Unassociated Document
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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Washington,
D.C. 20549
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FORM
8-K
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Current
Report
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Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
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Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
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Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 1,
2007
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Commission
File
Number
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Registrant,
State of Incorporation,
Address
and Telephone Number
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I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
Number
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001-32206
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GREAT
PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED
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43-1916803
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(A
Missouri Corporation)
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1201
Walnut Street
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Kansas
City, Missouri 64106
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(816)
556-2200
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NOT
APPLICABLE
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(Former
name or former address,
if
changed since last report)
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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:
[
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR
230.425)
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[
]
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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[
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act
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(17
CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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[
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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Item
5.03
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Amendments
to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal
Year
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On
May 1,
2007, the board of directors of Great Plains Energy Incorporated (Company)
amended its Bylaws by adopting a new section providing that the board of
directors may authorize the issuance of some or all of the shares of any or
all
of the classes or series of Company stock without certificates.
Item
9.01
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Financial
Statements and Exhibits
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(c) Exhibit
No.
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3.1
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Great
Plains Energy Incorporated Bylaws as Amended May 1,
2007
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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.
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GREAT
PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED
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/s/
Terry Bassham
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Terry
Bassham
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Executive
Vice President- Finance & Strategic Development and Chief Financial
Officer
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Date: May
1, 2007
Unassociated Document
GREAT
PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED
BY-LAWS
AS
AMENDED MAY 1, 2007
GREAT
PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE
I
Offices
Section
1. The registered office of the Company in the State of Missouri shall be at
1201 Walnut, in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.
Section
2. The Company also may have offices at such other places either within or
without the State of Missouri as the Board of Directors may from time to time
determine or the business of the Company may require.
ARTICLE
II
Shareholders
Section
1. All meetings of the shareholders shall be held at such place within or
without the State of Missouri as may be selected by the Board of Directors
or
Executive Committee, but if the Board of Directors or Executive Committee shall
fail to designate a place for said meeting to be held, then the same shall
be
held at the principal place of business of the Company.
Section
2. An annual meeting of the shareholders shall be held on the first Tuesday
of
May in each year, if not a legal holiday, and if a legal holiday, then on the
first succeeding day which is not a legal holiday, at ten o'clock in the
forenoon, for the purpose of electing directors of the Company and transacting
such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting.
Section
3. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Restated Articles of Consolidation
of the Company with respect to the Cumulative Preferred Stock, Cumulative No
Par
Preferred Stock or Preference Stock, special meetings of the shareholders may
only be called by the Chairman of the Board, by the President or at the request
in writing of a majority of the Board of Directors. Special meetings of
shareholders of the Company may not be called by any other person or
persons.
Section
4. Written or printed notice of each meeting of the shareholders, annual or
special, shall be given in the manner provided in the corporation laws of the
State of Missouri. In case of a call for any special meeting, the notice shall
state the time, place and purpose of such meeting.
Any
notice of a shareholders' meeting sent by mail shall be deemed to be delivered
when deposited in the United States mail with postage thereon prepaid
1
addressed
to the shareholder at his address as it appears on the records of the Company.
In addition to the written or printed notice provided for in the first paragraph
of this Section, published notice of each meeting of shareholders shall be
given
in such manner and for such period of time as may be required by the laws of
the
State of Missouri at the time such notice is required to be given.
Section
5. Attendance of a shareholder at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of
notice of such meeting except where a shareholder attends a meeting for the
express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the
meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Section
6. At least ten days before each meeting of the shareholders, a complete list
of
the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting, arranged in alphabetical
order with the address of and the number of shares held by each, shall be
prepared by the officer having charge of the transfer book for shares of the
Company. Such list, for a period of ten days prior to such meeting, shall be
kept on file at the registered office of the Company and shall be subject to
inspection by any shareholder at any time during usual business hours. Such
list
shall also be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and
shall be subject to the inspection of any shareholder during the whole time
of
the meeting. The original share ledger or transfer book, or a duplicate thereof
kept in the State of Missouri, shall be prima facie evidence as to who are
the
shareholders entitled to examine such list or share ledger or transfer book
or
to vote at any meeting of shareholders.
