|







|
CTS Corporation Bylaws
ARTICLE I.
Officers
The officers of CTS Corporation (the
"Corporation") shall be a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a
Secretary, a Treasurer and a Controller. The Board of Directors may
also elect one or more Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and
Assistant Controllers, and such other officers as may be determined,
from time to time, by the Board of Directors.
The President shall be a director of
the Corporation. Any offices, other than those of President and
Secretary, may be held by the same person.
The officers of the Corporation shall
be elected by the Board of Directors at the annual meeting of the Board
of Directors for the term of one year and until their successors have
been elected and qualified. Any vacancy occurring among the above
offices may be filled for the remainder of the term by the Board of
Directors at any regular or special meeting, and officers so elected
shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the Board of
Directors and until their successors have been elected and qualified.
ARTICLE II.
Board of Directors Organization
Section 1.
The Board of Directors shall elect, from the members of the Board of
Directors who are not officers of the Corporation, an Audit Committee
consisting of not less than two members. The members of the Audit
Committee shall be elected at each annual meeting of the Board of
Directors to serve, while qualified, at the pleasure of the Board of
Directors, or if longer, for one year and until their successors have
been elected and qualified.
The Audit Committee shall be
responsible directly to the Board of Directors and, in addition to such
authority and duties specifically delegated by the Board of Directors,
shall have the authority to review the conduct and the report of the
independent financial audit of the Corporation and shall report to the
Board of Directors the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the
Audit Committee regarding the conduct and report of the independent
financial audit.
Unless the Board of Directors
designates a Chairman, a majority of the members of the Audit Committee
may designate one member of the Audit Committee as Chairman of the Audit
Committee to preside at all meetings of the Audit Committee.
Section 2.
The Board of Directors shall elect from members of the Board of
Directors, who are not officers of the Corporation, a Compensation
Committee consisting of not less than two members. The members of the
Compensation Committee shall be elected at each annual meeting of the
Board of Directors to serve, while qualified, at the pleasure of the
Board of Directors, or if longer, for one year and until their
successors have been elected and qualified.
The Compensation Committee shall be
responsible directly to the Board of Directors and, in addition to such
authority and duties specifically delegated by the Board of Directors,
shall have authority to review, and make recommendations to the Board of
Directors regarding the compensation, including fringe benefits and
stock options, for the officers of the Corporation.
Unless the Board of Directors
designates a Chairman, a majority of the members of the Compensation
Committee may designate one member of the Compensation Committee as
Chairman of the Compensation Committee to preside at all meetings of the
Compensation Committee.
Section 3.
The Board of Directors shall designate from members of the Board of
Directors, a Chairman of the Board, who shall preside at meetings of
shareholders and of the Board of Directors unless the Chairman shall
designate an officer or other director of the Corporation to do so. The
Chairman of the Board shall have such additional authority as granted by
the Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as are
assigned from time to time by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE III.
Corporate Officers
Section 1.
The President shall exercise specific authority and supervision over,
and shall be responsible for the direction of, the business and affairs
of the Corporation, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors.
In addition, the President may be designated the Chief Executive Officer
and, if so, shall have the additional authority and duties and
responsibilities specified in these Bylaws. The President shall also
perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time, by the
Board of Directors. The President shall perform all the duties of the
Chairman of the Board in the absence or during any disability of the
Chairman.
Section 2.
The Board of Directors shall designate the Chairman of the Board or the
President as the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. In
addition to other duties as an officer, the Chief Executive Officer
shall exercise general authority and supervision over, and shall be
responsible for, management of the business and affairs of the
Corporation, subject to the direction of the Board of Directors.
The Chief Executive Officer shall
determine the organization of the officers of the Corporation, shall
designate to whom such officers shall report and be responsible, and
subject to the direction of the Board of Directors shall determine their
respective duties and responsibilities.
Section 3.
