EX-3.3 4 d431172dex33.htm EX-3.3 EX-3.3

Exhibit 3.3

SPIRIT MTA REIT

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE. The principal office of Spirit MTA REIT (the “Trust”) in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Trustees may designate.

Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES. The Trust may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine or the business of the Trust may require.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS

Section 1. PLACE. All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust or at such other place as shall be set in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING. An annual meeting of shareholders for the election of trustees and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Trust shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Board of Trustees. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Trust’s existence or affect any otherwise valid acts of the Trust.

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS.

 

  (a) General. Each of the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president and Board of Trustees may call a special meeting of shareholders. Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 3, a special meeting of shareholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees, whoever has called the meeting. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, a special meeting of shareholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Trust to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders upon the written request of shareholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

 

  (b) Shareholder-Requested Special Meetings.

 

  (1)

Any shareholder of record seeking to have shareholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the secretary (the “Record Date Request Notice”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Trustees to fix a record date to determine the shareholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “Request Record Date”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more


  shareholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such shareholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of trustees in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Trustees may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Trustees. If the Board of Trustees, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

 

  (2) In order for any shareholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “Special Meeting Request”) signed by shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “Special Meeting Percentage”) shall be delivered to the secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Trust’s books, of each shareholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest of the Trust which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such shareholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of beneficial interest of the Trust owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, (d) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting shareholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

 

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  (3) The secretary shall inform the requesting shareholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Trust’s proxy materials). The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon shareholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 3(b), the secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.

 

  (4) In the case of any special meeting called by the secretary upon the request of shareholders (a “Shareholder-Requested Meeting”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Trustees; provided, however, that the date of any Shareholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “Meeting Record Date”); and provided further that if the Board of Trustees fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the secretary (the “Delivery Date”), a date and time for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Trustees fails to designate a place for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust. In fixing a date for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Trustees may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Shareholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Trustees fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Trustees may revoke the notice for any Shareholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting shareholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 3(b).

 

  (5)

If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the secretary and the result is that shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been delivered and if the secretary first sends to all

 

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  requesting shareholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Trust’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

 

  (6) The chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Trust for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after actual receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Trust that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, shareholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Trust or any shareholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

  (7) For purposes of these Bylaws, “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Section 4. NOTICE. Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each meeting of shareholders, the secretary shall give notice of such meeting to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each shareholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting, notice in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called. Such notice may be delivered by mail, by presenting it to such shareholder personally, by leaving it at the shareholder’s residence or usual place of business, by electronic transmission or by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at the shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Trust, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when

 

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transmitted to the shareholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the shareholder at which the shareholder receives electronic transmissions. The Trust may give a single notice to all shareholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any shareholder at such address, unless a shareholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes a prior consent to receiving such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more shareholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

Subject to Section 11(a) of this Article II, any business of the Trust may be transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of shareholders except as specifically designated in the notice. The Trust may postpone or cancel a meeting of shareholders by making a Public Announcement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article II) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this section.

Section 5. ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT. Every meeting of shareholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the chairman of the board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order: the vice chairman of the board, if there is one, the chief executive officer, the president, the vice presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the secretary or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the shareholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy. The secretary, or, in the secretary’s absence, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of both the secretary and assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the secretary presides at a meeting of shareholders, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of shareholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the shareholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to shareholders of record of the Trust, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to shareholders of record of the Trust entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any shareholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and complying with any state

 

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and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 6. QUORUM; ADJOURNMENTS. At any meeting of shareholders, the presence in person or by proxy of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this section shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the declaration of trust of the Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) for the vote necessary for the approval of any matter. If, however, such quorum is not established at any meeting of the shareholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting sine die or from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At 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 notified.

The shareholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough shareholders to leave fewer than would be required to establish a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING.

 

  (a) A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to take or authorize action upon any matter which may properly come before the meeting, except as otherwise provided in this Section 7 with respect to the election of trustees, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is specifically required by statute, by the Declaration of Trust or by these Bylaws. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Declaration of Trust, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be via voice unless the Chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot or otherwise.

 

  (b)

Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust with respect to trustees to be elected by the holders of any class or series of preferred shares of the Trust and in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws with respect to the filling of vacancies on the Board of Trustees, each trustee shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast with respect to such trustee at any meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present and trustees are to be elected; provided, however, that the trustees shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of the shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present and trustees are to be elected if, in connection with such meeting (i) the Secretary of the Trust shall have received one or more notices that a shareholder has nominated or proposes to nominate a person or persons for election as a trustee, which notice(s) purports to be in compliance with the advance notice requirements set forth in Section 11 of Article II of these Bylaws, irrespective of whether the Board of Trustees thereafter determines that any such notice(s) is not in compliance with such requirements, and (ii) as of the fourteenth (14th) day

 

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  preceding the date on which notice of such meeting of the shareholders is first mailed or otherwise given in accordance with applicable law to the shareholders of the Trust, such nomination or proposed nomination has not been withdrawn by such shareholder and would thereby cause the number of nominees and proposed nominees to exceed the number of trustees to be elected at such meeting, as determined by the Secretary of the Trust, irrespective of whether such nomination or proposed nomination is thereafter withdrawn by such shareholder (a “Contested Election”). If the trustees are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast pursuant to the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, shareholders shall not be permitted to vote “against” any one or more nominees but shall only be permitted to vote “for” one or more nominees or withhold their votes with respect to one or more nominees. For purposes hereof, a majority of the votes cast means the number of votes cast “for” a trustee nominee must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that trustee nominee, with abstentions and broker non-votes not counted as a vote cast either “for” or “against” that trustee nominee.