Failure
to comply with the requirements of this Section shall not affect the validity
of
any action taken at any such meeting.
Section
7. Each outstanding share entitled to vote under the provisions of the articles
of consolidation of the Company shall be entitled to one vote on each matter
submitted at a meeting of the shareholders. A shareholder may vote either in
person or by proxy executed in writing by the shareholder or by his duly
authorized attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be valid after eleven months from
the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
At
any
election of directors of the Company, each holder of outstanding shares of
any
class entitled to vote thereat shall have the right to cast as many votes in
the
aggregate as shall equal the number of shares of such class held, multiplied
by
the number of directors to be elected by holders of shares of such class, and
may cast the whole number of votes, either in person or by proxy, for one
candidate, or distribute them among two or more candidates as such holder shall
elect.
Section
8. At any meeting of shareholders, a majority of the outstanding shares entitled
to vote represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business, except as otherwise provided by statute or by the
articles of consolidation or by these By-laws. The holders of a majority of
the
shares represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at any meeting
of
the shareholders shall have the
2
right
successively to adjourn the meeting to a specified date not longer than ninety
days after any such adjournment, whether or not a quorum be present. The time
and place to which any such adjournment is taken shall be publicly announced
at
the meeting, and no notice need be given of any such adjournment to shareholders
not present at the meeting. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum
shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been
transacted at the meeting as originally called.
Section
9. The vote for directors and the vote on any other question that has been
properly brought before the meeting in accordance with these By-laws shall
be by
ballot. Each ballot cast by a shareholder must state the name of the shareholder
voting and the number of shares voted by him and if such ballot be cast by
a
proxy, it must also state the name of such proxy. All elections and all other
questions shall be decided by plurality vote, unless the question is one on
which by express provision of the statutes or of the articles of consolidation
or of these By-laws a different vote is required, in which case such express
provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.
Section
10. The Chairman of the Board, or in his absence the President of the Company,
shall convene all meetings of the shareholders and shall act as chairman
thereof. The Board of Directors may appoint any shareholder to act as chairman
of any meeting of the shareholders in the absence of the Chairman of the Board
and the President, and in the case of the failure of the Board so to appoint
a
chairman, the shareholders present at the meeting shall elect a chairman who
shall be either a shareholder or a proxy of a shareholder.
The
Secretary of the Company shall act as secretary of all meetings of shareholders.
In the absence of the Secretary at any meeting of shareholders, the presiding
officer may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
Section
11. At any meeting of shareholders where a vote by ballot is taken for the
election of directors or on any proposition, the person presiding at such
meeting shall appoint not less than two persons, who are not directors, as
inspectors to receive and canvass the votes given at such meeting and certify
the result to him. Subject to any statutory requirements which may be
applicable, all questions touching upon the qualification of voters, the
validity of proxies, and the acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided
by the inspectors. In case of a tie vote by the inspectors on any question,
the
presiding officer shall decide the issue.
Section
12. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the articles of consolidation,
any action required to be taken by shareholders may be taken without a meeting
if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed
by
all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter
thereof.
Section
13. No business may be transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders, other
than business that is either (a) specified in the notice of meeting (or any
supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors
(or
any duly authorized committee thereof), (b) otherwise properly brought
before the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors
(or
any duly authorized committee thereof) or
3
(c) otherwise
properly brought before the annual meeting by any shareholder of the Company
(i) who is a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice
provided for in this Section 13 and on the record date for the
determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting and
(ii) who complies with the notice procedure set forth in this
Section 13.
In
addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly
brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder, such shareholder must have
given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the
Company.
To
be
timely, a shareholder's notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed
and received at the principal executive offices of the Company not less than
sixty (60) days nor more than ninety (90) days prior to the date of the annual
meeting of shareholders; provided,
however,
that in
the event that less than seventy (70) days' notice or prior public disclosure
of
the date of the meeting is given to shareholders, notice by the shareholder
to
be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth
(10th) day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual
meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting
was made, whichever first occurs.