Each Vice President shall perform such duties as may be assigned from
time to time by the President and shall report to and be responsible to
such officer as the President shall designate. Each Vice President
shall also have such additional authority and shall perform such other
duties assigned from time to time, by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors may designate a
word or words to be placed before or after the title of Vice President
to indicate organizational or functional authority or duty.
Section 4.
The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the shareholders and Board of
Directors and all committees, and shall keep minutes of each meeting.
The Secretary shall give proper notice of all meetings of shareholders,
directors and committees, required in these Bylaws. The Secretary shall
maintain proper records of ownership and transfer of the stock of the
Corporation. The Secretary shall have the custody of, and affix, the
seal of the Corporation and perform such other duties as may be assigned
from time to time by the Board of Directors.
Section 5.
The Vice President Finance/Chief Financial Officer, shall be responsible
for the financial affairs of the Corporation, shall submit to the annual
meeting of shareholders a statement of the financial condition of the
Corporation, and whenever required by the Board of Directors, shall give
account of all transactions and of the financial condition of the
Corporation. The Treasurer shall report to the Vice President
Finance/Chief Financial Officer. The Treasurer shall establish and
maintain appropriate banking relations and arrangements on behalf of the
Corporation. The Treasurer shall receive and have custody of, and shall
disburse, all moneys of the Corporation, and in the name of the
Corporation, shall deposit all moneys in, and disburse all moneys from,
such bank, or banks, as the Board of Directors shall designate, from
time to time, as the depositories of the Corporation. The Treasurer
shall perform such other duties and render such services for, and on
behalf of, the Corporation as may be assigned from time to time by the
Vice President Finance, Chief Financial Officer.
Section 6.
The Controller shall be the accounting officer of the Corporation and
shall formulate accounting procedures to record expenses, losses, gains,
assets and liabilities of the Corporation, to report and interpret
results of operations of the Corporation and to assure protection of the
assets of the Corporation. The Controller shall prepare and submit to
the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer such periodic
balance sheets, profit and loss statements and other financial
statements as may be required to keep such persons currently informed of
the operations and the financial condition of the Corporation. The
Controller shall perform such other duties assigned from time to time by
the Chief Executive Officer.
Section 7.
The Assistant Secretary or Secretaries, Assistant Treasurer or
Treasurers, and the Assistant Controller or Controllers shall perform
the duties of the Secretary, of the Treasurer, and of the Controller,
respectively, in the absence of those officers and shall have such
further authority and perform such other duties as may be assigned.
ARTICLE IV.
Duties
of Officers Delegated
In the absence or disability of any
officer of the Corporation, the Board of Directors may delegate the
powers and duties of any such officer to any other officer or director
of the Corporation for such period of time as said Board of Directors
may determine.
ARTICLE V.
Bonds
The Board of Directors or the Chief
Executive Officer may require any officer, agent, or employee of the
Corporation to furnish the Corporation a bond for the faithful
performance of duties and for the accounting of all moneys, securities,
records, or other property of the Corporation coming into the hands of
such agent or employee.
ARTICLE VI.
Meetings of Shareholders
Section 1.
Meetings of the shareholders of the Corporation shall be held at the
place, either within or without the State of Indiana, stated in the
notice of said meeting. The Board may postpone and reschedule any
previously scheduled annual or special meeting of the shareholders.
Section 2.
The annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation shall be held on
the last Friday in April of each year or at such other time established
for such meeting by the directors.
Section 3.
A complete list of the shareholders entitled to vote at any
shareholders' meeting, arranged in alphabetical order and containing the
address and number of shares of stock so held by each shareholder who is
entitled to vote at said meeting, shall be prepared by the Secretary and
shall be subject to the inspection by any shareholder at the time and
place of an annual meeting and at the principal office of the
Corporation for five (5) days prior thereto.
Section 4.
At all shareholders' meetings a quorum shall consist of a majority of
all of the shares of stock outstanding and entitled by the Articles of
Incorporation to vote on the business to be transacted at said meeting,
but a meeting composed of less than a quorum may adjourn the meeting
from day to day thereafter or until some future time.
