Exhibit 3.2
BYLAWS
OF
MGP INGREDIENTS, INC.
Adopted June 15, 1989
Amended March 3, 2005, March 16, 2006, June 8, 2006,
June 14, 2007, March 8, 2008 and
October 22, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article/Section
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Page
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ARTICLE I Offices
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1
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Section 1.1.
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Principal Office
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1
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Section 1.2.
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Registered Office
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1
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Section 1.3.
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Other Offices
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1
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ARTICLE II Meeting of Stockholders
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1
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Section 2.1.
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Annual Meetings
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1
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Section 2.2.
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Special Meetings
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1
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Section 2.3.
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Place and Time of Special Meetings
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1
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Section 2.4.
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Notice of Meetings
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1
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Section 2.5.
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Adjourned Meetings and Notice Thereof
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2
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Section 2.6.
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Quorum and Vote Required
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2
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Section 2.7.
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Chairman and Minutes
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2
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Section 2.8.
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Order of Business
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2
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Section 2.9.
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Voting and Ballots
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3
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Section 2.10.
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Proxies
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3
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Section 2.11.
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Inspection of Stock List
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3
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Section 2.12.
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Inspectors of Votes
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3
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Section 2.13.
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Action Without Meeting
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4
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ARTICLE III Board of Directors
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5
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Section 3.1.
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Powers
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5
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Section 3.2.
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Number, Election Term, Qualification and Removal
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5
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Section 3.3.
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Chairman of the Board
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5
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Section 3.4.
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Meetings
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5
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Section 3.5.
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Adjourned Meetings and Notice Thereof
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6
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Section 3.6.
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Quorum and Manner of Acting
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6
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Section 3.7.
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Action by Consent
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6
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Section 3.8.
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Vacancies
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6
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Section 3.9.
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Inspection of Books and Records
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6
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ARTICLE IV Committees
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7
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ARTICLE V Officers
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7
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Section 5.1.
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Number
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7
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Section 5.2.
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Election and Term
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7
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Section 5.3.
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Absence or Disability
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8
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Section 5.4.
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Removal and Resignation
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8
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Section 5.5.
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Vacancies
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8
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Section 5.6.
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Compensation of Officers
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8
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Section 5.7.
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Bond
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8
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i
ARTICLE VI Duties of Officers
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8
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Section 6.1.
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The President
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8
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Section 6.2.
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Vice Presidents
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9
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Section 6.3.
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The Secretary
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9
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Section 6.4.
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Assistant Secretary
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10
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Section 6.5.
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The Treasurer
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10
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Section 6.6.
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Assistant Officers
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10
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ARTICLE VII Signature Authority and Representation
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10
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Section 7.1.
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Contracts, Checks, etc.
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10
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Section 7.2.
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Proxies in Respect of Securities of Other Corporations
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11
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ARTICLE VIII Certificates of Stock, Bonds, and Records
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11
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Section 8.1.
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Form & Signature
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11
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Section 8.2.
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Transfers
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11
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Section 8.3.
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Record Owner
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11
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Section 8.4.
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Lost Certificates
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12
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Section 8.5.
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Books and Records
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12
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Section 8.6.
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Record Dates
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12
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Section 8.7.
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Closing Stock Books
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13
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ARTICLE IX Dividends
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13
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ARTICLE X Indemnification
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13
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Section 10.1.
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Right to Indemnification
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13
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Section 10.2.
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Certain Limits on Indemnity
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14
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Section 10.3.
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Rights to Indemnity Shall be Contractual and Continuing
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14
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Section 10.4.
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Certain Procedural Matters
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15
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Section 10.5.
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Non-Exclusivity of Rights
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15
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Section 10.6.
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Insurance
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15
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ARTICLE XI Miscellaneous
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16
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Section 11.1.
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Seal
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16
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Section 11.2.
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Fiscal Year
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16
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Section 11.3.
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Amendments
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16
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Section 11.4.
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Waiver of Notice
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16
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Section 11.5.
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Interpretation
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16
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Section 11.6.
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Inoperative Portion
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16
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Section 11.7.
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Inapplicability of Control Share Acquisition Act
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17
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ii
BYLAWS
OF
MGP INGREDIENTS, INC.
(A KANSAS CORPORATION)
(Restated for Filing Purposes in Accordance with Rule 102(c) of
Regulation S-T)
ARTICLE I
Offices
Section 1.1.
Principal Office. The principal office for the transaction of
business by MGP Ingredients, Inc. (formerly Midwest Grain Products, Inc.)
(hereinafter called the Corporation) shall be at 100 Commercial Street,
Atchison, Atchison County, Kansas 66044.[As amended effective March 3,
2005 and June 14, 2007.]
Section 1.2.
Registered Office. The Corporation, by resolution of the Board
of Directors, may change the location of the registered office that it has
designated in the Articles of Incorporation to any other place in Kansas. By similar resolution, the Corporation may
change its resident agent to any other person or corporation, including itself.
Section 1.3.
