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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 29, 2023
 
USIO, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Nevada
 
000-30152   
 
98-0190072
(State or other jurisdiction
 
(Commission
 
(IRS Employer
of incorporation)
 
File Number)
 
Identification No.)
 
     
3611 Paesanos Parkway, Suite 300, San Antonio, TX
 
78231
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
 
(210) 249-4100
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 
Not applicable.
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 
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 Instruction 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))
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
Title of each class
Trading symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share
USIO
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). 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. ☐
 
 

 
 
Item 5.03
Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year
 
On November 29, 2023, the Board of Directors of Usio, Inc. (the “Company”) amended and restated the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”). The Bylaws, as amended and restated, among other things, establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of our Board of Directors or a committee of our Board of Directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not later than 90 days nor earlier than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. The Bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice and allow the chair of the meeting at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may defer, delay or discourage a potential acquiror from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquiror’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of the Company. The amendments effected by the Bylaws also implement certain “universal proxy” rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), to update certain procedural requirements relating to director nominations by stockholders set forth in Rule 14a-19 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
 
Under the Bylaws, the requirements listed above do not apply to any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act to be included in the Company’s proxy statement and, other than the requirements described above, to the nomination of a candidate for election to the Board pursuant to the proxy access provisions of the Bylaws. The Bylaws also effected certain other administrative, modernizing, clarifying, and conforming changes, including permitting meetings of stockholders to be held by means of remote communication and director consents to action without meeting to be in electronic form delivered by electronic means.
 
The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Bylaws, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.
 
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
 
On November 6, 2023, our board of directors voted and unanimously approved a clawback policy (the “Policy”). The Policy was adopted to provide for the Company’s recovery of certain Incentive Compensation erroneously awarded to Affected Officers under certain circumstances.
 
The Policy is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Committee shall have full and final authority to make any and all determinations required or permitted under this Policy. Any determination by the Committee with respect to this Policy shall be final, conclusive, and binding on all parties. The Board may amend or terminate this Policy at any time. 
 
The Policy is intended to comply with Section 10D of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Rule 10D-1 thereunder and the applicable rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market and will be interpreted and administered consistent with that intent. 
 
On November 6, 2023, our board of directors voted and unanimously approved the participation period for the Company’s employee ESPP program to be the first trading day of the quarter and the last and per the rules in the plan as approved by the shareholders of the Company.
 
The Company has a shareholder approved ESPP program and is in the process of implementing the program with an external vendor. The external vendor believes the program will be ready for launch in the first quarter of 2024. The Board believes the best option for the employees to participate is quarterly with the potential pricing dates to be the first trading day of the quarter and the last and per the rules in the plan as approved by the shareholders of the Company.
 
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
 
(d) Exhibits
 
3.1
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).
 

 
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.
 
USIO, INC.
Date: November 29, 2023
By:
/s/ Louis A. Hoch
Name: Louis A. Hoch
Title: Chief Executive Officer and President
 
 

Exhibit 3.1

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

USIO, INC.,

 

a Nevada Corporation

 

(November 29, 2023)

 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

 

Section 1    Offices. The Corporation may have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Nevada as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II

STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1    Place of Meeting. All meetings of the stockholders shall be held at the principal office of the Corporation, or at such other place within or without the State of Nevada or entirely or in part by any means of remote communications (as contemplated by Nevada Revised Statutes 78.320) as shall be specified or fixed in the notices or waivers of notice thereof.

 

Section 2    Quorum, Adjournment of Meeting. Unless otherwise required by law or provided in the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of stockholders for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of such stock so represented at any meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present shall constitute the act of the stockholders. The stockholders present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

 

Notwithstanding the other provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding stock, present in person or represented by proxy, at any meeting of stockholders, whether or not a quorum is present, shall have the power to adjourn such meeting from time to time, without any notice other than announcement at the meeting of the time and place of the holding of the adjourned meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.

 

Section 3    Annual Meetings. An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, within or without the State of Nevada, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall fix and set forth in the notice of the meeting.

 

Section 4    Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called by the President or any other executive officer of the Corporation, the Board of Directors or any member thereof, or by the record holder or holders of at least ten percent (10%) of all shares entitled to vote at the meeting pursuant to a resolution approved by a majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Corporation (as determined in accordance with these Bylaws).

 

Section 5    Record Date. For the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders, or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may fix in advance, a date as the record date for any such determination of stockholders, which date shall not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action.