Section 5.
At the annual meeting of the shareholders, there shall be elected, by
plurality vote, a Board of Directors, who shall hold office until the
next annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors have been
elected and qualified. The classes and terms of the directors shall not
be governed by Indiana Code § 23-1-33-6(c).
Section 6.
At all shareholders' meetings, each shareholder shall be entitled to one
(1) vote in person or by proxy for each share of common stock registered
in the shareholder's name on the books of the Corporation as of the
record date which shall be as fixed by the Board of Directors and
entitled, by the Articles of Incorporation, to vote on the business to
be transacted at said meeting.
Section 7.
The shareholders may be represented at any meeting thereof by their duly
appointed Attorney-in-Fact provided the proxy so appointing said
Attorney-in-Fact shall be filed with the Secretary prior to the meeting.
Section 8.
Special meetings of the shareholders of the Corporation may be called by
the Chairman of the Board, by the President or by the Board of
Directors, whenever in the opinion of such person or body such meeting
is necessary.
Section 9.
Written notice of each meeting of the shareholders shall be given by the
Secretary to each shareholder of record at least ten (10) days prior to
the time fixed for the holding of such meeting; said notice shall state
the place, day and hour and the purpose for which said meeting is
called, and said notice shall be addressed to the last known place of
residence of each shareholder as shown by the stock books of the
Corporation. The ten (10) days shall be computed from the date upon
which said notice is deposited in the mails.
Section 10.
No shares of stock shall be voted at any annual or special meeting of
shareholders upon which any installment is due and unpaid or which are
owned by the Corporation.
Section 11.
The Chairman of the Board, or such other officer of the Corporation
designated by the Board, will call meetings of the shareholders to order
and will act as presiding officer thereof. Unless otherwise determined
by the Board prior to the meeting, the presiding officer of the meeting
of the shareholders will also determine the order of business and have
the authority in his or her sole discretion to regulate the conduct of
any such meeting, including without limitation by (i) imposing
restrictions on the persons (other than shareholders of the Corporation
or their duly appointed proxies) who may attend any such shareholders’
meeting, (ii) ascertaining whether any shareholder or his proxy may be
excluded from any meeting of the shareholders based upon any
determination by the presiding officer, in his sole discretion, that any
such person has unduly disrupted or is likely to disrupt the proceedings
thereat, and (iii) determining the circumstances in which any person may
make a statement or ask questions at any meeting of the shareholders.
At an annual meeting of the
shareholders, only such business will be conducted or considered as is
properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an
annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in the notice of meeting
(or any supplement thereto) given at the direction of the Board in
accordance with Section 9 of this Article, (ii) otherwise properly
brought before the meeting by the presiding officer or by or at the
direction of the Board, or (iii) otherwise properly requested to be
brought before the meeting by a shareholder of the Corporation in
accordance with this Section 11.
For business to be properly requested
by a shareholder to be brought before an annual meeting, the shareholder
must (i) be a shareholder of the Corporation of record at the time of
the giving of the notice for such annual meeting provided for in these
Bylaws, (ii) be entitled to vote at such meeting, and (iii) have given
timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary. To be timely, a
shareholder’s notice must be delivered or mailed to and received at the
principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 90 calendar
days nor more than 135 calendar days prior to the anniversary date of
the immediately preceding annual meeting; provided, however, that in the
event of a public announcement that the date of the annual meeting will
be held on a date that is not within 30 days before or after such
anniversary date, to be timely, notice by the shareholder must be so
received not later than the close of business on the 10th calendar day
following the day on which such public announcement of the date of the
annual meeting is first made. A shareholder’s notice to the Secretary
must set forth as to each matter the shareholder proposes to bring
before the annual meeting (A) a description in reasonable detail 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 and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the proposal is made, (C) the class and number of shares of the
Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by the shareholder
proposing such business and by the beneficial owner, if any, on whose
behalf the proposal is made, and (D) any material interest of such
shareholder proposing such business and the beneficial owner, if any, on
whose behalf the proposal is made in such business. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions of this paragraph, a shareholder must also comply
with all applicable requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the
matters set forth in this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph and
Article VII, “public announcement” means disclosure in a press release
reported by the Dow Jones New Service, Associated Press, or comparable
national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation
with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or
furnished to shareholders. Nothing in this paragraph will be deemed to
affect any rights of shareholders to request inclusion or proposals in
the Corporation’s proxy statement in accordance with the provisions of
Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
At a special meeting of shareholders,
only such business may be conducted or considered as is properly brought
before the meeting. To be properly brought before a special meeting,
business must be (i) specified in the notice of the meeting (or any
supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Chairman of the
Board, President or the Board in accordance with Section 9 of this
Article or (ii) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by the
presiding officer or by or at the direction of the Board.