Other Offices. The Corporation may have offices at any other
place or places, within or without the state of Kansas, as from time to time
the Board of Directors may decide necessary or the business of the Corporation
may require.
ARTICLE II
Meeting of Stockholders
Section 2.1.
Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the stockholders for
the election of Directors and for the transaction of such other business as may
be properly brought before the meeting, shall be held on the second Wednesday
in October in each year or on such other day as shall be determined in
advance by the Board of Directors. The
hour and place of the meeting, within or without the State of Kansas, shall be
fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2.2.
Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders may be
called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Board of
Directors
Section 2.3.
Place and Time of Special Meetings. The
stockholders of the Corporation shall hold each special meeting at the place
and at the hour, within or without the state of Kansas, that the person or
persons calling the meeting have fixed.
Section 2.4.
Notice of Meetings. Written notice of the date, time and place
(and, in the case of a special meeting, the general nature of the business to
be transacted) of each annual or special stockholders meeting shall be given
to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at that meeting (except as
provided by Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) § 17-6520 and any and all amendments
thereto), not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the
date of the
1
meeting. Such notice shall be
deemed delivered to a stockholder when personally delivered to the stockholder
or when deposited in the United States mail, postage paid, addressed to the
stockholder at such persons address as it appears on the Corporations
records, or, if there is no record of a stockholders address, at the
stockholders last address known to the Secretary of the Corporation, or when
transmitted to the stockholder at such address by telegraph, telecopier, cable,
facsimile, wireless or other form of recorded communication. Except as the law expressly requires, notice
of a meeting of stockholders need not be published. [As amended effective March 16,
2006]
Section 2.5.
Adjourned Meetings and Notice Thereof. Any
stockholders meeting, annual or special, whether or not a quorum is present,
may be adjourned from time to time by the vote of a majority of the shares, the
holders of which are either present in person or represented by proxy, but in
the absence of a quorum, no other business may be transacted at such
meeting. When any stockholders meeting,
either annual or special, is adjourned for thirty (30) days or more, notice of
the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original
meeting. Except as aforesaid, it shall
not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be
transacted at an adjourned meeting, if the time and place are announced at the
meeting at which such adjournment is taken.
Section 2.6.
Quorum and Vote Required.
The presence in person or by
proxy of persons entitled to vote a majority of the issued and outstanding
stock of each class of stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. The
stockholders present at a meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to
do business until adjournment, despite the withdrawal of enough stockholders to
leave less than a quorum. When a quorum
is present at a meeting, any question brought before such meeting shall be
decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of each class of stock
entitled to vote on the question present in person or represented by proxy
shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is
one upon which by express provision of statute or of the Articles of
Incorporation, a different vote is required in which case such express
provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.
Section 2.7.
Chairman and Minutes. At each meeting of the stockholders, the
Chairman of the Board, or in the Chairmans absence or if requested by the
Chairman of the Board, the President, or in the Presidents absence the chief
financial officer, or in the chief financial officers absence, another officer
of the Corporation chosen by the vote of a majority in voting interest of the
stockholders present in person or by proxy, or if all the officers of the
Corporation are absent, a stockholder so chosen, shall act as chairman of the
meeting and preside at the meeting. The
Secretary of the Corporation, or if the Secretary is absent or required under
this section to act as chairman of the meeting, the person (who shall be an
Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, if an Assistant Secretary is present)
whom the chairman of the meeting shall appoint shall act as Secretary of the
meeting and keep the minutes. [As amended effective March 16, 2006 and October 22,
2009.]
Section 2.8.
Order of Business. The Chairman of each meeting of the
stockholders shall determine the order of business, provided that the order of
business may be changed by the vote of a majority in voting interest of the
stockholders present in person or by proxy.
2
Section 2.9.
Voting and Ballots. Except where otherwise provided by law, or by
the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, the exercise of voting rights
by stockholders shall be governed by the following provisions: Each stockholder (whether a holder of Common
Stock or Preferred Stock) entitled to vote shall, at each meeting of the
stockholders, be entitled to one vote for each share of capital stock held by
such stockholder as of the record date.
No cumulative voting shall be permitted.
All elections of directors shall be by written ballot; unless demanded by a stockholder of the
Corporation present in person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders
and entitled to vote thereat, or so directed by the chairman of the meeting,
the vote on any other question at such meeting need not be by written
ballot. Upon a demand of any such
stockholder for a vote by written ballot on any question, or at the direction
of the chairman of the meeting that a vote by ballot be taken on any question,
such vote shall be so taken. On a vote
by written ballot, each ballot shall be signed by the stockholder voting, or by
such persons proxy, if there be such a proxy, and shall state the number of
shares voted. [As amended effective March 16, 2006 and October 22,
2009]
Section 2.10.
Proxies. Every person entitled to vote or execute
consents shall have the right to do so either in person or by one or more
agents authorized by a written proxy executed by such person or such persons
duly authorized agent and filed with the Secretary of the Corporation. Provided, however, that no such proxy shall
be valid after the expiration of three (3) years from the date of its
execution, unless the proxy instrument provides for a longer period. [As
amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 2.11.
