BY-LAWS
JUNE 22, 1999
BANKERS TRUST CORPORATION
(INCORPORATED UNDER THE NEW YORK BUSINESS CORPORATION LAW)
1
BANKERS TRUST CORPORATION
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BY-LAWS
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ARTICLE I
SHAREHOLDERS
SECTION 1.01 ANNUAL MEETINGS. The annual meetings of shareholders for the
election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may
properly come before the meeting shall be held on the third Tuesday in April
of each year, if not a legal holiday, and if a legal holiday then on the next
succeeding business day, at such hour as shall be designated by the Board of
Directors. If no other hour shall be so designated such meeting shall be held
at 3 P.M.
SECTION 1.02 SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the shareholders, except
those regulated otherwise by statute, may be called at any time by the Board
of Directors, or by any person or committee expressly so authorized by the
Board of Directors and by no other person or persons.
SECTION 1.03 PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of shareholders shall be held at
such place within or without the State of New York as shall be determined
from time to time by the Board of Directors or, in the case of special
meetings, by such person or persons as may be authorized to call a meeting.
The place in which each meeting is to be held shall be specified in the
notice of such meeting.
SECTION 1.04 NOTICE OF MEETINGS. A copy of the written notice of the place,
date and hour of each meeting of shareholders shall be given personally or by
mail, not less than ten nor more than fifty days before the date of the
meeting, to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting. Notice of a
special meeting shall indicate that it is being issued by or at the direction
of the person or persons calling the meeting and shall also state the purpose
or purposes for which the meeting is called. Notice of any meeting at which
is proposed to take action which would entitle shareholders to receive
payment for their shares pursuant to statutory provisions must include a
statement of that purpose and to that effect. If mailed, such notices of the
annual and each special meeting are given when deposited in the United States
mail, postage prepaid, directed to the shareholder at his address as it
appears in the record of shareholders unless he shall have filed with the
Secretary of the corporation a written request that notices intended for him
shall be mailed to some other address, in which case it shall be directed to
him at such other address.
SECTION 1.05 RECORD DATE. For the purpose of determining the shareholders
entitled to notice of or to vote any meeting of shareholders or any
adjournment thereof, or to express consent to or dissent from any proposal
without a meeting, or for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to
receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any rights, or for the
purpose of any other action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a
date as the record date for any such determination of shareholders. Such date
shall not be more than fifty nor less than ten days before the date of such
meeting, nor more than fifty days prior to any other action.
SECTION 1.06 QUORUM. The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a
majority of the shares entitled to vote thereat shall constitute a quorum at
a meeting of shareholders for the transaction of business, except as
otherwise provided by statute, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by the
By-Laws. The shareholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote
at any meeting, despite the absence of a quorum, shall have power to adjourn
the meeting from time to time, to a designated time and place, without notice
other than by announcement at the meeting, and at any adjourned meeting any
business may be transacted that might have been transacted on the original
date of the meeting. However, if after the adjournment the Board of Directors
fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned
meeting shall be given to each shareholder of record on the new record date
entitled to notice.
SECTION 1.07 NOTICE OF SHAREHOLDER BUSINESS AT ANNUAL MEETING. At an annual
meeting of shareholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have
been brought before the meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of
Directors or (b) by any shareholder of the corporation who complies with the
notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.07. For business to be properly
brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder, the shareholder must have
given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation.
To be timely, a shareholder's notice must be delivered to or mailed and
received at the principal executive offices of the corporation not less than
thirty days nor more than fifty days prior to the meeting; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that in the event that less than forty days' notice or prior public
disclosure of the date of the meeting is given or made to shareholders,
notice by the shareholder to be timely must be received not later than the
close of business on the tenth day following the day on which such notice of
the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was made.
A shareholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth as to each matter the
shareholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (a) a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting
and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (b) the
name and address, as they appear on the corporation's books, of the
shareholder proposing such business, (c) the class and number of shares of
the corporation which are beneficially owned by the shareholder and (d) any
material interest of the shareholder in such business. Notwithstanding
anything in these By-Laws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at
an annual meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this
Section 1.07 and Section 2.03. The Chairman of an annual meeting shall, if
the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not
properly brought before the meeting and in accordance with the provisions of
this Section 1.07 and Section 2.03, and if he should so determine, he shall
so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before
the meeting shall not be transacted.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 2.01 NUMBER AND QUALIFICATIONS. The business of the corporation shall
be managed by its Board of Directors. The number of directors constituting
the entire Board of Directors shall be not less than seven nor more than
fifteen, as shall be fixed from time to time by vote of a majority of the
entire Board of Directors. Each director shall be at least 21 years of age.
Directors need not be shareholders. No Officer-Director who shall have
attained age 65, or earlier relinquishes his responsibilities and title,
shall be eligible to serve as a director.
SECTION 2.02 ELECTION. At each annual meeting of shareholders, directors
shall be elected by a plurality of the votes to hold office until the next
annual meeting. Subject to the provisions of the statute, of the Certificate
of Incorporation and of the By-Laws, each director shall hold office until
the expiration of the term for which elected, and until his successor has
been elected and qualified.
SECTION 2.03 NOMINATION AND NOTIFICATION OF NOMINATION. Subject to the rights
of holders of any class or series of stock having a preference over the
Common Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, nominations for the
election of directors may be made by the Board of Directors or to any
committee appointed by the Board of Directors or by any shareholder entitled
to vote in the election of directors generally. However, any shareholder
entitled to vote in the election of directors generally may nominate one or
more persons for election as directors at a meeting only if written notice of
such shareholder's intent to make such nomination or nominations has been
given, either by personal delivery or by United States mail, postage prepaid,
to the Secretary of the corporation not later than (i) with respect to an
election to be held at an annual meeting of shareholders ninety days in
advance of such meeting, and (ii) with respect to an election to be held at a
special meeting of shareholders for the election of directors, the close of
business on the seventh day following the date on which notice of such
meeting is first given to shareholders. Each such notice shall set forth: (a)
the name and address of the shareholder who intends to make the nomination
and of the person or persons to be nominated; (b) a representation that the
shareholder is a holder of record of stock of the corporation entitled to
vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the
meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice; (c) a
description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder and
each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons)
pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the
shareholder; (d) such other information regarding each nominee proposed by
such shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement
filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
had the nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated, by the Board of
Directors; and (e) the consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the
corporation if so elected. At the request of the Board of Directors, any
person nominated by the Board of Directors for election as a director shall
furnish to the Secretary of the corporation that information required to be
set forth in a shareholder's notice of nomination which pertains to the
nominee. No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the
corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in
the By-Laws. The Chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant,
determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in
accordance with the procedures prescribed by these By-Laws, and if he should
so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination
shall be disregarded.
SECTION 2.04 REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may
be held without notice at such places and times as may be fixed from time to
time by resolution of the Board and a regular meeting for the purpose of
organization and transaction of other business shall be held each year after
the adjournment of the annual meeting of shareholders.
SECTION 2.05 SPECIAL MEETINGS. The Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, the Senior Vice Chairman or any Vice Chairman may,
and at the request of three directors shall, call a special meeting of the
Board of Directors, two days' notice of which shall be given in person or by
mail, telegraph, radio, telephone or cable. Notice of a special meeting need
not be given to any director who submits a signed waiver of notice whether
before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting,
prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him.
SECTION 2.06 PLACE OF MEETING. The directors may hold their meetings, have
one or more offices, and keep the books of the corporation (except as may be
provided by law) at any place, either within or without the State of New
York, as they may from time to time determine.
