December 29, 2008 - - 8-K: Current report filing

Exhibit 3.2

Dated: January 1, 2009

MFA FINANCIAL, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I.

STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 1.1 Annual Meetings. MFA Financial, Inc. (the “Corporation”) shall hold an annual meeting of its stockholders to elect directors and transact any other business within its powers, either at 10:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of May in each year if not a legal holiday, or at such other time on such other day falling on or before the 30th day thereafter as shall be set by the Board of Directors. Except as the Corporation’s charter (the “Charter”) or statute provides otherwise, any business may be considered at an annual meeting without the purpose of the meeting having been specified in the notice. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Corporation’s existence or affect any otherwise valid corporate acts.

SECTION 1.2 Special Meetings.

(a) General. The Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer or Board of Directors may call a special meeting of the stockholders. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 1.2, a special meeting of stockholders shall also be called by the Secretary of the Corporation upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting.

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

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

(3) The Secretary shall inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing the notice of meeting (including the Corporation’s proxy materials). The Secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon stockholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 1.2(b), the Secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing of any notice of the meeting.

(4) Except as provided in the next sentence, any special meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or Board of Directors, whoever has called the meeting. In the case of any special meeting called by the Secretary upon the request of stockholders (a “Stockholder Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the date of any Stockholder Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and provided further that if the Board of Directors fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the Secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Stockholder Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m. local time on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Directors fails to designate a place for a Stockholder Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation. In fixing a date for any special meeting, the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or Board of Directors may consider such factors as he, she or it deems relevant within the good faith exercise of business judgment, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Directors to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Stockholder Requested Meeting, if the Board of Directors fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Directors may revoke the notice for any Stockholder Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting stockholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 1.2(b).

(5) If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the Secretary and the result is that stockholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting to the Secretary, the Secretary shall: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been mailed, refrain from mailing the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been mailed and if the Secretary first sends to all requesting stockholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Secretary’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting, revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the Secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

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

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

SECTION 1.3 Place of Meetings. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place in the United States as is set from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting.

SECTION 1.4 Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice. Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each stockholders meeting, the Secretary shall give written or printed notice of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each other stockholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting and, if the meeting is a special meeting or notice of the purpose is required by statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called. Notice is given to a stockholder when it is personally delivered to him, left at his residence or usual place of business, mailed to him at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation or given by any other means permitted by Maryland law. A single notice shall be effective as to all stockholders who share an address, except to the extent that a stockholder at such address objects to such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more stockholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article I, or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, each person who is entitled to notice waives notice if before or after the meeting he signs a waiver of the notice which is filed with the records of stockholders meetings or is present at the meeting in person or by proxy. The Corporation may postpone or cancel a meeting of stockholders by making a “public announcement” (as defined in Section 1.12(c)(3)) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting.

SECTION 1.5 Quorum. Unless the Charter or statute provides otherwise, at any meeting of stockholders, the presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this sentence shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the Charter for the vote necessary for the adoption of any measure. If, however, such quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. The stockholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum was established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

SECTION 1.6 Voting. A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any matter which may properly come before the meeting, except that a plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a director. In all elections for directors, each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Charter, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot.

SECTION 1.7 Proxies. A stockholder may cast the votes entitled to be cast by the holder of the shares of stock owned of record by the stockholder in person or by proxy executed by the stockholder or by his duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation before or at the meeting. Unless a proxy provides otherwise, it is not valid more than 11 months after its date. A proxy is revocable by a stockholder at any time without condition or qualification unless the proxy states that it is irrevocable and the proxy is coupled with an interest. A proxy may be made irrevocable for so long as it is coupled with an interest. The interest with which a proxy may be coupled includes an interest in the stock to be voted under the proxy or another general interest in the Corporation or its assets or liabilities.