 

If the Board of Directors does not fix a record date for any meeting of the stockholders, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at such meeting shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if in accordance with ARTICLE VIII, Section 3 of these Bylaws, notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. If, in accordance with Section 12 of this ARTICLE II, corporate action without a meeting of stockholders is to be taken, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to such corporate action in writing, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the day on which the first written consent is expressed. The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the date on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

Section 6    Notice of Meetings. Written notice signed by the President, Vice President, Secretary, or Assistant Secretary, or other persons as the President or Board of Directors may designate, of the place, date and hour of all meetings, and, in case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given by or at the direction of the Chairman of the Board or the President, the Secretary or the other person(s) calling the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote thereat not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting. Such notice may be delivered either personally or by mail. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

 

Section 7    Stock List. A complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of such stockholder, shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, either at the offices of the Corporation in San Antonio, Texas or a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The stock list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.

 

Section 8    Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to a corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for him by proxy. Proxies for use at any meeting of stockholders shall be in writing and filed with the Secretary, or such other officer as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine by resolution, before or at the time of the meeting. All proxies shall be received and taken charge of and all ballots shall be received and canvassed by the secretary of the meeting who shall decide all questions touching upon the qualification of voters, the validity of the proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes, unless an inspector or inspectors shall have been appointed by the chairman of the meeting, in which event such inspector or inspectors shall decide all such questions. Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders may use a proxy card color other than white. The white proxy card shall be reserved for the exclusive use by the Board of Directors.

 

No proxy shall be valid after six (6) months from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period, which in no event may exceed seven (7) years. Each proxy shall be revocable unless expressly provided therein to be irrevocable and coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power.

 

Should a proxy designate two or more persons to act as proxies, unless such instrument shall provide the contrary, a majority of such persons present at any meeting at which their powers thereunder are to be exercised shall have and may exercise all the powers of voting or giving consents thereby conferred, or if only one be present, then such powers may be exercised by that one; or, if an even number attend and a majority do not agree on any particular issue, each proxy so attending shall be entitled to exercise such powers in respect of the same portion of the shares as he is of the proxies representing such shares.

 

Section 9    Voting; Elections; Inspections. Unless otherwise required by law or provided in the Articles of Incorporation, each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock entitled to vote which is registered in his, her or its name on the record date for the meeting. Shares registered in the name of another corporation or other entity, domestic or foreign, may be voted by such officer, agent or proxy as the bylaws (or comparable instrument) of such corporation or other entity may prescribe, or in the absence of such provision, as the Board of Directors (or comparable body) of such corporation or other entity may determine. Shares registered in the name of a deceased person may be voted by his executor or administrator, either in person or by proxy.

 

All voting, except as required by the Articles of Incorporation or where otherwise required by law, may be by a voice vote; provided, however, that upon written demand therefor by stockholders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding stock present in person or by proxy at any meeting a stock vote shall be taken. Every stock vote shall be taken by written ballots, each of which shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedure established for the meeting. All elections of directors shall be by ballot, unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation.

 

At any meeting at which a vote is taken by ballots, the chairman of the meeting may appoint one or more inspectors, each of whom shall subscribe an oath or affirmation to execute faithfully the duties of inspector at such meeting with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. Such inspector shall receive the ballots, count the votes, and make and sign a certificate of the result thereof. The chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to serve as inspector, except no candidate for the office of director shall be appointed as an inspector.

 

Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 14 of this Article II shall be eligible to be elected at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to serve 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 the procedures set forth in Section 14 of this Article II. If any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with Section 14 of this Article II (including proper notice under Section 14 of this Article II and including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies in compliance with such stockholder’s representation pursuant Section 14 of this Article II), then the chair of the meeting shall have the power to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted. If such stockholder (or a qualified representative of such stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or proposed business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 9, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder (or a reliable reproduction or electronic transmission of the writing) delivered to the Corporation prior to the making of such nomination or proposal at such meeting by such stockholder stating that such person is authorized to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders.

 

Section 10     Required Vote. A nominee for director shall be elected to the Board of Directors by a plurality of the votes case at the election. Stockholders may abstain from voting on any nominee but shall not be permitted to cast a vote against any nominee. Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, cumulative voting for the election of directors shall be prohibited.

 

Section 11    Conduct of Meetings. The meetings of the stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, or if he is not present, by the President, or if neither the Chairman of the Board nor the President is present, by a chairman elected at the meeting. The Secretary of the Corporation, if present, shall act as secretary of such meetings, or if he is not present, an Assistant Secretary shall so act; if neither the Secretary nor an Assistant Secretary is present, then a secretary shall be appointed by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him in order.

 

Section 12    Treasury Stock. The Corporation shall not vote, directly or indirectly, shares of its own stock owned by it and such shares shall not be counted for quorum purposes.