Inspection of Stock List.
The Secretary of the
Corporation, or the other officer of the Corporation who shall have charge of
the stock ledger, either directly, through another officer of the Corporation
that the Secretary designates, or through a transfer agent that the Board of
Directors appoints shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every
meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to
vote at such meeting. The officer
responsible for the list will arrange it in alphabetical order, showing the
address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of
each. The list shall be open to
inspection by any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during
ordinary business hours for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to
the meeting, at the Corporations principal place of business. The list shall
also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole
time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. [As
amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 2.12.
Inspectors of Votes.
(a) Prior to each
meeting of the stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint one or more
inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. If no inspector is able to act at a meeting,
the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act
at the meeting. Before entering upon
the discharge of the duties of inspector, each inspector shall subscribe an
oath faithfully to execute the duties of an inspector with strict impartiality
and according to the best of the inspectors ability. The inspectors shall take charge of the
ballots at the meeting. After the
balloting on any question, they shall count the ballots cast and make a report
in writing to the Secretary of the meeting of the results of that vote. An inspector need not be a stockholder of the
Corporation, and any officer of the Corporation may be an inspector on any
question other than a vote for or against such officers election to any
position with the
3
Corporation or on any other question in which such officer may be
directly interested. The inspectors may
appoint or retain other persons or entities to assist the inspectors in the
performance of their duties.
(b) The inspectors
shall
(1) ascertain the
number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each;
(2) determine the
shares represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots;
(3) count all votes
and ballots;
(4) determine and
retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges
made to any determination by the inspectors; and
(5) certify their
determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting, and their
count of all votes and ballots.
(c) The date and
time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the
stockholder will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting. No ballot, proxies or votes, nor any
revocations thereof or changes thereto, shall be accepted by the inspectors
after the closing of the polls unless the district court upon application by a
stockholder determines otherwise.
(d) In determining
the validity and counting of proxies and ballots, except as may otherwise be
permitted by law the inspectors shall be limited to an examination of the
proxies, any envelopes submitted with those proxies, any information provided
in accordance with subsection (f) of K.S.A. 17-6501 or subsection (c)(2) of
17-6502, and amendments thereto, or any information provided pursuant to
subsection (a)(2)(B)(i) or (iii) of K.S.A. 17-6501, and amendments
thereto, ballots and the regular books and records of the Corporation, except
that the inspectors may consider other reliable information for the limited
purpose of reconciling proxies and ballots submitted by or on behalf of banks,
brokers, their nominees or similar persons which represent more votes than the
holder of a proxy is authorized by the record owner to cast or more votes than
the stockholder holds of record. If the
inspectors consider other reliable information for the limited purpose permitted
herein, the inspectors at the time they make their certification pursuant to
subsection (c) (5) above shall specify the precise information
considered by them, including the persons or persons from whom they obtained
the information, when the information was obtained, the means by which the
information was obtained and the basis for the inspectors belief that such
information is accurate and reliable. [As amended effective March 16,
2006.]
Section 2.13.
Action Without Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken
at any meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting if a consent
or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are signed
(personally or by duly authorized attorney) by all persons who would be
entitled to vote upon such action at a meeting, and filed with the minutes of
the meetings of the stockholders. Such consent or consents shall be delivered
in a
4
manner prescribed by law to the Corporation by delivery to its
registered office in Kansas, its principal place of business or an officer or
agent of the Corporation having custody of the books in which proceedings of
meetings of stockholders are recorded.
[As amended effective March 3, 2005.]
ARTICLE III
Board of Directors
Section 3.1.
Powers. The property, business, and affairs of the
Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors.
Section 3.2.
Number, Election Term, Qualification and Removal.
There shall be nine (9) directors, of which four (4) shall be
Group A directors, and five (5) shall be Group B directors. The nine (9) directors shall also be
divided into three classes consisting of three (3) directors each (Class A,
B and C). One class of directors shall
be elected to office at each annual meeting of the stockholders. The term of office of each director shall be
for three (3) years and until such persons successor is elected and
qualified, or until such persons earlier resignation or removal. Class A and Class B shall each
consist of two (2) Group B directors and one (1) Group A director,
and Class C shall consist of two (2) Group A directors and one (1) Group
B director. Directors need not be
stockholders. Directors may be removed
in such manner as may be provided by the Kansas General Corporation Code (the Code)
or by the Articles of Incorporation. [As amended effective March 16,
2006.]
Section 3.3.
Chairman of the Board. A
Chairman of the Board shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at
its first meeting following the annual meeting of the stockholders and shall
hold office until such Chairman of the Boards successor is elected and
qualified or until such Chairman of the Boards earlier resignation or
removal. The Chairman of the Board shall
preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall also have such
further authority and duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time
direct and as may be provided in these bylaws. The Chairman of the Board shall
be subject to the control of, and shall hold office at the pleasure of, the
Board of Directors. [As amended
effective October 22, 2009.]