SECTION 1.8 Organization and Conduct. Every meeting of stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Directors to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment, by the Chairman of the Board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chairman of the Board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting: the Vice Chairman of the Board, if there is one, the President, the Vice Presidents in their order of rank and seniority, or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders present in person or by proxy. The Secretary, or, in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, or in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, a person appointed by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of such appointment, a person appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary of the meeting. In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of the stockholders, an Assistant Secretary, or in the absence of Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the stockholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to stockholders of record of the Corporation entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (e) determining when the polls should be opened and closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any stockholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and (i) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

SECTION 1.9 Voting of Stock by Certain Holders. Stock of the Corporation registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, a general partner or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such stock pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such stock. Any director or other fiduciary may vote stock registered in his or her name in his or her capacity as such fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

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

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

SECTION 1.10 Inspectors. The Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting may appoint, before or at the meeting, one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor thereto. The inspectors, if any, shall (i) determine the number of shares of stock represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy and the validity and effect of proxies, (ii) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (iii) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (iv) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, and (v) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by him or her or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

SECTION 1.11 Informal Action by Stockholders. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting if there is filed with the records of stockholders meetings a unanimous consent which sets forth the action and is given in writing or by electronic transmission by each stockholder entitled to vote on the matter and a waiver of any right to dissent given in writing or by electronic transmission by each stockholder entitled to notice of the meeting but not entitled to vote at it.

SECTION 1.12 Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominees for Director and other Stockholder Proposals.

(a) Annual Meetings of Stockholders. (1) Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice by the stockholder as provided for in this Section 1.12(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting on the election or the proposal for other business and who has complied with this Section 1.12(a).

(2) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 1.12, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the stockholders. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 1.12 and shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (i) as to each individual whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director, (A) the name, age, business address and residence address of such individual, (B) the class, series and number of any shares of stock of the Corporation that are beneficially owned by such individual, (C) the date such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition and (D) all other information relating to such individual that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder (including such individual’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (ii) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a description of such business, the reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and any Stockholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the stockholder or the Stockholder Associated Person therefrom; (iii) as to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person, (A) the class, series and number of all shares of stock of the Corporation which are owned by such stockholder and by such Stockholder Associated Person, if any, (B) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares owned beneficially but not of record by such stockholder and by any such Stockholder Associated Person, (C) whether and the extent to which any hedging or other transaction or series of transactions has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing or lending of shares) has been made, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to or manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or to increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any such Stockholder Associated Person with respect to any share of stock of the Corporation (collectively, “Hedging Activities”) and (D) a general description of whether and the extent to which such stockholder or such Stockholder Associated Person has engaged in Hedging Activities with respect to shares of stock or other equity interest of any other company; (iv) as to the stockholder giving the notice and any Stockholder Associated Person covered by clauses (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph (2) of this Section 1.12(a), (A) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s stock ledger and current name and address, if different, and of such Stockholder Associated Person and (B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such stockholder or Stockholder Associated Person and (v) to the extent known by the stockholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a director or the proposal of other business on the date of such stockholder’s notice.

(3) Notwithstanding anything in this subsection (a) of this Section 1.12 to the contrary, in the event the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased, and there is no public announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 1.12(a) shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

(4) For purposes of this Section 1.12, “Stockholder Associated Person” of any stockholder shall mean (i) any person controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such stockholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of stock of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder and (iii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Stockholder Associated Person.

(b) Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such special meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 1.12 and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.12. In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a director as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice required by paragraph (a)(2) of this Section 1.12 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Corporation not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(c) General. (1) If any information submitted pursuant to this Section 1.12 by any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.12. Upon written request by the Secretary or the Board of Directors, any stockholder proposing a nominee for election as a director or any proposal for other business at a meeting of stockholders shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Directors or any authorized officer of the Corporation, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 1.12, and (B) a written update of any information submitted by the stockholder pursuant to this Section 1.12 as of an earlier date. If a stockholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.12.

(2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 1.12 shall be eligible for election by stockholders as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 1.12. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 1.12.

(3) “Public announcement” shall mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.12, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.12. Nothing in this Section 1.12 shall be deemed to affect any right of a stockholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, nor the right of the Corporation to omit a proposal from, the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act.

ARTICLE II.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 2.1 Function of Directors. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Directors. All powers of the Corporation may be exercised by or under authority of the Board of Directors, except as conferred on or reserved to the stockholders by statute or by the Charter or Bylaws.

SECTION 2.2 Number of Directors. At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, the Board may, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the entire Board, establish, increase or decrease the number of directors, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than the minimum number required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, nor more than 15, and further provided that the tenure of office of a director shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of directors.

SECTION 2.3 Election and Tenure of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any class of stock separately entitled to elect one or more directors, at each annual meeting, the stockholders shall elect directors to hold office for the term set forth in the Charter.

SECTION 2.4 Removal of Director. Any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed only in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.