To
be in
proper written form, a shareholder's notice to the Secretary must set forth
as
to each matter such shareholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting
(i) 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, (ii) the name and record address of such shareholder,
(iii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the
Company that are owned beneficially or of record by such shareholder,
(iv) a description of all arrangements or understandings between such
shareholder and any other person or persons (including their names) in
connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder and any
material interest of such shareholder in such business and (v) a
representation that such shareholder intends to appear in person or by proxy
at
the annual meeting to bring such business before the meeting.
No
business shall be conducted at the annual meeting of shareholders except
business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures
set
forth in this Section 13, provided,
however,
that,
once business has been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance
with such procedures, nothing in this Section 13 shall be deemed to
preclude discussion by any shareholder of any such business. If the Chairman
of
an annual meeting determines that business was not properly brought before
the
annual meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the Chairman shall
declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the
meeting and such business shall not be transacted.
4
ARTICLE
III
Board
of Directors
Section
1. The property, business and affairs of the Company shall be managed and
controlled by a Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the
Company and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by
the
articles of consolidation or by these By-laws directed or required to be
exercised or done by the shareholders.
Section
2. The Board of Directors shall consist of eleven directors who shall be elected
at the annual meeting of the shareholders. Each director shall be elected to
serve until the next annual meeting of the shareholders and until his successor
shall be elected and qualified. Directors need not be shareholders.
Section
3. In case of the death or resignation of one or more of the directors of the
Company, a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum,
may
fill the vacancy or vacancies until the successor or successors are elected
at a
meeting of the shareholders. A director may resign at any time and the
acceptance of his resignation shall not be required in order to make it
effective.
Section
4. The Board of Directors may hold its meetings either within or without the
State of Missouri at such place as shall be specified in the notice of such
meeting.
Section
5. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held as the Board of
Directors by resolution shall from time to time determine. The Secretary or
an
Assistant Secretary shall give at least five days' notice of the time and place
of each such meeting to each director in the manner provided in Section 9 of
this Article III. The notice need not specify the business to be
transacted.
Section
6. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held whenever called
by
the Chairman of the Board, the President or three members of the Board and
shall
be held at such place as shall be specified in the notice of such meeting.
Notice of such special meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting
shall be given to each director either by mail not less than forty-eight (48)
hours before the date of the meeting, or personally or by telephone, telecopy,
telegram, telex or similar means of communication on twenty-four (24) hours'
notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting
may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.
Section
7. A majority of the full Board of Directors as prescribed in these By-laws
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of the
majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present
shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present
at
any meeting of the directors, the directors present may adjourn the meeting
from
time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until
a
quorum shall be present. Members of the Board of Directors or of any committee
designated by the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board
or committee by means of conference telephone or similar
5
communications
equipment whereby all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other,
and participation in a meeting in this manner shall constitute presence in
person at the meeting.
Section 8. The Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of
the
directors then in office, and irrespective of any personal interest of any
of
its members, shall have authority to establish reasonable compensation for
directors. Compensation for nonemployee directors may include both a stated
annual retainer and a fixed fee for attendance at each regular or special
meeting of the Board. Nonemployee members of special or standing committees
of
the Board may be allowed a fixed fee for attending committee meetings. Any
director may serve the Company in any other capacity and receive compensation
therefor. Each director may be reimbursed for his expenses, if any, in attending
regular and special meetings of the Board and committee meetings.
Section
9. Whenever under the provisions of the statutes or of the articles of
consolidation or of these By-laws, notice is required to be given to any
director, it shall not be construed to require personal notice, but such notice
may be given by telephone, telecopy, telegram, telex or similar means of
communication addressed to such director at such address as appears on the
books
of the Company, or by mail by depositing the same in a post office or letter
box
in a postpaid, sealed wrapper addressed to such director at such address as
appears on the books of the Company. Such notice shall be deemed to be given
at
the time when the same shall be thus telephoned, telecopied, telegraphed or
mailed.
Attendance
of a director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting
except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting
to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called
or
convened.
Section
10. The Board of Directors may by resolution provide for an Executive Committee
of said Board, which shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors
and,
during the intervals between the meetings of said Board, shall possess and
may
exercise any or all of the powers of the Board of Directors in the management
of
the business and affairs of the corporation, except with respect to any matters
which, by resolution of the Board of Directors, may from time to time be
reserved for action by said Board.