Section 3.4.
Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation may be held within or without the state of Kansas. The Board of Directors shall hold an annual
meeting without notice immediately after the final adjournment of and at the
same place as each annual meeting of the stockholders. The Board of Directors may hold other regular
meetings with or without notice at such times and places as the Board may
provide. The Board may hold special
meetings at any time upon the call of any member of the Board or the
President. Notice of any special
meeting, including the time and place of the meeting, shall be given to each
director by any of the following means: (a) by
a writing deposited in the United States mail, postage paid, addressed to the
director at the directors residence or principal business office, at least
five (5) days prior to the date of the meeting; (b) by telegraph,
cable, wireless, telecopier, facsimile or other form of recorded communication
sent not later than the day before the date of the meeting; or (c) by oral
communication, personally or by telephone, not later than the day before the
date of the meeting. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
5
Section 3.5.
Adjourned Meetings and Notice Thereof. Any
meeting of the Board of Directors may be adjourned from time to time, whether
or not a quorum is present, by the vote of a majority of directors
present. Notice of any adjourned meeting
need not be given if the Board fixed the time and place at the meeting from
which adjournment was taken.
Section 3.6.
Quorum and Manner of Acting.
Five (5) of the nine
directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any
meeting, and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at
which a quorum shall be present shall be the act of the Board of
Directors. The directors present at a
duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to do
business until adjournment, despite the withdrawal of enough directors to leave
less than a quorum. Members of the
Board, or of any committee the Board designates, may participate in a meeting
of the Board or of that committee by means of conference telephone or similar
communications equipment through which all persons participating in the meeting
can hear one another. Such participation
shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
Section 3.7.
Action by Consent. Any action required or permitted to be taken
at a meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be taken
without a meeting if all members of the Board or the committee consent to such
action in writing and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of
proceedings of the Board or the committee.
Section 3.8.
Vacancies. A majority of the directors then in office,
although less than a quorum, or a sole remaining director may fill vacancies on
the Board. If at any time the
Corporation should have no directors in office, then any officer, stockholder,
executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian of a stockholder, or other
fiduciary entrusted with responsibility for the person or estate of a
stockholder may call a special meeting of the stockholders in accordance with
the provisions of these bylaws for the purpose of electing directors.
A vacancy on the Board shall
exist in case of the death, resignation, or removal of any director, if the
stockholders increase the number of directors, if the stockholders fail at any
meeting at which they elect directors to elect the full number of directors for
which they are voting at that meeting, or if a director refuses to serve. If a director resigns, effective at a future
date, the Board, including any directors whose resignations are not yet
effective, shall have the power to fill that vacancy, the successor to take
office when the resignation becomes effective.
Each director chosen as this
section provides shall hold office until the next regular election of directors
or of the class of which such director is a part and until the election and
qualification of such persons successor.
No reduction in the authorized number of directors shall have the effect
of removing any director prior to the expiration of such persons term of
office. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 3.9.
Inspection of Books and Records.
Any director shall have the
right to examine the Corporations stock ledger, a list of its stockholders
entitled to vote and its other books and records for a purpose reasonably
related to such directors position as a director. When there is any doubt concerning the
inspection rights of a director, the parties may petition
6
the District Court which may, in its discretion, determine whether an
inspection may be made and whether any limitations or conditions should be
imposed upon the same.
ARTICLE IV
Committees
Executive and Other Committees. The
Board of Directors may, by resolution or resolutions passed by a majority of
the whole Board, designate an Executive Committee and one or more other
committees, each to consist of one (1) or more directors. The Executive Committee shall not have
authority to make, alter, or amend bylaws, or to fill vacancies in its own
membership or that of the Board, but it shall exercise all other powers of the
Board between meetings of that body.
Other committees of the Board shall have the powers of the Board to the
extent their authorizing resolutions provide.
The Executive and such other committees shall meet at stated times or on
notice to all committee members by any one of them. The committees shall fix their own rules of
procedure. A majority shall constitute a
quorum, but the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole committee shall be
necessary for any action. The Executive
and other committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings and report
these to the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V
Officers
Section 5.1.
Number. The Officers of the Corporation shall be a
President, Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers, including one or more
Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and other
assistant officers, as the Board of Directors may from time to time elect. The
Board shall designate an Officer as chief executive officer and an Officer as
chief financial officer, and may provide such other designations, such as chief
operating officer or chief accounting officer, as it may deem appropriate. If more than one Vice President be elected,
the Board may designate one or more of them as Executive Vice President or
Senior Vice President. Additionally, the
chief executive officer may appoint one or more divisional or segment vice
presidents. Any two or more offices may
be held by the same individual. [As amended effective March 16, 2006 and October 22,
2009.]
Section 5.2.