The determination of whether any
business sought to be brought before any annual or special meeting of
the shareholders is properly brought before such meeting in accordance
with this Section 11 will be made by the presiding officer of such
meeting. If the presiding officer determines that any business is not
properly brought before such meeting, he or she will so declare to the
meeting and any such business will not be conducted or considered.
ARTICLE VII.
Directors
Section 1.
The property and business affairs of the Corporation shall be managed
under the direction of the Board of Directors. The classes and terms of
the directors shall not be governed by Indiana Code § 23-1-33-6(c).
Directors shall be elected by a plurality vote at the annual meeting or
a special meeting of the shareholders and shall hold office for a term
of one year or until their successors are elected and qualified. In
case of the failure to hold the annual meeting on the date fixed herein
for the same to be held, the directors shall hold over until the next
annual meeting, unless prior to said meeting a special meeting of the
shareholders for the purpose of electing directors has been held.
Subject to the rights, if any, of any series of Preferred Stock to elect
additional directors under circumstances specified in the Articles of
Incorporation and to the minimum and maximum number of authorized
directors provided in the Articles of Incorporation, the authorized
number of directors will be as determined from time to time by the Board
of Directors. If no determination of the number of directors has been
made by the Board of Directors, the number of directors shall be seven.
Section 2.
Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors caused by resignation,
death or other incapacity, shall be filled by majority vote of the
remaining members of the Board until the next annual meeting of
shareholders; provided, however, that if the vote of the remaining
members of the Board of Directors shall result in a tie, such vacancy
shall be filled by the shareholders at the next annual meeting of the
shareholders or at a special meeting of the shareholders called for that
purpose.
Section 3.
Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors, caused by an increase
in the number of directors, shall be filled by a majority vote of the
members of the Board until the next annual meeting of shareholders;
provided, however, that if the vote of the members of the Board of
Directors shall result in a tie, such vacancy shall be filled by the
shareholders at the next annual meeting of the shareholders or at a
special meeting of the shareholders called for that purpose. No
decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board will shorten
the term of an incumbent director.
Section 4.
Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Preferred
Stock to elect additional directors under circumstances specified in the
Articles of Incorporation, only persons who are nominated in accordance
with the following procedures will be eligible for election at a meeting
of shareholders as directors of the Corporation:
(a) Nominations of persons for election
as directors of the Corporation may be made only at an annual meeting of
shareholders (i) by or at the direction of the Board or (ii) by any
shareholder who is a shareholder of record at the time of giving of
notice provided for in this Section 4, who is entitled to vote for the
election of directors at such meeting and who complies with the
procedures set forth in this Section 4. All nominations by shareholders
must be made pursuant to timely notice in proper written form to the
Secretary.