 

Section 13    Action Without Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote only to the extent permitted by and in the manner provided in the Articles of Incorporation and in accordance with applicable law.

 

Section 14    Nominations and Business at Stockholder Meetings.

 

(A)    Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

 

(1)    Nominations of persons 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 only (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) delivered pursuant to Section 6 of Article II of these Bylaws, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote at the meeting, who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in paragraphs (A)(2) and (A)(3) of this Section 14 and who was a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation.

 

(2)    For any nominations or any other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of paragraph (A)(l) of this Section 14, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, and, in the case of business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors, such other business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than thirty (30) days or delayed by more than seventy (70) days from the anniversary date of the previous year’ meeting, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on such stockholder’s own behalf (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice of on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the annual meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such annual meeting. Public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 14 to the contrary, if the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting is increased after the time period for which nominations would otherwise be due under this Section and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the prior year’s annual meeting of stockholders, then a stockholder’s notice required by this Section shall be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it is received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(3)    A stockholder’s notice delivered pursuant to this Section 14 shall set forth:

 

(a)    as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director, (i) all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (ii) such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement and accompanying proxy card and to serving as a director if elected, (iii) a questionnaire completed and signed by such person (in the form to be provided by the Secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record within ten (10) days of such request) with respect to the background and qualification of such proposed nominee and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made and (iv) a written representation and agreement (in the form to be provided by the Secretary upon written request of any stockholder of record within ten (10) days of such request) that such proposed nominee (A) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any individual or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question that has not been disclosed to the Corporation or that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not and will not become a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation, and (C) would be in compliance, if elected as a director of the Corporation, and will comply with, all applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, code of conduct and ethics, conflict of interest, confidentiality, corporate opportunities, trading and any other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors;

 

(b)    as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made;

 

(c)    as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owners, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and records, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owners, including any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation as to which such stockholder and such beneficial owners or any of its affiliates or associates (each, a “Stockholder Associated Person”) has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future which shall include, without limitation, any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right or similar right with an exercise of conversion privilege or settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the capital stock of the Corporation or derived in whole or in part from the value of shares of the Corporation, or any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position in any class or series of share of the capital stock of the Corporation or any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation including, without limitation, due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the stockholder of record, the beneficial owners, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “Derivative Instrument”)) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder, the beneficial owner, if any, or any affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, (iii) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of the stock of the Corporation at the time of the giving of the notice, will be entitled to vote at such meeting and will appear in person (which, for the avoidance of doubt, includes remote appearance at virtual meetings) or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination, (iv) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owners, will be or is part of a group (as determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) that will (x) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (y) otherwise solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination, and/or (z) solicit proxies in support of any proposed nominee in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act, (v) a certification regarding whether such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, have complied with all applicable federal, state and other legal requirements in connection with (x) the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or (y) the stockholder’s and/or the beneficial owner’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation, and (vi) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

 

(d)    a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal and/or the voting of shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation between or among the stockholder giving the notice, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, any of their respective affiliates or associates and/or any other person (collectively, “Proponent Persons”), including, in the case of a nomination, the nominee, including any agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to any compensation or payments to be paid to any such proposed nominee(s), pertaining to the nomination(s) or other business proposed to be brought before the meeting of stockholders (which description shall identify the name of each other individual or entity who is party to such an agreement, arrangement or understanding);

 

(e)    a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including, without limitation, any contract to purchase or sell, acquisition or grant of any option, right or warrant to purchase or sell, swap or other instrument) to which any Proponent Person is a party, the intent or effect of which may be (i) to transfer to or from any proponent person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security of the Corporation (including, without limitation, any repurchase or similar so-called “stock borrowing” agreement or arrangement, involving such stockholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, directly or indirectly, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation by, manage the risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith with respect to any class or series of the shares of the Corporation, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the price or value of any class or series of the shares of the Corporation (any of the foregoing, a “Short Interest”), (ii) to increase or decrease the voting power of any Proponent Person with respect to shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation and/or (iii) to provide any proponent person, directly or indirectly, with the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from, or to otherwise benefit economically from, any increase or decrease in the value of any security of the Corporation;

 

(f)    a description of any proxy (other than a revocable proxy given in response to a public proxy solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the Exchange Act), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder or beneficial owner has or shares a right, directly or indirectly, to vote any shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation;

 

(g)    a description of any rights to dividends or other distributions on the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially by such stockholder or beneficial owner that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation;

 

(h)    a description of any performance related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder or beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, is entitled to base on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation or any interests described in clause (c)(iv) of this Section 14;

