, but subject to Section 232(e) of the DGCL, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notice given by electronic transmission, as described above, shall be deemed given: (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by a posting on an electronic network, together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and (iii) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (ii) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice, provided, however, the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.

 

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Section 2.          Waivers of Notice. Whenever any notice is required, by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where the person attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any Annual or Special Meeting of Stockholders or any regular or special meeting of the directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 1.          Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the requirements of the DGCL and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors (or any action by written consent in lieu thereof in accordance with Section 8 of Article III hereof), and may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock. 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, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for purchasing any of the shares of capital stock, warrants, rights, options, bonds, debentures, notes, scrip or other securities or evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for any proper purpose, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.

 

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Section 2.          Disbursements. 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 designate.

 

Section 3.          Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.          Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization and the words “Corporate Seal, Delaware”. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 1.          Right to Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “Indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent, or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with such proceeding; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 8.3 with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify an Indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 2.          Right to Advancement of Expenses. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 8.1, an Indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law the expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon the Corporation’s receipt of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VIII or otherwise.

 

Section 3.          Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 8.1 or Section 8.2 is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60 days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 days, the Indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (a) any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by an Indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (b) in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that, the Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including a determination by its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the Indemnitee, shall be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the Indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VIII or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

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Section 4.          Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights provided to any Indemnitee pursuant to this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right, which such Indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, an agreement, a vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

Section 5.          Insurance. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and/or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

 

Section 6.          Indemnification of Other Persons. This Article VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation to the extent and in the manner authorized or permitted by law to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Indemnitees. Without limiting the foregoing, the Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation and to any other person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of Indemnitees under this Article VIII.

 

Section 7.          Amendments. Any repeal or amendment of this Article VIII by the Board of Directors or the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provision of these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article VIII, will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights to Indemnitees on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision; provided however, that amendments or repeals of this Article VIII shall require the affirmative vote of the stockholders holding at least 66.7% of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation.

 

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Section 8.          Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article VIII, (a) references to “other enterprise” shall include any employee benefit plan; (b) references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; (c) references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service that imposes duties on, or involves services by, a person with respect to any employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and (d) a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interest of the Corporation” for purposes of Section 145 of the DGCL.

 

Section 9.          Contract Rights. The rights provided to Indemnitees pursuant to this Article VIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, agent or employee and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

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Section 10.          Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Article VIII shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article VIII shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article VIII (including, without limitation, each such portion of this Article VIII containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF CERTAIN DISPUTES

 

Section 1.          Forum for Adjudication of Certain Disputes. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including any fiduciary duty) owed by any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation arising out of or relating to any provision of the General Corporation Law of Delaware or the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (each, as in effect from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, in each such case, unless the Court of Chancery (or such other state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, as applicable) has dismissed a prior action by the same plaintiff asserting the same claims because such court lacked personal jurisdiction over an indispensable party named as a defendant therein. Unless the Corporation gives an Alternative Forum Consent, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the Corporation irreparable harm and the Corporation shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, to enforce the foregoing provisions. Any person or entity purchasing, otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 1 of Article IX. The existence of any prior Alternative Forum Consent shall not act as a waiver of the Corporation’s ongoing consent right as set forth above in this Section 1 of Article IX with respect to any current or future actions or claims.

 

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ARTICLE X

 

AMENDMENTS

 

Section 1.          Amendments. These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new Bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new Bylaws be contained in the notice of a meeting of the stockholders or Board of Directors, as the case may be, called for the purpose of acting upon any proposed alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new Bylaws. All such alterations, amendments, repeals or adoptions of new Bylaws must be approved by either the holders of a majority of the outstanding capital stock entitled to vote thereon or by a majority of the entire Board of Directors then in office. Any amendment to these Bylaws adopted by stockholders which specifies the votes that shall be necessary for the election of directors shall not be further amended or repealed by the Board of Directors.

 

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Section 2.          Entire Board of Directors. As used in this Article X and in these Bylaws generally, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.

 

* * *

 

Adopted as of: November 30, 2023

 

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v3.23.3
Cover
Nov. 30, 2023
Document Information [Line Items]  
Document Type 8-K
Amendment Flag false
Document Period End Date Nov. 30, 2023
Current Fiscal Year End Date --12-31
Entity File Number 001-36408
Entity Registrant Name PacWest Bancorp
Entity Central Index Key 0001102112
Entity Tax Identification Number 33-0885320
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code DE
Entity Address, Address Line One 9701 Wilshire Blvd.
Entity Address, Address Line Two Suite 700
Entity Address, City or Town Beverly Hills
Entity Address, State or Province CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code 90212
City Area Code 310
Local Phone Number 887-8500
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Entity Emerging Growth Company false
Common Stock [Member]  
Document Information [Line Items]  
Title of 12(b) Security Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol PACW
Security Exchange Name NASDAQ
Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/40th Interest in a Share of 7.75% Fixed Rate Reset Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A  
Document Information [Line Items]  
Title of 12(b) Security Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/40th interest in a share of 7.75% fixed rate reset non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock, Series A
Trading Symbol PACWP
Security Exchange Name NASDAQ

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