Section
11. The Executive Committee, if established by the Board, shall consist of
the
Chief Executive Officer of the Company and two or more additional directors,
who
shall be elected by the Board of Directors to serve at the pleasure of said
Board until the first meeting of the Board of Directors following the next
annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors shall have been
elected. Vacancies in the Committee shall be filled by the Board of
Directors.
Section
12. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held whenever called by the
chairman or by a majority of the members of the committee, and shall be held
at
such time and place as shall be specified in the notice of such meeting. The
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall give at least one day's notice of
the
time, place and purpose of each such meeting to each committee member in the
manner provided in Section 9
6
of
this
Article III, provided, that if the meeting is to be held outside of Kansas
City,
Missouri, at least three days' notice thereof shall be given.
Section 13. At all meetings of the Executive Committee, a majority of the
committee members shall constitute a quorum and the unanimous act of all the
members of the committee present at a meeting where a quorum is present shall
be
the act of the Executive Committee. All action by the Executive Committee shall
be reported to the Board of Directors at its meeting next succeeding such
action.
Section
14. In addition to the Executive Committee provided for by these By-laws, the
Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the whole Board
of
Directors, (i) shall designate, as standing committees, an Audit Committee,
a
Compensation Committee and a Governance Committee, and (ii) may designate one
or
more special committees, each consisting of two or more directors. Each standing
or special committee shall have and may exercise so far as may be permitted
by
law and to the extent provided in such resolution or resolutions or in these
By-laws, the responsibilities of the business and affairs of the corporation.
The Board of Directors may, at its discretion, appoint qualified directors
as
alternate members of a standing or special committee to serve in the temporary
absence or disability of any member of a committee. Except where the context
requires otherwise, references in these By-laws to the Board of Directors shall
be deemed to include the Executive Committee, a standing committee or a special
committee of the Board of Directors duly authorized and empowered to act in
the
premises.
Section
15. Each standing or special committee shall record and keep a record of all
its
acts and proceedings and report the same from time to time to the Board of
Directors.
Section
16. Regular meetings of any standing or special committee, of which no notice
shall be necessary, shall be held at such times and in such places as shall
be
fixed by majority of the committee. Special meetings of a committee shall be
held at the request of any member of the committee. Notice of each special
meeting of a committee shall be given not later than one day prior to the date
on which the special meeting is to be held. Notice of any special meeting need
not be given to any member of a committee, if waived by him in writing or by
telegraph before or after the meeting; and any meeting of a committee shall
be a
legal meeting without notice thereof having been given, if all the members
of
the committee shall be present.
Section
17. A majority of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction
of
business, and the act of a majority of those present, by telephone conference
call or otherwise, at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the
act
of the committee. Members of any committee shall act only as a committee and
the
individual members shall have no power as such.
Section
18. The members or alternates of any standing or special committee shall serve
at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
7
Section
19. If all the directors severally or collectively shall consent in writing
to
any action which is required to be or may be taken by the directors, such
consents shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the
directors at a meeting duly held. The Secretary shall file such consents with
the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors.
Section
20. Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures
shall be eligible for election as directors of the Company, except as may be
otherwise provided in the Restated Articles of Consolidation of the Company
with
respect to the right of holders of Preferred Stock to nominate and elect a
specified number of directors in certain circumstances. Nominations of persons
for election to the Board of Directors may be made at any annual meeting of
shareholders (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors (or any
duly authorized committee thereof) or (b) by any shareholder of the Company
(i) who is a shareholder of record on the date of the giving of the notice
provided for in this Section 20 and on the record date for the
determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such annual meeting and
(ii) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this
Section 20.
In
addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made
by a
shareholder, such shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper
written form to the Secretary of the Company.
To
be
timely, a shareholder's notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or mailed
and received at the principal executive offices of the Company not less than
sixty (60) days nor more than ninety (90) days prior to the date of the annual
meeting of shareholders; provided,
however,
that in
the event that less than seventy (70) days' notice or prior public disclosure
of
the date of the meeting is given to shareholders, notice by the shareholder
in
order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business
on
the tenth (10) day following the day on which such notice of the date of the
annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual
meeting was made, whichever first occurs.