 

(i)    any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder, such beneficial owners and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner of such general or limited partnership;

 

(j)    any significant equity interests or any Derivative Instruments or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Corporation held by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith;

 

(k)    any direct or indirect interest of such stockholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith in any contract with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement);

 

(l)    all information that would be required to be set forth in a Schedule 13D filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(a) or an amendment pursuant to Rule 13d-2(a) if such a statement were required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by such stockholder, such beneficial owner and their respective affiliates or associates or others acting in concert therewith, if any; and

 

(m)    the names and addresses of other stockholders and beneficial owners known by any stockholder giving the notice (and/or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made) to support such nomination or proposal, and to the extent known, the class and number of all shares of the Corporation’s capital stock owned beneficially and/or of record by such other stockholder(s) and beneficial owner(s).

 

A stockholder providing notice of a proposed nomination for election to the Board of Directors or other business proposed to be brought before a meeting (whether given pursuant to this paragraph (A)(3) or paragraph (B) of this Section 14 of these Bylaws) shall update and supplement such notice from time to time to the extent necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct (x) as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting and (y) as of the date that is fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this Section 14(A)(3) or any other section of these Bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any stockholder’s notice including, without limitation, any representation required herein, extend any applicable deadlines under these Bylaws or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted a stockholder’s notice under these Bylaws to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal including, without limitation, by changing or adding nominees, matters, business and/or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of stockholders. Any such update and supplement shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of the record date for notice of the meeting, not later than five (5) days after the later of such record date and the public announcement of such record date and (ii) in the case of any update or supplement required to be made as of fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting or adjournment or postponement thereof, not later than ten (10) days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation and to determine the independence of such director under the Exchange Act and rules and regulations thereunder and applicable stock exchange rules.

 

(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 persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (1) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof or (2) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote at the meeting on such matters, who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 14 and who is a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation. The number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the special meeting on such stockholder’s own behalf (or in the case of a stockholder giving the notice on behalf of a beneficial owner, the number of nominees a stockholder may nominate for election at the special meeting on behalf of such beneficial owner) shall not exceed the number of directors to be elected at such special meeting. In the event a special meeting of stockholders is called for the purpose of electing one or more directors to fill any vacancy or newly created directorship on the Board of Directors, any such stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting if the stockholder’s notice as required by paragraph (A)(2) of this Section 14 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which the Corporation first makes a public announcement of the date of the special meeting at which directors are to be elected. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(C)    General.

 

(1)    Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 14 shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at an annual or special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chair of the meeting (and in advance of the meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors or authorized committee thereof) shall, in addition to making any other determination that may be appropriate for the conduct of the meeting, have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws (including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies or votes in support of such stockholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with such stockholder’s representation as required by clause (A)(3)(c)(iv) of this Section 14) and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the chair of the meeting. The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of Directors. the chair of the meeting hall has the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chair, 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 chair of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting, (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chair of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants.

 

(2)    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 14, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that such proposal or nomination is set forth in the notice of meeting or other proxy materials and notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 14, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chair of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

(3)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, unless otherwise required by law, if any stockholder or Proponent Person (i) provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act with respect to any proposed nominee and (ii) subsequently fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act (or fails to timely provide reasonable evidence sufficient to satisfy the Corporation that such stockholder has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) and Rule 14a-l9(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act in accordance with the following sentence), then the nomination of each such proposed nominee shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that the nominee is included as a nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement, notice of meeting or other proxy materials for any annual meeting (or any supplement thereto) and notwithstanding that proxies or votes in respect of the election of such proposed nominees may have been received by the Corporation (which proxies and votes shall be disregarded). If any stockholder or Proponent Person provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act, such stockholder shall deliver to the Corporation, no later than five business days prior to the date of the meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof, reasonable evidence that it or such Stockholder Associated Person has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

(4)    Whenever used in these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure (a) in a press release released by the Corporation, provided such press release is released by the Corporation following its customary procedures, is reported by the Dow Jones News Service. Associated Press, Business Wire or PR Newswire or comparable national news service, or is generally available on internet news sites, or (b) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(5)    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 14, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 14; provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to these Bylaws (including paragraphs (A)(I)(c) and (B) of this Section 14), and compliance with paragraphs (A)(l)(c) and (B) of this Section 14 shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of any or series of Preferred Stock to elect directors under specified circumstances pursuant to any applicable provision of the Articles of Incorporation.