SECTION 2.5 Vacancy on Board. Subject to the rights of the holders of any class of stock separately entitled to elect one or more directors, the stockholders may elect a successor to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from the removal of a director. A director elected by the stockholders to fill a vacancy which results from the removal of a director serves for the balance of the term of the removed director. Subject to the rights of the holders of any class of stock separately entitled to elect one or more directors, a majority of the remaining directors, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, may fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from any cause except an increase in the number of directors and a majority of the entire Board of Directors may fill a vacancy which results from an increase in the number of directors. A director elected by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy serves until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor is elected and qualifies.

SECTION 2.6 Regular Meetings. After each meeting of stockholders at which directors shall have been elected, the Board of Directors shall meet as soon thereafter as practicable for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business. In the event that no other time and place are specified by resolution of the Board of Directors or announced by the President or the Chairman of the Board at such stockholders meeting, the Board of Directors shall meet immediately following the close of, and at the place of, such stockholders meeting. Any other regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on such date and time and at such place as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. No notice of such meeting following a stockholders meeting or any other regular meeting shall be necessary if held as hereinabove provided.

SECTION 2.7 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by or at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or by a majority of the directors then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Directors called by them. The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Directors without other notice than such resolution.

SECTION 2.8 Notice of Meeting. Except as provided in Section 2.6, the Secretary shall give notice to each director of each regular and special meeting of the Board of Directors. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting. Notice is given to a director when it is delivered personally to him, left at his residence or usual place of business, or sent by telegraph, facsimile transmission, telephone or electronic mail, at least 24 hours before the time of the meeting or, in the alternative by mail to his address as it shall appear on the records of the Corporation, at least 72 hours before the time of the meeting. Unless specifically required by statute, the Bylaws or a resolution of the Board of Directors, the notice need not state the business to be transacted at or the purposes of any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors. No notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors need be given to any director who attends except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened or to any director who, in writing executed and filed with the records of the meeting either before or after the holding thereof, waives such notice. Any meeting of the Board of Directors, regular or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and no notice need be given of any such adjourned meeting other than by announcement.

SECTION 2.9 Quorum; Action by Directors. A majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, the directors present by majority vote and without notice other than by announcement may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. If, pursuant to applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of directors is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority of such group. The directors present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum was established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

Unless any statute or the Charter or Bylaws requires a greater proportion, the action of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Directors. If enough directors have withdrawn from a meeting to leave less than a quorum but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of directors necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Directors, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Charter or these Bylaws. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting, if a unanimous consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each director and filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 2.10 Meeting by Conference Telephone. Members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at a meeting.

SECTION 2.11 Compensation. By resolution of the Board of Directors a fixed sum and expenses, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of committees thereof, and other compensation for their services as such or on committees of the Board of Directors, may be paid to directors. Directors who are full-time employees of the Corporation need not be paid for attendance at meetings of the Board or committees thereof for which fees are paid to other directors. A director who serves the Corporation in any other capacity also may receive compensation for such other services, pursuant to a resolution of the directors.

SECTION 2.12 Advisory Directors. The Board of Directors may by resolution appoint advisory directors to the Board of Directors, who may also serve as directors emeriti, and shall have such authority and receive such compensation and reimbursement as the Board of Directors shall provide. Advisory directors or directors emeriti shall not have the authority to participate by vote in the transaction of business.

SECTION 2.13 Ratification. The Board of Directors or the stockholders may ratify and make binding on the Corporation any action or inaction by the Corporation or its officers to the extent that the Board of Directors or the stockholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any stockholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a director, officer or stockholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting, or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Directors or by the stockholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

ARTICLE III.

COMMITTEES

SECTION 3.1 Committees. The Board of Directors may appoint from among its members an Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and other committees composed of one or more directors and delegate to these committees any of the powers of the Board of Directors, except as prohibited by law. The Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall consist entirely of directors who are independent of management.

SECTION 3.2 Committee Procedure. Each committee may fix rules of procedure for its business. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee. The members of a committee present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a director to act in the place of an absent member. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of a committee may be taken without a meeting, if a unanimous consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee. The members of a committee may conduct any meeting thereof by conference telephone in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.10. Each committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings.