To
be in
proper written form, a shareholder's notice to the Secretary must set forth
(a) as to each person whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for
election as a director (i) the name, age, business address and residence
address of the person, (ii) the principal occupation or employment of the
person, (iii) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of
the Company that are owned beneficially or of record by the person and
(iv) any other information relating to the person that would be required to
be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in
connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant
to
Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and
(b) as to the shareholder giving the notice (i) the name and record of
such shareholder, (ii) the class or series and number of shares of capital
stock of the Company that are owned beneficially or of record by such
shareholder, (iii) a description of all arrangements or understandings
between such shareholder and each proposed nominee and any other person or
persons (including their names) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are to
be
made by such shareholder, (iv) a representation that such shareholder
intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the
persons
named in the notice and (v) any other information relating to such
shareholder that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or
other
filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for
election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Such notice must be accompanied
by
a written consent of each proposed nominee to being name as a nominee and to
serve as a director if elected.
No
person
shall be eligible for election as a director of the Company unless nominated
in
accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 20. If the
Chairman of the annual meeting determines that a nomination was not made in
accordance with the foregoing procedures, the Chairman shall declare to the
meeting that the nomination was defective and such defective nomination shall
be
disregarded.
ARTICLE
IV
Officers
Section
1. The officers of the Company shall include a Chairman of the Board, a
President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, one or more Assistant
Secretaries, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers, all of whom
shall
be appointed by the Board of Directors. Any one person may hold two or more
offices except that the offices of President and Secretary may not be held
by
the same person.
Section
2. The officers of the Company shall be appointed annually by the Board of
Directors. The office of Chairman of the Board may or may not be filled, as
may
be deemed advisable by the Board of Directors.
Section
3. The Board of Directors may from time to time appoint such other officers
as
it shall deem necessary or expedient, who shall hold their offices for such
terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as the Board of
Directors or the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time
determine.
Section
4. The officers of the Company shall hold office until their successors shall
be
chosen and shall qualify. Any officer appointed by the Board of Directors may
be
removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole board.
If
the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, or if any new office
shall be created, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of
Directors.
Section
5. The salaries of all officers of the Company shall be fixed by the Board
of
Directors.
9
ARTICLE
V
Powers
and Duties of Officers
Section
1. The Board of Directors shall designate the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company, who may be either the Chairman of the Board or the President. The
Chief
Executive Officer shall have general and active management of and exercise
general supervision of the business and affairs of the Company, subject,
however, to the right of the Board of Directors, or the Executive Committee
acting in its stead, to delegate any specific power to any other officer or
officers of the Company, and the Chief Executive Officer shall see that all
orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee
are
carried into effect. During such times when neither the Board of Directors
nor
the Executive Committee is in session, the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company shall have and exercise full corporate authority and power to manage
the
business and affairs of the Company (except for matters required by law, the
By-laws or the articles of consolidation to be exercised by the shareholders
or
Board itself or as may otherwise be specified by orders or resolutions of the
Board) and the Chief Executive Officer shall take such actions, including
executing contracts or other documents, as he deems necessary or appropriate
in
the ordinary course of the business and affairs of the Company. The Vice
Presidents and other authorized persons are authorized to take actions which
are
(i) routinely required in the conduct of the Company's business or affairs,
including execution of contracts and other documents incidental thereto, which
are within their respective areas of assigned responsibility, and
(ii) within the ordinary course of the Company's business or affairs as may
be delegated to them respectively by the Chief Executive Officer.
Section
2. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders
and at all meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other
duties as the Board of Directors shall from time to time prescribe, including,
if so designated by the Board of Directors, the duties of Chief Executive
Officer.
Section
3. The President, if not designated Chief Executive Officer, shall perform
such
duties and exercise such powers as shall be assigned to him from time to time
by
the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. In the absence of the
Chairman of the Board, or if the position of Chairman of the Board be vacant,
the President shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and at all
meetings of the Board of Directors.
Section
4. The Vice Presidents shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as
shall be assigned to them from time to time by the Board of Directors or the
Chief Executive Officer.