 

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 1    Number, Election and Terms of Directors. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall:

 

(a)    be managed by a Board of Directors which shall consist of not less than three (3) nor more than twelve (12) persons, who need not be residents of the State of Nevada or stockholders of the Corporation. The exact number of directors within the minimum and maximum limitations specified in the preceding sentence shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board of Directors. The directors shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, with the term of office of the first class to expire at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the term of office of the second class to expire at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the term of office of the third class to expire at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. At each Annual Meeting of Stockholders following such initial classification and election, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding Annual Meeting of Stockholders after their election.

 

(b)    Newly Created Directorships. A directorship to be filled by reason of any increase in the number of directors may be filled (i) by election at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called for that purpose or (ii) by the Board of Directors for a term of office continuing only until the next election of one or more directors by the stockholders- provided that the Board of Directors may not fill more than two such directorships during the period between any two successive annual meetings of stockholders.

 

(c)    Vacancies in the Board of Directors. Any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause shall be filled by a majority vote of the directors then in office, and directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of the class to which they have been elected expires. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

(d)    Removal of Directors. Any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

Section 2    Quorum. Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Board of Directors and the vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3    Place of Meetings, Order of Business. The directors may hold their meetings and may have an office and keep the books of the Corporation, except as otherwise provided by law, in such place or places, within or without the State of Nevada, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine by resolution. The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, or if he is not present, by the President, and the business of the meeting shall be transacted in such order as shall from time to time be determined by the Chairman of the Board, or in his absence, by the President, or by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4    First Meeting. Each newly elected Board of Directors may hold its first meeting for the purpose of organization and the transaction of business, if a quorum is present, immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of the stockholders. Notice of such meeting shall not be required. At the first meeting of the Board of Directors in each year at which a quorum shall be present, held next after the annual meeting of stockholders, the Board of Directors shall proceed to the election of the officers of the Corporation.

 

Section 5    Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as shall be designated from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notice of such regular meetings shall not be required.

 

Section 6    Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board, the President or on the written request of any two directors, by the Secretary, in each case on at least twenty-four (24) hours personal, written, telegraphic, cable or wireless notice to each director. Such notice, or any waiver thereof pursuant to ARTICLE VIII, Section 3 hereof, need not state the purpose or purposes of such meeting, except as may otherwise be required by law or provided for in the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

 

Section 7    Compensation. Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.

 

Section 8    Action Without a Meeting; Telephone Conference Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, either originally or in counterparts, consent thereto in writing. Such consent shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote at a meeting and may be stated as such in any document or instrument filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada.

 

Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation, subject to the requirement for notice of meetings, members of the Board of Directors, or members of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of such Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, by any means of remote communication (as contemplated by Nevada Revised Statutes 78.320), and participation in such a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting, except where a person participates in the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

Section 9    Approval or Ratification of Acts or Contracts by Stockholders. The Board of Directors in its discretion may submit any act or contract for approval or ratification at any annual meeting of the stockholders, or at any special meeting of the stockholders called for the purpose of considering any such act or contract, and any act or contract that shall be approved or be ratified by the vote of the stockholders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy at such meeting (provided that a quorum is present), shall be as valid and as binding upon the Corporation and upon all the stockholders as if it has been approved or ratified by every stockholder of the Corporation. In addition, any such act or contract may be approved or ratified by the written consent of stockholders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote and such consent shall be as valid and as binding upon the Corporation and upon all the stockholders as if it had been approved or ratified by every stockholder of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

 

Section 1    Designation; Powers. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole board, designate one or more committees, including, if they shall so determine, an executive committee, each such committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. Any such designated committee shall have and may exercise such of the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation as may be provided in such resolution, except that no such Committee shall have the power or authority of the Board of Directors in reference to amending the Articles of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution of the Corporation, or amending, altering or repealing the Bylaws or adopting new Bylaws for the Corporation and, unless such resolution or the Articles of Incorporation expressly so provides, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock. Any such designated committee may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. In addition to the above, such committee or committees shall have such other powers and limitations of authority as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 2    Procedure; Meetings, Quorum. Any committee designated pursuant to Section 1 of this Article shall choose its own chairman, shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors when requested, shall fix its own rules or procedures, and shall meet at such times and at such place or places as may be provided by such rules, or by resolution of such committee or resolution of the Board of Directors. At every meeting of any such committee, the presence of a majority of all the members thereof shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be necessary for the adoption by it of any resolution.