SECTION 2.07 QUORUM AND VOTE. At all meetings of the Board of Directors the
presence of one-third of the entire Board, but not less than two directors,
shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. Any one or more members of the Board of Directors or
of any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board of
Directors or a committee thereof by means of a conference telephone or
similar communications equipment which allows all persons participating in
the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means
shall constitute presence in person at such a meeting. The vote of a majority
of the directors present at the time of the vote, if a quorum is present at
such time, shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be
otherwise provided by statute or the By-Laws.
SECTION 2.08 VACANCIES. Newly created directorships resulting from increase
in the number of directors and vacancies in the Board of Directors, whether
caused by resignation, death, removal or otherwise, may be filled by vote of
a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum
exists.
ARTICLE III
EXECUTIVE AND OTHER COMMITTEES
SECTION 3.01 DESIGNATION AND AUTHORITY. The Board of Directors, by resolution
adopted by a majority of the entire Board, may designate from among its
members an Executive Committee and other committees, each consisting of three
or more directors. Each such committee, to the extent provided in the
resolution or the By-Laws, shall have all the authority of the Board, except
that no such committee shall have authority as to:
(i) the submission to shareholders of any action as to which
shareholders' authorization is required by law.
(ii) the filling of vacancies in the Board of Directors or any
committee.
(iii) the fixing of compensation of directors for serving on the Board
or on any committee.
(iv) the amendment or appeal of the By-Laws, or the adoption of new
By-Laws.
(v) the amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board which by
its terms shall not be so amendable or repealable.
The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any
such committee, who may replace any absent member or members at any meeting
of such committee. Each such committee shall serve at the pleasure of the
Board of Directors.
SECTION 3.02 PROCEDURE. Except as may be otherwise provided by statute, by
the By-Laws or by resolution of the Board of Directors, each committee may
make rules for the call and conduct of its meetings. Each committee shall
keep a record of its acts and proceedings and shall report the same from time
to time to the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
SECTION 4.01 TITLES AND GENERAL. The Board of Directors shall elect from
among their number a Chairman of the Board and a Chief Executive Officer, and
may also elect a President, a Senior Vice Chairman, one or more Vice
Chairmen, one or
more Executive Vice Presidents, one or more Senior Vice Presidents, one or
more Principals, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Controller, a
Treasurer, a General Counsel, a General Auditor, and a General Credit
Auditor, who need not be directors. The officers of the corporation may also
include such other officers or assistant officers as shall from time to time
be elected or appointed by the Board. The Chairman of the Board or the Chief
Executive Officer or, in their absence, the President, the Senior Vice
Chairman or any Vice Chairman, may from time to time appoint assistant
officers. All officers elected or appointed by the Board of Directors shall
hold their respective offices during the pleasure of the Board of Directors,
and all assistant officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board or
the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or, in their
absence, the President, the Senior Vice Chairman or any Vice Chairman. The
Board of Directors may require any and all officers and employees to give
security for the faithful performance of their duties.
SECTION 4.02 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Chairman of the Board shall preside
at all meetings of the shareholders and of the Board of Directors. Subject to
the Board of Directors, he shall exercise all the powers and perform all the
duties usual to such office and shall have such other powers as may be
prescribed by the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee or vested in
him by the By-Laws.
SECTION 4.03 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Board of Directors shall designate
the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation, which person may also hold
the additional title of Chairman of the Board, President, Senior Vice
Chairman or Vice Chairman. Subject to the Board of Directors, he shall
exercise all the powers and perform all the duties usual to such office and
shall have such other powers as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors
or the Executive Committee or vested in him by the By-Laws.