Section
5. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the shareholders, the Board of
Directors and the Executive Committee, and shall keep the minutes of such
meetings. He shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the
shareholders, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, and shall
perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or
the
Chief Executive Officer. He shall be the custodian of the seal of the Company
and shall affix the same to any instrument requiring
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it and, when so affixed, shall attest it by his signature.
He
shall, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of
secretary.
Section
6. The Assistant Secretaries shall perform such of the duties and exercise
such
of the powers of the Secretary as shall be assigned to them from time to time
by
the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary, and
shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive
Officer shall from time to time prescribe.
Section
7. The Treasurer shall have the custody of all moneys and securities of the
Company. He is authorized to collect and receive all moneys due the Company
and
to receipt therefor, and to endorse in the name of the Company and on its behalf
when necessary or proper all checks, drafts, vouchers or other instruments
for
the payment of money to the Company and to deposit the same to the credit of
the
Company in such depositaries as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
He
is authorized to pay interest on obligations and dividends on stocks of the
Company when due and payable. He shall, when necessary or proper, disburse
the
funds of the Company, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements. He shall
render to the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer, whenever
they
may require it, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer and of the
financial condition of the Company. He shall perform such other duties as may
be
prescribed by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. He shall,
in general, perform all duties incident to the office of treasurer.
Section
8. The Assistant Treasurers shall perform such of the duties and exercise such
of the powers of the Treasurer as shall be assigned to them from time to time
by
the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or the Treasurer, and
shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive
Officer shall from time to time prescribe.
Section
9. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, require any officer to give the
Company a bond (which shall be renewed every six years) in such sum and with
such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board for the faithful
performance of the duties of his office and for the restoration to the Company,
in case of his death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all
books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his
possession or under his control and belonging to the Company.
Section
10. In the case of absence or disability or refusal to act of any officer of
the
Company, other than the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer
may
delegate the powers and duties of such officer to any other officer or other
person unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors.
Section
11. The Chairman of the Board, the President, the Vice Presidents and any other
person duly authorized by resolution of the Board of Directors shall severally
have power to execute on behalf of the Company any deed, bond, indenture,
certificate, note, contract or other instrument authorized or approved by the
Board of Directors.
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Section
12. Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the
Board, the President or any Vice President of the Company (a) shall have full
power and authority to attend and to act and vote, in the name and on behalf
of
this Company, at any meeting of shareholders of any corporation in which this
Company may hold stock, and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise
any and all of the rights and powers incident to the ownership of such stock,
and (b) shall have full power and authority to execute, in the name and on
behalf of this Company, proxies authorizing any suitable person or persons
to
act and to vote at any meeting of shareholders of any corporation in which
this
Company may hold stock, and at any such meeting the person or persons so
designated shall possess and may exercise any and all of the rights and powers
incident to the ownership of such stock.
ARTICLE
VI
Certificates
of Stock
Section
1. The Board of Directors shall provide for the issue, transfer and registration
of the certificates representing the shares of capital stock of the Company,
and
shall appoint the necessary officers, transfer agents and registrars for that
purpose.
Section
2. Until otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, stock certificates shall
be signed by the President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, and sealed
with
the seal of the Company. Such seal may be facsimile, engraved or printed. In
case any officer or officers who shall have signed, or whose facsimile signature
or signatures shall have been used on, any stock certificate or certificates
shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Company, whether because
of
death, resignation or otherwise, before such certificate or certificates shall
have been delivered by the Company, such certificate or certificates may
nevertheless be issued by the Company with the same effect as if the person
or
persons who signed such certificate or certificates or whose facsimile signature
or signatures shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer
or
officers of the Company.
Section
3. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Company only by the
person in whose name such stock is registered or by his attorney lawfully
constituted in writing, and unless otherwise authorized by the Board of
Directors only on surrender and cancellation of the certificate transferred.
No
stock certificate shall be issued to a transferee until the transfer has been
made on the books of the Company.
Section
4. The Company shall be entitled to treat the person in whose name any share
of
stock is registered as the owner thereof, for all purposes, and shall not be
bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share
on
the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have notice thereof,
except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of Missouri.