 

  (c) In the election of trustees, each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are trustees to be elected and for whose election the shares are entitled to vote, without any right to cumulative voting.

 

  (d)

If, in any election of trustees of the Trust which is not a Contested Election, an incumbent trustee does not receive a majority of the votes cast and therefore is not re-elected, such incumbent trustee shall promptly tender his or her resignation as a trustee, subject to acceptance thereof by the Board, for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will promptly consider any such tendered resignation and will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees as to whether such tendered resignation should be accepted or rejected, or whether other action should be taken with respect to such offer to resign. Any incumbent trustee whose tendered resignation is under consideration may not participate in any deliberation or vote of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the Board of Trustees regarding such tendered resignation. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board of Trustees may consider any factors they deem relevant in deciding whether to accept, reject or take other action with respect to any such tendered resignation. Within ninety (90) days after the date on which certification of the shareholder vote on the election of trustees is made, the Board of Trustees will publicly disclose its decision and rationale regarding whether to accept, reject or take other action with respect to the tendered resignation in a press release, a periodic or current report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or by other public announcement. If any trustee’s tendered resignation is not accepted by the Board of Trustees, such trustee will continue to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation or removal. If any trustee’s tendered resignation is accepted by the Board of Trustees, then such trustee will thereupon cease to be a trustee of the Trust, and the Board of Trustees,

 

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  in its sole discretion, may fill the resulting vacancy under the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, Article III, Section 11 of these Bylaws and applicable law or may decrease the size of the Board of Trustees pursuant to the provisions of Article III, Section 2 of these Bylaws.

Section 8. PROXIES. A holder of record of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust may cast votes in person or by proxy executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the secretary before or at the meeting. No proxy shall be valid more than eleven months after its date unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 9. VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS. Shares of the Trust registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, general partner, managing member or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such shares pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such shares. Any trustee or fiduciary may vote shares registered in the name of such person in the capacity of such trustee or fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

The Board of Trustees may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a shareholder may certify in writing to the Trust that any shares of beneficial interest registered in the name of the shareholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of shareholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date, the time after the record date within which the certification must be received by the Trust; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Trustees considers necessary or desirable. On receipt by the Trust of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the holder of record of the specified shares in place of the shareholder who makes the certification.

Section 10. INSPECTORS. The Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, in advance of or at any meeting, may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to an inspector. The inspectors, if any, shall (a) determine the number of shares of beneficial interest represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and the validity and effect of proxies, (b) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (c) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (d) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote and (e) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one

 

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inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

Section 11. ADVANCE NOTICE OF SHAREHOLDER NOMINEES FOR TRUSTEE AND OTHER SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS.

 

  (a) Annual Meetings of Shareholders.

 

  (1) At an annual meeting of shareholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be brought pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or (iii) by any shareholder of the Trust who (A) was a shareholder of record (and, if such nomination or other business is proposed at the request of any beneficial owner, at the request of a beneficial owner who was the beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust) both at the time of giving of notice by the shareholder as provided for in this Section 11(a) of this Article II and at the time of the annual meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and (C) has complied with this Section 11(a) of this Article II. Except for proposals properly made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a shareholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of shareholders.

 

  (2)

For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder pursuant to Section 11(a)(1)(iii) of this Article II, (i) the shareholder must have (A) given timely notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary, (B) provided any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 11 of this Article II and (ii) such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the shareholders. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 11 of this Article II and shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Texas local time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article II) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in connection with the Trust’s first annual meeting or in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as

 

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  originally convened, or the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The Public Announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

  (3) To be in proper form, such shareholder’s notice to the secretary shall set forth:

 

  (i) as to each individual whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a trustee (each, a “Proposed Nominee”), all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder (including the Proposed Nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a trustee if elected);

 

  (ii) as to any business that the shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, (A) a reasonably detailed description of such business, the shareholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the shareholder or the Shareholder Associated Person therefrom, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration) and (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (I) between or among the shareholder and/or any of the Shareholder Associated Persons or (II) between or among the shareholder and/or any of the Shareholder Associated Persons, on the one hand, and any other person or entity (including their names), on the other hand, in connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder;

 

  (iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Shareholder Associated Person,

 

  (A)

the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest or other securities of the Trust or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Trust securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company security was acquired

 

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  and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such shares or other security) in any Trust securities of any such person,

 

  (B) the nominee holder for, and number of, any Trust securities owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person,

 

  (C)