SECTION 4.04 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT, SENIOR VICE CHAIRMAN, VICE
CHAIRMEN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS, PRINCIPALS AND
VICE PRESIDENTS. The Chairman of the Board or, in his absence or incapacity
the President or, in his absence or incapacity, the Senior Vice Chairman, the
Vice Chairmen, the Executive Vice Presidents, or in their absence, the Senior
Vice Presidents, in the order established by the Board of Directors shall, in
the absence or incapacity of the Chief Executive Officer perform the duties
of the Chief Executive Officer. The President, the Senior Vice Chairman, the
Vice Chairmen, the Executive Vice Presidents, the Senior Vice Presidents, the
Principals, and the Vice Presidents shall also perform such other duties and
have such other powers as may be prescribed or assigned to them,
respectively, from time to time by the Board of Directors, the Executive
Committee, the Chief Executive Officer, or the By-Laws.
SECTION 4.05 CONTROLLER. The Controller shall perform all the duties
customary to that office and except as may be otherwise provided by the Board
of Directors shall have the general supervision of the books of account of
the corporation and shall also perform such other duties and have such powers
as may be prescribed or assigned to him from time to time by the Board of
Directors, the Executive Committee, the Chief Executive Officer, or the
By-Laws.
SECTION 4.06 SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings
of the Board of Directors and of the shareholders and shall have the custody
of the seal of the corporation. He shall perform all other duties usual to
that office, and shall also perform such other duties and have such powers as
may be prescribed or assigned to him from time to time by the Board of
Directors, the Executive Committee, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, or the By-Laws.
ARTICLE V
INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND OTHERS
SECTION 5.01 The corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by
Section 721 of the New York Business Corporation Law, indemnify any person
who is or was made, or threatened to be made, a party to an action or
proceeding, whether civil or criminal, whether involving any actual or
alleged breach of duty, neglect or error, any accountability, or any actual
or alleged misstatement, misleading statement or other act or omission and
whether brought or threatened in any court or administrative or legislative
body or agency, including an action by or in the right of the corporation to
procure a judgment in its favor and an action by or in the right of any other
corporation of any type or kind, domestic or foreign, or any partnership,
joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, which any
director or officer of the corporation is serving or served in any capacity
at the request of the corporation by reason of the fact that he, his testator
or intestate, is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or is
serving or served such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other enterprise in any capacity, against judgments,
fines, amounts paid in settlement, and costs, charges and expenses, including
attorneys' fees, or any appeal therein; provided, however, that no
indemnification shall be provided to any such person if a judgment or other
final adjudication adverse to the director or officer establishes that (i)
his acts were committed in bad faith or were the result of active and
deliberate dishonesty and, in either case, were material to the cause of
action so adjudicated, or (ii) he personally gained in fact a financial
profit or other advantage to which he was not legally entitled.
SECTION 5.02 The corporation may indemnify any other person to whom the
corporation is permitted to provide indemnification or the advancement of
expenses by applicable law, whether pursuant to rights granted pursuant to,
or provided by, the New York Business Corporation Law or other rights created
by (i) a resolution of shareholders, (ii) a resolution of directors, or (iii)
an agreement providing for such indemnification, it being expressly intended
that these By-Laws authorize the creation of other rights in any such manner.
SECTION 5.03 The corporation shall, from time to time, reimburse or advance
to any person referred to in Section 5.01 the funds necessary for payment of
expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred in connection with any action
or proceeding referred to in Section 5.01, upon receipt of a written
undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount(s) if a
judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the director or officer
establishes that (i) his acts were committed in bad faith or were the result
of active and deliberate dishonesty and, in either case, were material to the
cause of action so adjudicated, or (ii) he personally gained in fact a
financial profit or other advantage to which he was not legally entitled.
SECTION 5.04 Any director or officer of the corporation serving (i) another
corporation, of which a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the
election of its directors is held by the corporation, or (ii) any employee
benefit plan of the corporation or any corporation referred to in clause (i),
in any capacity shall be deemed to be doing so at the request of the
corporation. In all other cases, the provisions of this Article V will apply
(i) only if the person serving another corporation or any partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise so served at the
specific request of the corporation, evidenced by a written communication
signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the
President, the Senior Vice Chairman or any Vice Chairman, and (ii) only if
and to the extent that, after making such efforts as the Chairman of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President shall deem adequate in
the circumstances, such person shall be unable to obtain indemnification from
such other enterprise or its insurer.