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Section
5. In case of the loss or destruction of any certificate for shares of the
Company, a new certificate may be issued in lieu thereof under such regulations
and conditions as the Board of Directors may from time to time
prescribe.
Section
6. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, unless
the
Articles of Incorporation or another provision in these Bylaws provide
otherwise, the Board of Directors may authorize the issue of some or all of
the
shares of any or all of its classes or series without certificates. The
authorization does not affect shares already represented by certificates until
such certificates are surrendered to the Company.
(b) Every
holder of uncertificated shares is entitled to receive a statement of holdings
as evidence of share ownership.
(c) After
the
issue or transfer of shares without certificates, the Company shall, if required
by law or agreement, provide to such holders of the applicable uncertificated
shares a statement that the Company will furnish each such shareholder
information pertaining to classes of shares or different series within a class,
the designations, relative rights, preferences and limitations applicable to
each class and the variations in rights, preferences and limitations determined
for each such series.
ARTICLE
VII
Closing
of Transfer Books
The
Board
of Directors shall have power to close the stock transfer books of the Company
for a period not exceeding seventy days preceding the date of any meeting of
shareholders or the date for payment of any dividend or the date for the
allotment of rights or the date when any change or conversion or exchange of
shares shall go into effect; provided, however, that in lieu of closing the
stock transfer books as aforesaid, the Board of Directors may fix in advance
a
date, not exceeding seventy days 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
shares shall go into effect, as a record date for the determination of the
shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, any such meeting, and any
adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any such dividend, or
to
any such allotment of rights, or to exercise the rights in respect of any such
change, conversion or exchange of shares, and in such case such shareholders
and
only such shareholders as shall be shareholders of record on the date of closing
the transfer books or on the record date so fixed shall be entitled to notice
of, and to vote at, such meeting and any adjournment thereof, or to receive
payment of such dividend, or to receive such allotment of rights, or to exercise
such rights, as the case may be, notwithstanding any transfer of any shares
on
the books of the Company after such date of closing of the transfer books or
such record date fixed as aforesaid.
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ARTICLE
VIII
Inspection
of Books
Section
1. A shareholder shall have the right to inspect books of the Company only
to
the extent such right may be conferred by law, by the articles of consolidation,
by the By-laws or by resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section
2. Any shareholder desiring to examine books of the Company shall present a
demand to that effect in writing to the President or the Secretary or the
Treasurer of the Company. Such demand shall state:
(a) the
particular books which he desires to examine;
(b) the
purpose for which he desires to make the examination;
(c) the
date
on which the examination is desired;
(d) the
probable duration of time the examination will require; and
(e) the
names
of the persons who will be present at the examination.
Within
three days after receipt of such demand, the President or the Secretary or
the
Treasurer shall, if the shareholder's purpose be lawful, notify the shareholder
making the demand of the time and place the examination may be
made.
Section
3. The right to inspect books of the Company may be exercised only at such
times
as the Company's registered office is normally open for business and may be
limited to four hours on any one day.
Section
4. The Company shall not be liable for expenses incurred in connection with
any
inspection of its books.
ARTICLE
IX
Corporate
Seal
The
corporate seal of the Company shall have inscribed thereon the name of the
Company and the words "Corporate Seal", "Missouri" and "1922".
ARTICLE
X
Fiscal
Year
Section
1. The fiscal year of the Company shall be the calendar year.
14
Section
2. As soon as practicable after the close of each fiscal year, the Board of
Directors shall cause a report of the business and affairs of the Company to
be
made to the shareholders.
ARTICLE
XI
Waiver
of Notice
Whenever
by statute or by the articles of consolidation or by these By-laws any notice
whatever is required to be given, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the
person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time
stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such
notice.
ARTICLE
XII
Amendments
The
Board
of Directors may make, alter, amend or repeal By-laws of the Company by a
majority vote of the whole Board of Directors at any regular meeting of the
Board or at any special meeting of the Board if notice thereof has been given
in
the notice of such special meeting. Nothing in this Article shall be construed
to limit the power of the shareholders to make, alter, amend or repeal By-laws
of the Company at any annual or special meeting of shareholders by a majority
vote of the shareholders present and entitled to vote at such meeting, provided
a quorum is present.
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