Election and Term. The Officers of the Corporation shall be
elected annually by the Board of Directors at its first meeting following the
annual meeting of the stockholders and shall hold office until such officers
successor is elected and qualified or until such officers earlier resignation
or removal. At any meeting, the Board of
Directors may elect such other officers to hold office until such officers
successor is elected and qualified or until such officers earlier resignation
or removal. A division or segment vice
president appointed by the chief executive officer may be appointed at any
time, and any person so appointed shall hold such office until such persons
resignation or removal. Each Officer of the Corporation and each division or
segment vice president shall be subject to the control of, and shall hold
office at the pleasure of, the Board of Directors. [As amended effective March 16,
2006.]
7
Section 5.3.
Absence or Disability.
- - In the event of the absence or
disability of any officer of the Corporation and of any person authorized to
act in such officers place during such period of absence or disability, the
Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers and duties of that
officer to any other officer, or any director or any other person whom it may
select. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 5.4.
Removal and Resignation.
- - Any officer may be removed with
or without cause at any time by the Board of Directors, and any segment or
division vice president appointed by the chief executive officer may be removed
with or without cause at any time by the chief executive officer. Any officer may resign at any time upon
written notice to the Corporation. [As
amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 5.5.
Vacancies. - In case any office filled by the Board of
Directors pursuant to Section 5.1 shall become vacant by reason of death,
resignation, removal or otherwise, the directors then in office, although less
than a majority of the entire Board of Directors, may, by a majority vote of
those voting, choose a successor or successors for the unexpired term. [As
amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 5.6.
Compensation of Officers.
- - The Board of Directors, a
committee of the Board of Directors or such officer as the Board or such
committee may designate, may fix or provide the method for determining the
compensation for officers. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 5.7.
Bond. - The Board of Directors, by resolution, may
require any and all of the officers to give bond to the Corporation, with
sufficient surety or sureties, conditioned for the faithful performance of the
duties of their respective offices, and to comply with such other conditions as
may from time to time be required by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
Duties of Officers
Section 6.1.
The President. - The President shall have such authority and
duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time direct and as may be
provided in these bylaws. Unless the
Board otherwise provides, the President shall be the chief executive officer of
the Corporation with such general executive powers and duties of supervision
and management as are usually vested in the office of the chief executive
officer of a corporation. [As amended effective March 16, 2006 and June 14,
2007.]
The President shall see that
all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect,
subject to the right of the directors to delegate any specific powers to any
other officer or officers of the Corporation. [As amended effective March 16,
2006.]
In the absence of the
Chairman of the Board, the President shall preside at meetings of the Board of
Directors, and in the absence of or if requested by the Chairman of the Board,
shall preside at meetings of stockholders.
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The President, alone or with
the Secretary or any other proper officer of the Corporation thereunto
authorized by the Board of Directors, may sign certificated shares of the
Corporation, deeds, conveyances, bonds, mortgages, contracts or other
instruments which the Board of Directors has authorized to be executed, and
unless the Board of Directors shall order otherwise by resolution, may borrow
such funds, make such contracts, and execute such agreements, financing
statements, certificates, documents and other instruments as may be incident
thereto, as the ordinary conduct of the Corporations business may require.
Unless the Board otherwise
provides, the President or any person designated in writing by the President
may (i) attend meetings of stockholders of other corporations to represent
the Corporation thereat and to vote or take action with respect to the shares
of any such corporation owned by this Corporation in such manner as the
President or the Presidents designee may determine, and (ii) execute and
deliver written consents, waivers of notice and proxies for and in the name of
the Corporation with respect to any such shares owned by this Corporation.
The President shall, unless
the Board provides otherwise, be ex-officio a member of all standing
committees. [As amended effective October 22, 2009.]
Section 6.2.
Vice Presidents. - Any Vice President elected by the Board of
Directors shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to such person and
shall exercise such powers as may be granted to such person by the Board of
Directors or by the chief executive officer.
In the absence of the President, the Vice Presidents elected by the
Board of Directors, in order of their seniority, may perform the duties and
exercise the powers of the chief executive officer with the same force and
effect as if performed by the chief executive officer. Divisional or segment vice presidents
appointed by the chief executive officer shall perform such duties and exercise
such powers as are approved by the Board of Directors. [As amended effective March 16,
2006 and October 22, 2009.]
Section 6.3.
The Secretary. - The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the
stockholders, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committees meetings in
books provided for that purpose.
The Secretary shall be
custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation. The Secretary shall see that the seal of the
Corporation is affixed to all certificated shares prior to the issue thereof
and to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Corporation under
its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws.
The Secretary shall sign
with the President, the Chairman of the Board or a Vice President, certificated
shares of the Corporation, the issue of which shall have been authorized by
resolution of the Board of Directors.
Except to the extent delegated by the Board to an institutional stock
transfer agent and registrar, the Secretary shall have general charge of the
stock transfer books of the Corporation and shall keep a register of the post
office address of each stockholder which shall be furnished to the Secretary by
such stockholder.