 

Section 3    Substitution of Members. 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 such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not constituting a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

 

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

 

Section 1    Number. The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Financial Officer, a principal accounting officer and a Secretary, each of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors and who shall hold office for such terms as shall be determined by the Board of Directors and until their successors are elected and qualify or until their earlier resignation or removal. In addition, the Board of Directors may elect one or more Presidents, one or more Vice Presidents, including one or more Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents and one or more Assistant Treasurers and one or more Assistant Secretaries, who shall hold their office 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. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

 

Section 2    Other Officers and Agents. The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it deems advisable, who shall hold their office for such terms and shall exercise and perform such powers and duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more officers called a Vice Chair, each of whom does not need to be a member of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3    Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer, who may also be the President, subject to the determination of the Board of Directors, shall have general executive charge, management, and control of the properties and operations of the Corporation in the ordinary course of its business, with all such powers with respect to such properties and operations as may be reasonably incident to such responsibilities or that are delegated to the Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors has not elected a Chair or in the absence or inability of the person elected to serve as the Chair to act as the Chair, the Chief Executive Officer shall exercise all of the powers and discharge all of the duties of the Chair, but only if the Chief Executive Officer is a director of the Corporation.

 

Section 4     Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer, who may also be the President, shall be the chief operating officer of the Corporation and shall perform, in general, all duties incident to the office of Chief Operating Officer and shall be responsible for the operations of the Corporation, including marketing, distribution, sales, and administrative responsibilities and such other duties as may be specified in these By-Laws or as may be assigned to him from time to time by the President and Chief Executive Officer (or, if the Chairman is then acting as chief executive officer of the Corporation, by the Chairman). The Chief Operating Officer shall report to the President and Chief Executive Officer (or, if the Chairman is then acting as chief executive officer of the Corporation, to the Chairman). In the absence of the President and Chief Executive Officer (or, if the Chairman is then acting as chief executive officer of the Corporation, the Chairman), the duties of such officer in such capacity shall be performed and the powers of such officer in such capacity may be exercised by the Chief Operating Officer; subject in any case to review and superseding action by the President and Chief Executive Officer (or, if the Chairman is then acting as chief executive officer of the Corporation, by the Chairman).

 

Section 5    President and Vice Presidents. The President and each Vice Pres ident, if any are appointed, of whom one or more may be designated an Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President, shall have such powers, and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him or her by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

Section 6    Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer, if any is appointed, shall have custody of the corporate funds, securities, evidence of indebtedness and other valuables of the Corporation and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors or its designees selected for such purposes. The Chief Financial Officer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation. taking proper vouchers therefor. The Chief Financial Officer shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, upon their request, a report of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, the Chief Financial Officer shall give the Corporation a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties in such amount and with such surety as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.

 

In addition, the Chief Financial Officer shall have such further powers and perform such other duties incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer as from time to time are assigned to him or her by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

Section 7    Secretary. The Secretary shall: (a) cause minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and directors to be recorded and kept properly; (b) cause all notices required by these Bylaws or otherwise to be given properly; (c) see that the minute books, stock books, and other nonfinancial books, records and papers of the Corporation are kept properly; and (d) cause all reports, statements, returns, certificates and other documents to be prepared and filed when and as required. The Secretary shall have such further powers and perform such other duties as prescribed from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

Section 8    Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries. Each Assistant Treasurer and each Assistant Secretary, if any are appointed, shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, respectively, in the absence or disability of such officer, unless or until the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors shall otherwise determine. In addition, Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9    Corporate Funds and Checks. The funds of the Corporation shall be kept in such depositories as shall from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors or its designees selected for such purposes. All checks or other orders for the payment of money shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer, a Pres ident, a Vice Pres ident, the Chief Financial Officer or the Secretary or such other person or agent as may from time to time be authorized and with such countersignature, if any, as may be required by the Board of Di rectors.

 

Section 10    Contracts and Other Documents. The Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and the Secretary, or such other officer or officers as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors or any other committee given specific authority in the premises by the Board of Directors during the intervals between the meetings of the Board of Directors, shall have power to sign and execute on behalf of the Corporation deeds, conveyances and contracts, and any and all other documents requiring execution by the Corporation.

 

Section 11    Ownership of Stock of Another Entity. Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer or the Secretary, or such other officer or agent as shall be authorized by the Board of Directors, shall have the power and authority, on behalf of the Corporation, to attend and to vote at any meeting of security holders of any entity in which the Corporation holds securities or equity interests and may exercise, on behalf of the Corporation, any and all of the rights and powers incident to the ownership of such securities or equity interests at any such meeting, including the authority to execute and deliver proxies and consents on behalf of the Corporation.

 

Section 12    Delegation of Duties. In the absence, disability, or refusal of any officer to exercise and perform his or her duties, the Board of Directors may delegate to another officer such powers or duties.