SECTION 3.3 Emergency. In the event of a state of disaster of sufficient severity to prevent the conduct and management of the affairs and business of the Corporation by its directors and officers as contemplated by the Charter and the Bylaws, any two or more available members of the then incumbent Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum of that committee for the full conduct and management of the affairs and business of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.1. In the event of the unavailability, at such time, of a minimum of two members of the then incumbent Executive Committee, the available directors shall elect an Executive Committee consisting of any two members of the Board of Directors, whether or not they be officers of the Corporation, which two members shall constitute the Executive Committee for the full conduct and management of the affairs of the Corporation in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section. This Section shall be subject to implementation by resolution of the Board of Directors passed from time to time for that purpose, and any provisions of the Bylaws (other than this Section) and any resolutions which are contrary to the provisions of this Section or to the provisions of any such implementary resolutions shall be suspended until it shall be determined by any interim Executive Committee acting under this Section that it shall be to the advantage of the Corporation to resume the conduct and management of its affairs and business under all the other provisions of the Bylaws.

SECTION 3.4 Vacancies. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE IV.

OFFICERS

SECTION 4.1 Executive and Other Officers. The Corporation shall have a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. It may also have a Chairman of the Board. The Board of Directors shall designate who shall serve as Chief Executive Officer, who shall have general supervision of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may designate a Chief Operating Officer, who shall have supervision of the operations of the Corporation. In the absence of any designation, the Chairman of the Board, if there be one, shall serve as Chief Executive Officer and the President shall serve as Chief Operating Officer. The same person may hold both offices. The Corporation may also have one or more Vice-Presidents, assistant officers and subordinate officers as may be established by the Board of Directors. In addition, the Board of Directors may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as they shall deem necessary or desirable. A person may hold more than one office in the Corporation except that no person may serve concurrently as both President and Vice-President of the Corporation. The Chairman of the Board shall be a director; the other officers may be directors.

SECTION 4.2 Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board, if one be elected, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he or she shall be present. Unless otherwise specified by the Board of Directors, he or she shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. In general, he or she shall perform such duties as are customarily performed by the Chief Executive Officer of a corporation and may perform any duties of the President and shall perform such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4.3 Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Directors shall designate a Chief Executive Officer. In addition to general supervisory duties described in Section 4.1, the Chief Executive Officer shall perform such duties as are from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4.4 Chief Operating Officer. The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer shall have supervision of the operations of the Corporation and perform such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

SECTION 4.5 President. Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, the President, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he or she shall be present. Unless otherwise specified by the Board of Directors, the President shall be the Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation and perform the duties customarily performed by chief operating officers. He or she may sign and execute, in the name of the Corporation, all authorized deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments, except in cases in which the signing and execution thereof shall have been expressly delegated to some other officer or agent of the Corporation. In general, he or she shall perform such other duties customarily performed by a president of a corporation and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

SECTION 4.6 Vice-Presidents. The Vice-President or Vice-Presidents, at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or the President, or in the President’s absence or during his or her inability to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the functions of the President, and when so acting shall have the powers of the President. If there be more than one Vice-President, the Board of Directors may determine which one or more of the Vice-Presidents shall perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions, or if such determination is not made by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President may make such determination; otherwise any of the Vice-Presidents may perform any of such duties or exercise any of such functions. The Vice-President or Vice-Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties, and have such additional descriptive designations in their titles (if any), as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

SECTION 4.7 Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders and the meetings of the Board of Directors and any committees thereof, in books provided for the purpose; the Secretary shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; he or she shall be custodian of the records of the Corporation; he or she may witness any document on behalf of the Corporation, the execution of which is duly authorized, see that the Corporation’s seal is affixed where such document is required or desired to be under its seal, and, when so affixed, may attest the same. In general, he or she shall perform such other duties customarily performed by a secretary of a corporation and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as are from time to time assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

SECTION 4.8 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of, and be responsible for, all funds, securities, receipts and disbursements of the Corporation and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in the name of the Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall, from time to time, be selected by the Board of Directors; he shall render to the President and to the Board of Directors, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the Corporation; and, in general, he shall perform all the duties incident to the office of a treasurer of a corporation, and such other duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

SECTION 4.9 Assistant and Subordinate Officers. The assistant and subordinate officers of the Corporation are all officers below the office of Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer. The assistant or subordinate officers shall have such duties as are from time to time assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President.

SECTION 4.10 Election, Tenure and Removal of Officers. The Board of Directors shall elect the officers. The Board of Directors may from time to time authorize any committee or officer to appoint assistant and subordinate officers. Election or appointment of an officer, employee or agent shall not of itself create contract rights. All officers shall be appointed to hold their offices, respectively, during the pleasure of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors (or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board of Directors) may remove any officer or agent of the Corporation, with or without cause, but such removal shall not prejudice any of the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. The Board of Directors (or, as to any assistant or subordinate officer, any committee or officer authorized by the Board of Directors) may fill a vacancy which occurs in any office for the unexpired portion of the term.