The Secretary shall see that
all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws or
as required by law and that the voting list is prepared for stockholders
meetings.
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In general, the Secretary
shall perform all duties incident to the office and such other duties as may
from time to time be assigned to the Secretary by the chief executive officer
or by the Board of Directors. [As amended effective March 16, 2006; June 14,
2007]
Section 6.4.
Assistant Secretary.
- - At the request of the
Secretary, or in the event of the Secretarys absence or disability, any
Assistant Secretary appointed by the Board of Directors shall perform any of
the duties of the Secretary and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of,
and be subject to all the restrictions upon, the Secretary. Except where by law the signature of the
Secretary is required, each of the Assistant Secretaries shall possess the same
power as the Secretary to sign certificates, contracts, obligations and other
instruments of the Corporation, and to affix the seal of the Corporation to
such instruments, and attest the same. [As amended effective March 16,
2006.]
Section 6.5.
The Treasurer. - The Treasurer shall have responsibility for
the funds and securities of the Corporation, shall receive and give receipts
for moneys due and payable of the Corporation from any source whatsoever, and
shall deposit all such moneys in the name of the Corporation in such banks,
trust companies or other depositaries as shall be selected by the Board of
Directors or by any officer of the Corporation to whom such authority has been
granted by the Board of Directors.
The Treasurer shall disburse
or permit to be disbursed the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered or
authorized generally by the Board.
The Treasurer shall render
to the President and the directors whenever they may require it an account of
all such officers transactions as Treasurer and of those under such officers
jurisdiction and of the financial condition of the Corporation. [As amended
effective October 22, 2009.]
In general, the Treasurer
shall perform all the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other
duties as from time to time may be assigned to the Treasurer by the chief
executive officer or by the Board of Directors. [As amended effective March 16,
2006.]
Section 6.6.
Assistant Officers. - Each assistant officer that may be selected
pursuant to these bylaws shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of
Directors. In the absence or
nonavailability of the principal, the assistant may perform the duties and
exercise the powers of the principal with the same force and effect as if
performed by the principal. The
assistant shall also have such lesser or greater authority and perform such
other duties as the Board of Directors may prescribe.
ARTICLE VII
Signature Authority and
Representation
Section 7.1.
Contracts, Checks, etc.
- - All contracts and agreements
authorized by the Board of Directors, and all checks, drafts, bills of exchange
or other orders for the payment of money, notes, or other evidences of
indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation, shall be signed by such
officer or officers, or agent or agents, as may from time to time be authorized
by
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these bylaws, designated by the Board of Directors, or as may be
designated by such officer or officers as the Board of Directors may appoint,
which designation or designations may be general or confined to specific
instances. The Board of Directors may
authorize the use of facsimile signatures on any such document.
Section 7.2.
Proxies in Respect of Securities of Other Corporations. -
Unless the Board of Directors provides otherwise, the President or a
Vice President may from time to time appoint an attorney or an agent to
exercise, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, the powers and rights
which the Corporation may have as the holder of stock or other securities in
any other corporation to vote or to consent in respect of that stock or those
securities. The President or Vice
President may instruct the person or persons such officer appoints as to the
manner of exercising the powers and rights, and the President may execute or
cause to be executed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation all written
proxies, powers of attorney, or other written instruments that such officer
deems necessary in order for the Corporation to exercise those powers and
rights. [As amended effective March 16, 2006 and October 22, 2009.]
ARTICLE VIII
Certificates of Stock,
Bonds, and Records
Section 8.1.
Form & Signature.
- - The shares of the Corporation
shall be represented by certificates or, if and to the extent the Board of
Directors determines, shall be uncertificated shares. Notwithstanding any such determination by the
Board of Directors, every stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate or
certificates of stock bearing the holders name and number of shares and signed
by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board, the
President or a Vice President, and the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary;
provided, however, that any or all of the other signatures on the certificate
may be a facsimile. In case any officer
of the Corporation, transfer agent or registrar who shall have signed or whose
facsimile signature shall have been placed upon a certificate ceases to be such
officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, the
Corporation may nevertheless issue the certificate with the same effect as
though the person were an officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of
issuance. [As amended June 14, 2007]
Section 8.2.
Transfers. - Certificated shares of stock may be
transferred on the books of the Corporation by the registered holders thereof
or by their attorneys legally constituted or their legal representatives by
surrender of the certificates therefor for cancellation and a written
assignment of the shares evidenced thereby.
Uncertificated shares shall be transferred in the share register of the
Corporation upon an instruction originated by the appropriate person to transfer
the shares. The Board of Directors may
from time to time appoint such Transfer Agents and Registrars of stock as it
may deem advisable and may define their powers and duties. [As amended June 14, 2007]
Section 8.3.
Record Owner. - The Corporation shall be entitled to
recognize the exclusive right of a person on its books as the owners of shares
to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls
and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and
shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in
such shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have
express or other notice
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thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of
Kansas. [[As corrected June 14,
2007.]
Section 8.4.