 

Section 13    Resignation and Removal. Any officer of the Corporation may be removed from office for or without cause at any time by the Board of Directors. Any Vice President, Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer, or other officer of the Corporation (other than the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) may also be removed by the Chair or the Chief Executive Officer whenever, in his or her judgment. the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby. Any officer may resign at any time in the same manner prescribed these Bylaws.

 

Section 14    Vacancies. The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill vacancies occurring in any office.

 

ARTICLE VI

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS

 

Section 1    To the fullest extent allowed by Nevada law, any director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for an act or omission in the director’s capacity as a director, except that this ARTICLE VI does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director for:

 

(a)    an act or omission which involves intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law; or

 

(b)    the payment of dividends in violation of Nevada Revised Statutes 78.300.

 

Section 2    The Corporation shall indemnify each director, officer, agent and employee, now or hereafter serving the Corporation, each former director, officer, agent and employee, and each person who may now or hereafter serve or who may have heretofore served at the Corporation’s request as a director, officer, agent or employee of another corporation or other business enterprise, and the respective heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives of each of them against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by, or imposed upon, him in connection with the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding, civil or criminal against him by reason of his being or having been such director, officer, agent or employee, except in relation to such matters as to which he shall be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom in such action, suit or proceedings to be liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of duty. For purposes hereof, the term “expenses” shall include but not be limited to all expenses, costs, attorneys’ fees, judgments (including adjudications other than on the merits), fines, penalties, arbitration awards, costs of arbitration and sums paid out and liabilities actually and reasonably incurred or imposed in connection with any suit, claim, action or proceeding, and any settlement or compromise thereof approved by the Board of Directors as being in the best interests of the Corporation. However, in any case in which there is no disinterested majority of the Board of Directors available, the indemnification shall be made: (1) only if the Corporation shall be advised in writing by counsel that in the opinion of counsel (a) such officer, director, agent or employee was not adjudged or found liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of duty as such director, officer, agent or employee or the indemnification provided is only in connection with such matters as to which the person to be indemnified was not so liable, and in the case of settlement or compromise, the same is in the best interests of the Corporation; and (b) indemnification under the circumstances is lawful and falls within the provisions of these Bylaws and (2) only in such amount as counsel shall advise the Corporation in writing is, in his opinion, proper. In making or refusing to make any payment under this or any other provisions of these Bylaws, the Corporation, its directors, officers, employees and agents shall be fully protected if they rely upon the written opinion of counsel selected by, or in the manner designated by, the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3    Expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in these Bylaws.

 

Section 4    The Corporation may indemnify each person, though he is not or was not a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation, who served at the request of the Corporation on a committee created by the Board to consider and report to it in respect of any matter. Any such indemnification may be made under the provisions hereof and shall be subject to the limitations hereof, except that (as indicated) any such committee member need not be nor have been a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation.

 

Section 5    The provisions hereof shall be applicable to actions, suits or proceedings (including appeals) commenced after the adoption hereof, whether arising from acts or omissions to act occurring before or after the adoption hereof.

 

Section 6    The indemnification provisions herein provided shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, or by law or statute, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or Agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

Section 7    The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and persons described in Section 4 of this Article above, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnity him against such liability under the provisions of these Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE VII

CAPITAL STOCK

 

Section 1    Certificates of Stock. The shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be represented by a certificate, unless the Board of Directors of the Corporation adopts a resolution permitting shares to be uncertificated (as provided in Nevada Revised Statutes 78.325). Every holder of capital stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate for shares of capital stock. The certificates for shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be in such form, not inconsistent with that required by law and the Articles of Incorporation, as shall be approved by the Board of Directors. The President or a Vice President shall cause to be issued to each stockholder one or more certificates, under the seal of the Corporation or a facsimile thereof if the Board of Directors shall have provided for such seal, and signed by the President or a Vice President and the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer certifying the number of shares (and, if the stock of the Corporation shall be divided into classes or series, the class and series of such shares) owned by such stockholder in the Corporation; provided however, that any of or all the signatures on the certificate may be facsimile. The stock record books, and the blank stock certificate books shall be kept by the Secretary, or at the office of such transfer agent or transfer agents as the Board of Directors may from time to time by resolution determine. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who shall have signed or whose facsimile signature or signatures shall have been placed upon any such certificate or certificates shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued by the Corporation, such certificate may nevertheless be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. The stock certificates shall be consecutively numbered and shall be entered in the books of the Corporation as they are issued and shall exhibit the holder’s name and number of shares. Shares of stock of the Corporation may also be evidenced by registration in the holder’s name in uncertificated form and represented by an electronic record on the books of the Corporation in accordance with a Direct Registration System approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission and by the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC, or any securities exchange on which the stock of the Corporation may from time to time be traded.