SECTION 5.05 Any person entitled to be indemnified or to the reimbursement or
advancement of expenses as a matter of right pursuant to this Article V may
elect to have the right to
indemnification (or advancement of expenses) interpreted on the basis of the
applicable law in effect at the time of the occurrence of the event or events
giving rise to the action or proceeding, to the extent permitted by law, or
on the basis of the applicable law in effect at the time indemnification is
sought.
SECTION 5.06 The right to be indemnified or to the reimbursement or
advancement of expenses pursuant to this Article V (i) is a contract right
pursuant to which the person entitled thereto may bring suit as if the
provisions hereof were set forth in a separate written contract between the
corporation and the director or officer, (ii) is intended to be retroactive
and shall be available with respect to events occurring prior to the adoption
hereof, and (iii) shall continue to exist after the rescission or restrictive
modification hereof with respect to events occurring prior thereto.
SECTION 5.07 If a request to be indemnified or for the reimbursement or
advancement of expenses pursuant hereto is not paid in full by the
corporation within thirty days after a written claim has been received by the
corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the
corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in
whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled also to be paid the expenses
of prosecuting such claim. Neither the failure of the corporation (including
its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its shareholders) to
have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that
indemnification of or reimbursement or advancement of expenses to the
claimant is proper in the circumstances, nor an actual determination by the
corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or
its shareholders) that the claimant is not entitled to indemnification or to
the reimbursement or advancement of expenses, shall be a defense to the
action or create a presumption that the claimant is not so entitled.
SECTION 5.08 A person who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in
the defense of a civil or criminal action or proceeding of the character
described in Section 5.01 shall be entitled to indemnification only as
provided in Sections 5.01 and 5.03, notwithstanding any provision of the New
York Business Corporation Law to the contrary.
ARTICLE VI
SEAL
SECTION 6.01 CORPORATE SEAL. The corporate seal shall contain the name of the
corporation and the year and state of its incorporation. The seal may be
altered from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII
SHARE CERTIFICATES
SECTION 7.01 FORM. The certificates for shares of the corporation shall be in
such form as shall be approved by the Board of Directors and shall be signed
by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the
Senior Vice Chairman or any Vice Chairman and the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary, and shall be sealed with the seal of the corporation or a
facsimile thereof. The signatures of the officers upon the certificate may be
facsimiles if the
certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent or registered by a registrar
other than the corporation itself or its employees.
ARTICLE VIII
CHECKS
SECTION 8.01 SIGNATURES. All checks, drafts and other orders for the payment
of money shall be signed by such officer or officers or agent or agents as
the Board of Directors may designate from time to time.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENT
SECTION 9.01 AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS. The By-Laws may be amended, repealed or
added to by vote of the holders of the shares at the time entitled to vote in
the election of any directors. The Board of Directors may also amend, repeal
or add to the By-Laws, but any By-Laws adopted by the Board of Directors may
be amended or repealed by the shareholders entitled to vote thereon as
provided herein. If any By-Law regulating an impending election of directors
is adopted, amended or repealed by the Board, there shall be set forth in the
notice of the next meeting of shareholders for the election of directors the
By-Laws so adopted, amended or repealed, together with concise statement of
the changes made.
ARTICLE X
SECTION 10.01 CONSTRUCTION. The masculine gender, when appearing in these
By-Laws, shall be deemed to include the feminine gender.
I, Marc J. Parilla, Assistant Vice President of Bankers Trust Company, New
York, New York, hereby certify that the foregoing is a complete, true and
correct copy of the By-Laws of Bankers Trust Company, and that the same are
in full force and effect at this date.
/s/ Marc J. Parilla
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Marc J. Parilla
Assistant Vice President
DATED: December 21, 1999