Lost Certificates. - Any person applying for a certificate of
stock to be issued in lieu of one alleged to be lost or destroyed shall furnish
to the Corporation such information as it may require to ascertain whether a
certificate of stock has been lost or destroyed and shall furnish such bond as
the Board may deem sufficient to indemnify the Corporation and its transfer
agent and registrar against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged
loss.
Section 8.5.
Books and Records. - The Corporation may keep its books and
records at any places within or without the state of Kansas that the Board of
Directors may from time to time determine.
Section 8.6.
Record Dates. - Record dates may be set as follows:
(1) In order for the Corporation to
determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting, the
Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date which shall not precede
the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the
Board of Directors, and not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days
before the date of a meeting. If the
Board of Directors does not fix a record date, the record date for determining
stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting shall be the close
of business on the day that next precedes the day on which notice of the
meeting is given or, if notice is waived, the close of business on the day that
next precedes the day on which the stockholders meet.
(2) In order for the Corporation to
determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing
without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date
which shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record
date is adopted by the Board of Directors and which date shall not be more than
ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record
date is adopted by the Board of Directors.
If the Board does not fix a record date, the record date for determining
stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a
meeting, when no prior action of the Board is necessary, shall be the date on
which the first written consent is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to
its registered office within the state of Kansas, its principal place of
business, or Secretary. Delivery made to
the Corporations registered office shall be by hand or by certified or
registered mail, return receipt requested.
If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior
action of the Board of Directors is required, the record date for determining
stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a
meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of
Directors adopts a resolution taking such other action.
(3) In order for the Corporation to
determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend,
distribution or allotment of, any rights, or to exercise any rights in respect
of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other
lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date
shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is
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adopted, and which record
date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date
for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of
business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts a resolution
relating thereto. In connection with the
declaration of dividends, the Board may specify a variable payment date which
will be the earlier of the sixtieth day following the record date or the date
of a future event such as the mailing of a notice or report to stockholders.
Section 8.7.
Closing Stock Books.
- - The Board of Directors may
close the books of the Corporation against transfers of shares during the whole
or any part of a period not more than sixty (60) days prior to the date of a
stockholders meeting, the date when the right to any dividend, distribution,
or allotment of rights vests, or the effective date of any change, conversion,
or exchange of shares.
ARTICLE IX
Dividends
Subject to the Articles of
Incorporation, whenever the Board of Directors decides that the affairs of the
Corporation render it advisable, the Board, at any regular or special meeting,
may declare and pay dividends in an amount the Board believes proper upon the
shares of stock of the Corporation either (1) out of the Corporations
surplus as defined and computed in accordance with the provisions of law, or (2) in
case the Corporation shall not have any such surplus, out of the net profits
for the fiscal year in which the Board declares the dividend and/or the net
profits of the preceding fiscal year.
Before the Corporation pays
any dividend or makes any distribution of profits, the Board may set aside out
of the surplus or net profits of the Corporation any sum that the directors in
their absolute discretion think proper as a reserve to meet contingencies, to
equalize dividends, to repair or maintain property of the Corporation, or to
accomplish any other purpose the directors think is in the interests of the
Corporation.
ARTICLE X
Indemnification
Section 10.1.
Right to Indemnification.
- - Each person who was or is made
a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a proceeding), by
reason of the fact that such person, or a person of whom such person is the
legal representative, is or was a director or officer, of the Corporation, or
who, while a director, officer or employee of the Corporation, is or was
serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another
enterprise, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an
official capacity as a director or officer, or in any other capacity while
serving as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the
Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the K.S.A., as the same exist
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
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broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation
to provide prior to such amendment), against all expenses, liability and loss
(including attorneys fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties
and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered
by such person in connection therewith; provided, however, that, the Corporation
shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnity in connection with a
proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding
(or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The right to indemnification conferred in
this Section shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the
expenses, including attorneys fees,
incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final
disposition; provided, however, that the payment of such expenses incurred by a
present or former director or officer in advance of the final disposition of a
proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an
undertaking, by or on behalf of such present or former director or officer, to
repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such
present or former director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under
this Section or otherwise. For
purposes of this Article X, the term enterprise shall include corporations,
both profit and nonprofit, partnerships, joint ventures, trusts, employee plans
and associations, and the term officer shall include with respect to
partnerships, joint ventures, trusts or other enterprises, the offices of
general partner, trustee or other fiduciary (as defined in the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act, as amended).
The Corporation may, by action of its Board of Directors, provide
indemnification and expense advances to employees and agents of the Corporation
with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of present and
former directors and officers. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 10.2.
Certain Limits on Indemnity.
- - Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Article X to the contrary, the Corporation shall not be
liable, unless otherwise provided by separate written agreement, by-law or
other provision for indemnity, to make any payment in connection with any claim
made against the director or officer:
(1) for an accounting of profits made from
the purchase or sale by the officer or director of securities of the
Corporation within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and amendments thereto; or
(2) for amounts paid in settlement of any
proceeding effected without the written consent of the Corporation, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Section 10.3.