 

Section 2    Transfer of Shares. 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, and in the case of certificated shares of stock, only by the person named in the certificate or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, properly endorsed for transfer and payment of all necessary transfer taxes; or, in the case of uncertificated shares of stock, upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered holder of the shares or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing, and upon payment of all necessary transfer taxes and compliance with appropriate procedures for transferring shares in uncertificated form; provided, however, that such surrender and endorsement, compliance or payment of taxes shall not be required in any case in which the officers of the Corporation shall determine to waive such requirement. With respect to certificated shares of stock, every certificate exchanged, returned, or surrendered to the Corporation shall be marked “Cancelled,” with the date of cancellation, by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or the transfer agent thereof. 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.

 

Section 3    Stock Transfer Agreements. The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the laws of the State of Nevada.

 

Section 4    Ownership of Shares. The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of capital stock of the Corporation 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 shares 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 Nevada.

 

Section 5    Regulations Regarding Certificates. The Board of Directors shall have the power and authority to make all such rules, restrictions, and regulations as they may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration or the replacement of certificates for shares of capital stock of the Corporation.

 

Section 6    Lost or Destroyed Certificates. The Board of Directors may determine the conditions upon which a new certificate of stock may be issued in place of a certificate which is alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed; and may, in their discretion, require the owner of such certificate or his legal representative to give bond, with sufficient surety, to indemnity the Corporation and each transfer agent and registrar against any and all losses or claims which may arise by reason of the issue of a new certificate in the place of the one so lost, stolen or destroyed.

 

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 1    Dividends. The Directors of the Corporation, subject to any restrictions contained in the articles of incorporation, may declare, and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation's capital stock. The Directors of the Corporation may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing, or maintaining any property of the corporation, and meeting contingencies.

 

Section 2    Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be such as established from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3    Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal containing the name of the Corporation. The Secretary shall have charge of the seal (if any). If and when so directed by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, duplicates of the seal may be kept and used by the Treasurer or by the Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer.

 

Section 4    Notice and Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given by law, the Articles of Incorporation or under the provisions of these Bylaws, said notice shall be deemed to be sufficient if given (i) by telegraphic, cable, electronic mail or wireless transmission or (ii) by deposit of the same in a post office box in a sealed prepaid wrapper addressed to the person entitled thereto at his post office address, as it appears on the records of the Corporation, and such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the day of such transmission or mailing as the case may be.

 

Section 5    Resignations. Any director, member of a committee or officer may resign at any time. Such resignation shall be made in writing and shall take effect at the time specified therein, or if no time be specified, at the time of its receipt by the chief executive officer or Secretary. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective, unless expressly so provided in the resignation.

 

Section 6    Facsimile Signatures. In addition to the provisions for the use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 7    Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records. Each director and each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors shall, in the performance of his duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or reports made to the Corporation by any of its officers, or by an independent certified public accountant, or by an appraiser selected with reasonable care by the Board of Directors or by any such committee, or in relying in good faith upon other records of the Corporation.

 

Section 8    Construction; Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions in Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 78, as amended, shall govern the construction of these Bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular, and the term "person" includes both a corporation and a natural person.

 

 

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

 

The Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend and repeal from time to time the Bylaws of the Corporation, subject to the right of the stockholders entitled to vote by law with respect thereto to amend or repeal such Bylaws as adopted or amended by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that in the case of amendments by stockholders or any repeal by stockholders, notwithstanding any other provisions of these Bylaws or any other provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock of the Corporation required by law, the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal any provision of these Bylaws.

 
v3.23.3
Document And Entity Information
Nov. 29, 2023
Document Information [Line Items]  
Entity, Registrant Name USIO, INC.
Current Fiscal Year End Date --12-31
Document, Type 8-K
Document, Period End Date Nov. 29, 2023
Entity, Incorporation, State or Country Code NV
Entity, File Number 000-30152
Entity, Tax Identification Number 98-0190072
Entity, Address, Address Line One 3611 Paesanos Parkway, Suite 300
Entity, Address, City or Town San Antonio
Entity, Address, State or Province TX
Entity, Address, Postal Zip Code 78231
City Area Code 210
Local Phone Number 249-4100
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Title of 12(b) Security Common stock
Trading Symbol USIO
Security Exchange Name NASDAQ
Entity, Emerging Growth Company false
Amendment Flag false
Entity, Central Index Key 0001088034

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