SECTION 4.11 Compensation. The Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee thereof shall have power to fix the salaries and other compensation and remuneration, of whatever kind, of all officers of the Corporation. No officer shall be prevented from receiving such salary by reason of the fact that he is also a director of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may authorize any committee or officer, upon whom the power of appointing assistant and subordinate officers may have been conferred, to fix the salaries, compensation and remuneration of such assistant and subordinate officers.

ARTICLE V.

DIVISIONAL TITLES

SECTION 5.1 Conferring Divisional Titles. The Board of Directors may from time to time confer upon any employee of a division of the Corporation the title of President, Vice-President, Treasurer or Controller of such division or any other title or titles deemed appropriate, or may authorize the Chairman of the Board or the President to do so. Any such titles so conferred may be discontinued and withdrawn at any time by the Board of Directors or by the Chairman of the Board or the President if so authorized by the Board of Directors. Any employee of a division designated by such a division title shall have the powers and duties with respect to such division as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the President.

SECTION 5.2 Effect of Divisional Titles. The conferring of divisional titles shall not create an office of the Corporation under Article IV unless specifically designated as such by the Board of Directors; but any person who is an officer of the Corporation may also have a divisional title.

ARTICLE VI.

STOCK

SECTION 6.1 Certificates. Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, stockholders of the Corporation are not entitled to certificates representing the shares of stock held by them. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized officer, shall contain the statements and information required by the Maryland General Corporation Law and shall be signed by the officers of the Corporation in the manner permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law. In the event that the Corporation issues shares of stock without certificates, to the extent then required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Corporation shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the Maryland General Corporation Law to be included on stock certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of stockholders based on whether or not their shares are evidenced by certificates.

SECTION 6.2 Transfers. All transfers of shares of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Directors or any officer of the Corporation may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Directors that such shares shall no longer be evidenced by certificates. Upon the transfer of uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Corporation shall provide to record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by the Maryland General Corporation Law to be included on stock certificates.

The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

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

SECTION 6.3 Record Dates and Closing of Transfer Books. The Board of Directors may set a record date or direct that the stock transfer books be closed for a stated period for the purpose of making any proper determination with respect to stockholders, including which stockholders are entitled to notice of a meeting, vote at a meeting, receive a dividend or be allotted other rights. The record date may not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed nor, subject to Section 1.5, more than 90 days before the date on which the action requiring the determination will be taken; the transfer books may not be closed for a period longer than 20 days; and, in the case of a meeting of stockholders, the record date or the closing of the transfer books shall be at least ten days before the date of the meeting.

When a determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders has been made as provided in this section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment or postponement thereof, except when the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date fixed for the original meeting, in which case a new record date shall be determined as set forth herein.

SECTION 6.4 Stock Ledger. The Corporation shall maintain a stock ledger which contains the name and address of each stockholder and the number of shares of stock of each class which the stockholder holds. The stock ledger may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. The original or a duplicate of the stock ledger shall be kept at the offices of a transfer agent for the particular class of stock, or, if none, at the principal office in the State of Maryland or the principal executive offices of the Corporation.

SECTION 6.5 Lost Stock Certifications. Any officer of the Corporation may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such stockholder and the Board of Directors has determined such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Corporation, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Corporation a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation.

SECTION 6.6 Fractional Stock; Issuance of Units. The Board of Directors may issue fractional stock or provide for the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as they may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may issue units consisting of different securities of the Corporation. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Corporation, except that the Board of Directors may provide that for a specified period securities of the Corporation issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Corporation only in such unit.

SECTION 6.7 Control Share Acquisition Act. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General Corporation Law (or any successor statute) shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of stock of the Corporation. This section may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

ARTICLE VII.

FINANCE

SECTION 7.1 Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts and orders for the payment of money, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, issued in the name of the Corporation, shall, unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, be signed by the President, a Vice-President or an Assistant Vice-President and countersigned by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.

SECTION 7.2 Annual Statement of Affairs. The President or chief accounting officer shall prepare annually a full and correct statement of the affairs of the Corporation, to include a balance sheet and a financial statement of operations for the preceding fiscal year. The statement of affairs shall be submitted at the annual meeting of the stockholders and, within 20 days after the meeting, placed on file at the Corporation’s principal office.