Rights to Indemnity Shall be Contractual and Continuing. - The
provisions of this Article X shall be deemed to be a contract between this
Corporation and each person who serves as contemplated as a director or officer
at any time while such provisions are in effect; they shall continue as to a
person who has ceased to be a director or officer; and they shall inure to the
benefit of such persons heirs, executors and administrators. Such provisions may be limited or qualified
as to service occurring subsequent to such limitation or qualification by
authority of the Board of Directors of this Corporation; provided, however, any
such limitation or qualification, or any other repeal or amendment of this Article X
shall not affect any right or obligation then existing with respect to any
state of facts then or theretofore existing or any action, suit or proceeding
theretofore or thereafter brought based in whole or in part upon any such state
of facts. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
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Section 10.4.
Certain Procedural Matters.
- -
(1) In the event of payment under the
provisions of this Article, the Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent
of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the director or officer.
(2) The Corporation shall be entitled to
participate at its expense in any proceeding for which a director or officer
may be entitled to indemnity, and it may assume the defense thereof with
counsel satisfactory to the director or officer unless the officer or director
reasonably concludes that there may be a conflict of interest between the
Corporation and the director or officer in the conduct of such defense.
(3) If a claim under this Article is
not paid in full by the Corporation within ninety (90) days after a written
claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time
thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of
the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be
entitled to be paid also the expense (including reasonable attorneys fees) of
prosecuting such claim. It shall be a
defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for
expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final
disposition where the required undertaking has been tendered to the
Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make
it permissible under the K.S.A. for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant
for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the
Corporation. Neither the failure of the
Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or
its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of
such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances
because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the
K.S.A., nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of
Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant
had not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the
action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable
standard of conduct. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 10.5.
Non-Exclusivity of Rights.
- - The right to indemnification
and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of
its final disposition conferred in this Section shall not be exclusive of
any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any
statute, provision of the Articles of Incorporation, bylaw, agreement, vote of
stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
Section 10.6.
Insurance. - The Corporation may maintain insurance, at
its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of
the Corporation or another enterprise against any expense, liability or loss,
whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person or
enterprise against such expense, liability or loss under the K.S.A.
15
ARTICLE XI
Miscellaneous
Section 11.1.
Seal. - The seal of the Corporation shall be circular
in form and shall contain the following words:
MGP INGREDIENTS, INC.
CORPORATE
SEAL
KANSAS
[As
amended effective March 3, 2005.]
Section 11.2.
Fiscal Year. - The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end
on the 30th day of June in each year, commencing June 30, 2008. The fiscal year ending June 30, 2008
commenced on July 2, 2007; each subsequent fiscal year shall commence on July 1.
[As amended effective March 8, 2008.]
Section 11.3.
Amendments. - All bylaws of the Corporation shall be
subject to alteration or repeal, and new bylaws may be made, by the Board of
Directors subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter
or repeal any bylaws made by the Board of Directors.
Section 11.4.
Waiver of Notice. - Whenever notice of an annual, regular or
special meeting of the stockholders, the Board of Directors or any committee of
the Board is required to be delivered to a person under any of the provisions
of these bylaws, a written waiver of notice signed by such person, whether
signed before or after the meeting, shall be deemed equivalent to the timely
delivery to such person of written notice of such meeting. Attendance of a person at a meeting also
shall be deemed equivalent to the timely delivery to such person of written
notice of such meeting, unless such person attends such meeting for the purpose
of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not
lawfully called or convened and states such to be such persons purpose at the
beginning of the meeting. Neither the
business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or
special meeting of the stockholders, the Board of Directors or any committee of
the Board need be specified in any written waiver of notice of such meeting,
regardless whether such specification would be required in the notice of such
meeting. [As amended effective March 16, 2006.]
Section 11.5.
Interpretation. - Whenever the context indicates, the masculine
gender in these bylaws shall include the feminine and neuter, and the singular
shall include the plural or vice versa.
The table of contents and headings are solely for organization,
convenience, and clarity. They do not
define, limit, or describe the scope of these bylaws or the intent in any of
the provisions.
Section 11.6.
Inoperative Portion.
- - If any portion of these bylaws
shall be invalid or inoperative, then, to the extent reasonable and possible,
the remainder shall be valid and
16
operative, and effect shall be given to the intent that the portion
held invalid or inoperative manifests.
Section 11.7.
Inapplicability of Control Share Acquisition Act. - The
provisions of Section 17-1286 to 17-1298 of the Kansas Statutes, also
known as the Kansas Control Share Acquisition Act, shall not apply to this
Corporation.
SECRETARYS CERTIFICATE
The undersigned Secretary of
MGP Ingredients, Inc. (the Company) hereby certifies on October 22,
2009 that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the
Company, as amended.
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MGP
Ingredients, Inc.
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By:
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/s/
Marta Myers
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Marta Myers, Secretary
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