(b) To be timely, a shareholder’s
notice must be delivered or mailed to and received at the principal
executive offices of the Corporation not less than 90 calendar days nor
more than 135 calendar days prior to the anniversary date of the
immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however,
that in the event of a public announcement that the annual meeting will
be held on a date that is not within 30 days before or after such
anniversary date, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so
received not later than the close of business on the 10th calendar day
following the day on which such public announcement is first made. To
be in proper written form, such shareholder’s notice must set forth or
include (i) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s
books, of the shareholder giving the notice and of the beneficial owner,
if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made; (ii) a representation
that the shareholder giving the notice is a holder of record of stock of
the Corporation entitled to vote at such annual meeting and intends to
appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to nominate the
person or persons specified in the notice; (iii) the class and number of
shares of stock of the Corporation owned beneficially and of record by
the shareholder giving the notice and by the beneficial owner, if any,
on whose behalf the nomination is made; (iv) a description of all
arrangements or understandings between or among any of (A) the
shareholder giving the notice, (B) the beneficial owner on whose behalf
the notice is given, (C) each nominee, and (D) any other person or
persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination
or nominations are to be made by the shareholder giving the notice, (v)
such other information regarding each nominee proposed by the
shareholder giving the notice as would be required to be included in a
proxy statement filed in accordance with the proxy rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission had the nominee been nominated, or
intended to be nominated, by the Board; and (vi) the signed consent of
each nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation if so elected.
At the request of the Board, any person nominated by the Board for
election as a director must furnish to the Secretary that information
required to be set forth in a shareholder’s notice of nomination which
pertains to the nominee. The presiding officer of any annual meeting
will, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not made in
accordance with the procedures prescribed by this Section 4, and if he
or she should so determine, he or she will so declare to the meeting and
the defective nomination will be disregarded. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions of this Section 4, a shareholder must also comply
with all applicable requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the
matters set forth in this Section 4.
Article VIII.
Meetings of Directors
Section 1.
Following the annual meeting of shareholders, the annual meeting of the
Board of Directors shall be held without notice, each and every year
hereafter, at the time and place determined by the directors.
Section 2.
Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held without notice
at 9:00 A.M. on the last Friday of February, June, August, October and
December at the offices of the Corporation, unless another time and
place is designated.
Section 3.
Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman
of the Board, by the President, or by three (3) members of the Board of
Directors on three (3) days' notice by mail, or an twenty-four (24)
hours' notice by telegraph, telephone, facsimile or other similar medium
of communication to each director, which notice shall be addressed to
the last known place of business or residence of each director, and said
meetings may be held either at the office of the Corporation or at such
other place as may be designated in the notice of said meeting.
Whenever a special meeting of the Board
of Directors shall be called, in accordance with the provision of this
section, by members of the Board of Directors, the call shall be in
writing, signed by said directors and delivered to the secretary who
shall thereupon issue the notice calling said meeting.
Section 4.
Not less than one-half at the whole Board of Directors, shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of any business except the filling of
vacancies, but a smaller number may adjourn, from time to time, until a
future date or until a quorum is secured.
For the purpose only of filling a
vacancy or vacancies in the Board of Directors, a quorum shall consist
of a majority of the whole Board of Directors, less the vacancy or
vacancies therein.
The act of a majority at the directors
present at a meeting duly called, at which a quorum is present shall be
the act of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX.
Compensation of Directors and
Members of Committees
The members of the Board of Directors
and members of committees of the Corporation, who are not salaried
employees of the Corporation, shall receive such compensation for their
services to be rendered as members of the Board of Directors, or of
committees, as may, from time to time, be fixed by the Board of
Directors and the compensation so fixed shall continue to be payable
until the Board of Directors shall have thereafter fixed a different
compensation, which it may do at any annual, regular or special meeting.
ARTICLE X.
Certificates of Stock
Section 1.
Certificates of stock shall be issued to those legally entitled thereto,
as may be shown by the books of the Corporation, and shall be signed by
the President and attested by the Secretary.
Section 2.
The Corporation may appoint one or more transfer agents and/or
registrars to issue, countersign, register, and transfer certificates
representing its capital stock and signatures of the Corporation's
officers and of the transfer agents on stock certificates may be
facsimiles. Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of
the Corporation of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied
by proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer,
it shall be the duty of the Corporation to issue a new certificate to
the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the
transaction on its books.