SECTION 7.3 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the twelve calendar months period ending December 31 in each year, unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 7.4 Dividends. If declared by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof, the Corporation may pay dividends on its shares in cash, property or in shares of the capital stock of the Corporation, unless such dividend is contrary to law or to a restriction contained in the Charter.

SECTION 7.5 Contracts. To the extent permitted by the applicable law, and except as otherwise prescribed by the Charter or these Bylaws with respect to certificates for shares, the Board of Directors may authorize any officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

ARTICLE VIII.

SUNDRY PROVISIONS

SECTION 8.1 Books and Records. The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of its accounts and transactions and minutes of the proceedings of its stockholders and Board of Directors and of any executive or other committee when exercising any of the powers of the Board of Directors. The books and records of a Corporation may be in written form or in any other form which can be converted within a reasonable time into written form for visual inspection. Minutes shall be recorded in written form but may be maintained in the form of a reproduction. The original or a certified copy of the Bylaws shall be kept at the principal office of the Corporation.

SECTION 8.2 Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors shall provide a suitable seal, bearing the name of the Corporation, which shall be in the charge of the Secretary. The Board of Directors may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof. If the Corporation is required to place its corporation seal to a document, it is sufficient to meet the requirement of any law, rule or regulation relating to a corporate seal to place the word “Seal” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to sign the document on behalf of the Corporation.

SECTION 8.3 Voting Upon Shares in Other Corporations. Stock of other corporations or associations, registered in the name of the Corporation, may be voted by the President, a Vice-President or a proxy appointed by either of them. The Board of Directors, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.

SECTION 8.4 Mail. Any notice or other document which is required by these Bylaws to be mailed shall be deposited in the United States mails, postage prepaid.

SECTION 8.5 Execution of Documents. A person who holds more than one office in the Corporation may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged or verified by more than one officer.

SECTION 8.6 Amendments. In accordance with the Charter, these Bylaws may be repealed, altered, amended or rescinded (a) by the stockholders of the Corporation only by vote of not less than 80% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one class) cast at any meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose (provided that notice of such proposed repeal, alteration, amendment or rescission is included in the notice of such meeting) or (b) by vote of a majority of the Board of Directors at a meeting held in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE IX.

INDEMNIFICATION

SECTION 9.1 Procedure. Any indemnification, or payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of any proceeding, shall be made promptly, and in any event within 60 days, upon the written request of the director or officer entitled to seek indemnification (the “Indemnified Party”). The right to indemnification and advances hereunder shall be enforceable by the Indemnified Party in any court of competent jurisdiction, if (i) the Corporation denies such request, in whole or in part or (ii) no disposition thereof is made within 60 days. The Indemnified Party’s costs and expenses incurred in connection with successfully establishing his right to indemnification, in whole or in part, in any such action shall also be reimbursed by the Corporation. It shall be a defense to any action for advance of expenses that the Corporation has not received either (i) an undertaking as required by law to repay such advances in the event it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct has not been met or (ii) a written affirmation by the Indemnified Party of such Indemnified Party’s good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Corporation has been met.

SECTION 9.2 Exclusivity, Etc. The indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Charter and these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advance of expenses may be entitled under any law (common or statutory) or any agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or other provision that is consistent with law, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office or while employed by or acting as agent for the Corporation, shall continue in respect of all events occurring while a person was a director or officer after such person has ceased to be a director or officer, and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors and administrators of such person. The Corporation shall not be liable for any payment under this Bylaw in connection with a claim made by a director or officer to the extent such director or officer has otherwise actually received payment under insurance policy, agreement, vote or otherwise, of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder. All rights to indemnification and advance of expenses under the Charter of the Corporation and hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract between the Corporation and each director or officer of the Corporation who serves or served in such capacity at any time while this Bylaw is in effect. Nothing herein shall prevent the amendment of this Bylaw, provided that no such amendment shall diminish the rights of any person hereunder with respect to events occurring or claims made before its adoption or as to claims made after its adoption in respect of events occurring before its adoption. Any repeal or modification of this Bylaw shall not in any way diminish any rights to indemnification or advance of expenses of such director or officer or the obligations of the Corporation arising hereunder with respect to events occurring, or claims made, while this Bylaw or any provisions hereof is in force.

SECTION 9.3 Severability; Definitions. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Article IX shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provisions hereof. The phrase “this Bylaw” in this Article IX means this Article IX in its entirety.