Section 3.
The holder of any stock of the Corporation shall immediately notify the
Corporation of any loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of the
certificate for any such stock. A new certificate or certificates shall
be issued upon the surrender of the mutilated certificate or, in case of
loss, theft, or destruction, upon (I) delivery of an affidavit or
affirmation, and (ii) delivery of a bond in such sum and in such form
and with such surety or sureties as the Board of Directors (by general
or specific resolutions) or the President may approve, indemnifying the
Corporation against any claim with respect to the certificate or
certificates alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed. However,
the Board may, in its discretion, refuse to issue new certificate or
certificates, save upon the order of some Court having jurisdiction in
such matters.
ARTICLE XI.
Transfer of Stock
Section 1.
The stock transfer books of the Corporation may from time to time be
closed by order of the Board of Directors for any lawful purpose and for
such period consistent with law, but not exceeding thirty (30) days at
any one time, as the Board of Directors may deem advisable. In lieu of
closing the stock transfer books as aforesaid, the Board of Directors
may, in its discretion, fix in advance a date not exceeding fifty (50)
days or less than ten (10) days next preceding the date of any meeting
of shareholders or the date for the payment of any dividend or the date
for the allotment of rights or the date when any change or conversion or
exchange of capital stock shall go into effect, as the record date for
the determination of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote
at any such meeting or entitled to receive any such dividend or to any
such allotment of rights or to exercise the rights of any such change,
conversion or exchange of capital stock; and, in such case, only such
shareholders as shall be shareholders of record at the close of business
on the date so fixed shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such
meeting or to receive such payment of dividend or to receive such
allotment of rights or to exercise such rights as the case may be,
notwithstanding any transfer of stock on the books of the Corporation
after such record date fixed as aforesaid. In the event the Board of
Directors fails to fix in advance the record date for the determination
of the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting, no
share of stock transferred on the books of the corporation within ten
(10) days next preceding the date of a meeting shall be voted at such
meeting.
Section 2.
The Corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any
share or shares of stock as the legal owner thereof and accordingly
shall not be bound to recognize any equitable 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, save as expressly provided
in the laws of the State of Indiana.
Section 3.
The assignment of any certificate of stock shall constitute an
assignment to the assignee of the shares so assigned and of all
dividends on the shares assigned which are declared payable as of a
record date subsequent to the date the assignment is recorded on the
stock record books of the Corporation.
ARTICLE XII.
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Corporation
shall correspond to the calendar year.
ARTICLE XIII.
Checks
for Money
All checks, drafts or other orders for
the payment of funds of the Corporation shall be signed by either the
Chairman of the Board, the President, or the Treasurer, or by such other
individual or individuals as may hereafter, from time to time, be
designated by the Board of Directors. No check, draft or other order
for the payment of funds of the Corporation shall be signed in blank,
either as to the amount of the check, draft or other order, or as to the
name of the payee.
ARTICLE XIV.
Dividends
The Board of Directors may declare and
pay dividends out of the unreserved and unrestricted earned surplus of
the Corporation. Dividends may be declared at any annual, regular or
special meeting of the Board of Directors. Dividends may be paid in
cash, in property or in the shares of the capital stock of the
Corporation, as provided by the Articles of Incorporation and the laws
of the State of Indiana.
ARTICLE XV.
Notices
Section 1.
A notice required to be given under the provisions of these Bylaws to
any shareholder, director, officer and member of any committee shall not
be construed to mean personal notice but may be given in writing by
depositing the same in a post office or letter box in a postpaid sealed
wrapper addressed to such shareholder, director, officer and member of
any committee at such address as appears upon the books of the
Corporation, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time
when the same shall be thus mailed.
Section 2.
Any shareholder, director, officer and member of any committee may
waive, in writing, any notice required to be given by these Bylaws,
either before or after the time said notice should have been issued.
ARTICLE XVI.
Compensation of Officers
The officers of the Corporation shall
receive such compensation for their services as may, from time to time,
be fixed by the Board of Directors, and the compensation so fixed shall
continue to be payable until the Board of Directors shall have fixed a
different compensation, which it may do at any annual, regular, or
special meeting.
ARTICLE XVII.
Corporate Seal
The seal of the Corporation shall be a
plain circular disk having engraved thereon, near the outer edge
thereof, at least the words, “CTS Corporation” and in the center thereof
the word, “Seal”.
ARTICLE XVIII.
Indemnification
Section 1.
General. Without limiting the generality or effect of Article XI
of the Articles of Incorporation, the Corporation shall, to the fullest
extent to which it is empowered to do so by the Indiana Business
Corporation Law (hereinafter the “IBCL”), or any other applicable laws,
as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any
such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the
Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law
permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), indemnify
and hold harmless any person who was or is involved in any manner
(including without limitation as a party or a witness), or is threatened
to be made so involved, in any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative and whether formal or informal (hereinafter a
“proceeding”), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a
director or officer of the Corporation, or who is or was serving at the
request of the Board of Directors as a director, officer, partner or
trustee of another corporation or a partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan or other entity, whether for profit or not for
profit, (any such person hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether or not
the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity
while serving as a director, or officer, against all expense, liability
and loss (including attorneys' fees and expenses, judgments,
settlements, penalties, fines, and excise taxes assessed with respect to
employee benefit plans) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by
such person in connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as
provided in Section 3 of this Article XVIII with respect to proceedings
to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify
any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof)
initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof)
was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
Section 2. Right
to Advancement of Expenses. The right to indemnification conferred
in Article XVIII shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation
the expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys' fees and
expenses) incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its
final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided,
however, that, if the IBCL so requires, an advancement of expenses
incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or
officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is
rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to
an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the
Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on
behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall
ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is
no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that
such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses
under this Section 2 or otherwise.
The rights to
indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in Article
XVIII shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an
indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to
the benefit of the indemnitee's heirs, executors and administrators.
For purposes of Article XVIII, references to “the Corporation” shall
include any domestic or foreign predecessor entity of the Corporation in
a merger or other transaction in which the predecessor's existence
ceased upon consummation of the transaction.
Section 3. Right
of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 1 or Section
2 of this Article XVIII is not paid in full by the Corporation within 60
calendar days after a written claim has been received by the
Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of
expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be 20 calendar days,
the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the
Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in
whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the
Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms
of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid also the
expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (i) any suit brought
by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but
not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an
advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) any suit
brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses
pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be
entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the
indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set
forth in the IBCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including
its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) to
have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that
indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because
the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in
the IBCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its
Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders) that the
indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create
a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of
conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a
defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce
a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder,
or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses
pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the
indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of
expenses, under this Article XVIII or otherwise shall be on the
Corporation.
Section 4.
Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights to indemnification and to the
advancement of expenses conferred in this Article XVIII shall not be
exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter
acquire under any statute, the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation,
Bylaws, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or
otherwise.
Section 5.
Insurance. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense,
to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the
Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not
the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against
such expense, liability or loss under the IBCL.
Section 6.
Vested Right to Indemnification. The right of any individual to
indemnification under this Article XVIII shall vest at the time of
occurrence or performance of any event, act or omission giving rise to
any Proceeding and once vested, shall not later be impaired as a result
of any amendment, repeal, alteration or other modification of any or all
of these Bylaws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnification
afforded under this Article XVIII shall be applicable to all alleged
prior acts or omissions of any individual seeking indemnification
hereunder, regardless of the fact that such alleged acts or omissions
may have occurred prior to the adoption of these Bylaws, and to the
extent such prior acts or omissions cannot be deemed to be covered by
these Bylaws, the right of any individual to indemnification shall be
governed by the indemnification provisions in effect at the time of such
prior acts or omissions.
Section 7.
Indemnification of Employees and Agents of the Corporation. The
Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board
of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of
expenses to any employee or agent of this corporation, or to any
individual who is or was serving at the request of the Board of
Directors as an employee or agent of another corporation or a
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
entity, whether for profit or not for profit, to the fullest extent of
the provisions of these Bylaws with respect to the indemnification and
advancement of expenses of directors and officers of this
corporation.
Section 8.
Business Expense. Any payments made to any indemnified party under
these Bylaws or under any other right to indemnification shall be deemed
to be an ordinary and necessary business expense of the Corporation, and
payment thereof shall not subject any person responsible for the
payment, or the Board, to any action for corporate waste or to any
similar action.
Section 9.
Severability. If any provision or provisions of Article XVIII is or
are held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason
whatsoever: (I) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the
remaining provisions of such Article (including without limitation all
portions of any paragraph of such Article containing any such provision
held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that are not themselves
invalid, illegal, or unenforceable) will not in any way be affected or
impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions
of such Article (including without limitation all portions of any
paragraph of such Article containing any such provision held to be
invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid,
illegal, or unenforceable) will be construed so as to give effect to the
intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal, or illegal, or
unenforceable.
ARTICLE XIX.
Amendments
Section 1.
These Bylaws may be amended, altered, repealed, or added to at any
annual or regular meeting of the directors, or at any special meeting
thereof.
Section 2.
No amendment, alteration or addition to these Bylaws shall become
effective unless the same is adopted by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XX.
Control Share Acquisitions
As provided for in Section 5 thereof,
Chapter 42 of the Indiana Business Corporation Law, relating to control
share acquisitions, shall not apply to control share acquisitions of
shares of the corporation made after March 3, 1987.
ARTICLE XXI
Authorized Procedures Pursuant to
Indiana Code §23-1-22-4
Section 1.
In adopting any rights, options or warrants under Ind. Code §23-1-26-5
relating to any transaction or proposed transaction that would, when
consummated, result in a “change of control,” the Board of Directors may
include provisions requiring, for a period not to exceed three years
after the later of (i) the time that, for whatever reason, “continuing
directors” no longer constitute a majority of the directors of the
Corporation, or (ii) the time that any person becomes an “interested
shareholder,” the approval of the continuing directors of the
Corporation for certain actions relating to the rights, options or
warrants, including without limitation, (y) the redemption or exchange
of the rights, options or warrants, or (z) the amendment of the
contracts, warrants or instruments that evidence the rights, options or
warrants.
Section 2.
As used in this Article, “change of control” shall have the meaning
contained in Ind. Code §23-1-22-4.
Section 3.
As used in this Article, “interested shareholder” shall have the meaning
contained in Ind. Code §23-1-43-10, or, if the Board so elects, shall
mean any person or entity who or which, together with all affiliates and
associates of such person or entity, is the beneficial owner of 15% or
more of the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation may, at the time of adoption
of the rights, options or warrants, provide for exceptions to the
definition of “interested shareholder” in any rights, options or
warrants adopted pursuant to this Article XXI, including without
limitation that specified persons or entities will not be deemed to be
interested shareholders or that specified transactions will not be
deemed to cause a person to become an interested shareholder.
Section 4.
As used in this Article, “continuing director” shall mean any director (i)
who is not (a) an interested shareholder, (b) an affiliate or associate
of an interested shareholder or (c) a representative or nominee of an
interested shareholder, or any affiliate or associate thereof, and (ii)
who either (A) is a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
as of the date of the issuance of the rights, options or warrants or (B)
subsequently becomes a member of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation and whose election or nomination for election to the Board
of Directors of the Corporation is approved or recommended by a vote of
a majority of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, which majority
includes a majority of the continuing directors then on the Board of
Directors of the Corporation, but excluding for this clause (B) any
member whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an
actual or threatened election contest (within the meaning of Rule 14a-11
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) with respect to the
election or removal of members of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or
consents by or on behalf of a person or entity other than the Board of
Directors of the Corporation.
|