(I) any derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the purpose or effect of which is to give such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person economic risk similar to ownership of shares or units of any Trust securities, including due to the fact that the value of such derivative, swap or other transactions are determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any shares or units of any Trust securities, or which derivative, swap or other transactions provide, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any increase in the price or value of shares or units of any Trust securities (“Synthetic Equity Interests”), which Synthetic Equity Interests shall be disclosed without regard to whether (x) the derivative, swap or other transactions convey any voting rights in such shares or units to such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, (y) the derivative, swap or other transactions are required to be, or are capable of being, settled through delivery of such shares or units or (z) such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person may have entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such derivative, swap or other transactions, (II) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person has or shares a right to vote any shares or units of any Trust securities, (III) any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship, including any repurchase or similar so- called “share borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of

 

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  ownership or otherwise) of shares or units of any Trust securities by, manage the risk of price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person with respect to the shares or units of any Trust securities, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of the shares or units of any Trust securities (“Short Interests”), (IV) any rights to dividends on the shares or units of any Trust securities owned beneficially by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person that are separated or separable from the underlying Trust securities, (V) any performance-related fees (other than an asset based fee) that such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the price or value of shares or units of any Trust securities, or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests, if any, (VI) (x) if such shareholder is not a natural person, the identity of the natural person or persons associated with such shareholder responsible for the formulation of and decision to propose the business to be brought before the meeting or nominate any such Proposed Nominee (such person or persons, the “Responsible Person”), the manner in which such Responsible Person was selected, any fiduciary duties owed by such Responsible Person to the equity holders or other beneficiaries of such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person, the qualifications and background of such Responsible Person and any material interests or relationships of such Responsible Person that are not shared generally by any other record or beneficial holder of the shares or units of any Trust securities and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such shareholder to propose such business to be brought before the meeting or nominate any such Proposed Nominee, and (y) if such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person is a natural person, the qualifications and background of such natural person and any material interests or relationships of such natural person that are not shared generally by any other record or beneficial holder of the shares or units of any Trust securities and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such shareholder to propose such business to be brought before the meeting or nominate any such Proposed Nominee, (VII) any significant equity interests or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Trust held by such

 

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  shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, (VIII) any direct or indirect interest of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person in any contract with the Trust, any affiliate of the Trust or any principal competitor of the Trust (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (IX) any pending or threatened litigation in which such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person is a party or material participant involving the Trust or any of its trustees or officers, or any affiliate of the Trust, (X) any material transaction occurring during the prior twelve months between such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, on the one hand, and the Trust, any affiliate of the Trust or any principal competitor of the Trust, on the other hand, (XI) a summary of any material discussions regarding the business proposed to be brought before the meeting or the nomination or identify of the Proposed Nominee (x) between or among any shareholder, any Proposed Nominee and any Shareholder Associated Person or (y) between or among any shareholder, any Proposed Nominee or any Shareholder Associated Person and any other record or beneficial holder of the shares or units of any Trust securities (including their names) and (XII) any other information relating to such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting or the election of any Proposed Nominee pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (I) and (XII) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that the Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee solely as a result of being the shareholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner,

 

  (D)

Without limiting the foregoing, any other substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Trust), by security

 

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  holdings or otherwise, of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, in the Trust or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Trust securities where such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series, provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee solely as a result of being the shareholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner, and

 

  (E) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among the shareholder and/or any Shareholder Associated Person, on the one hand, and each Proposed Nominee, his or her respective affiliates and associates and any other persons with whom such Proposed Nominee (or any of his or her respective affiliates and associates) is Acting in Concert, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the Proposed Nominee were a trustee or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to this paragraph are referred to as “Nominee Information”);

 

  (iv) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Shareholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in Sections 11(a)(3)(ii) or (iii) of this Article II and any Proposed Nominee,

 

  (A) the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Trust’s share ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Shareholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee, and

 

  (B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person;

 

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  (v) the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the shareholder giving the notice or any Shareholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal prior to the date of such shareholder’s notice; and

 

  (vi) to the extent known by the shareholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other shareholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a trustee or the proposal of other business on the date of such shareholder’s notice.

 

  (4) Such shareholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by (i) a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee certifying that such Proposed Nominee (A) will serve as a trustee of the Trust if elected, (B) is not and will not become a party to (I) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such Proposed Nominee, if elected as a trustee of the Trust, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) that has not been disclosed to the Trust or (II) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such Proposed Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a trustee of the Trust, with such Proposed Nominee’s duties under applicable law, (C) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Trust with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a trustee that has not been disclosed to the Trust and (D) would be in compliance, if elected as a trustee of the Trust, and will comply with applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, share ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Trust; and (ii) an attached completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Trust, upon request, to the shareholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Trust are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Trust are traded).

 

  (5)

Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11(a) of this Article II to the contrary, in the event that the number of trustees to be elected to the Board of Trustees is increased, and there is no Public Announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article II) for the

 

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  preceding year’s annual meeting, a shareholder’s notice required by this Section 11(a) of this Article II shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such Public Announcement is first made by the Trust.

 

  (6) For purposes of this Section 11, “Shareholder Associated Person” of any shareholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with such shareholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust owned of record or beneficially by such shareholder (other than a shareholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such shareholder or such Shareholder Associated Person.

 

  (b) Special Meetings of Shareholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which trustees are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees, or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3(a) of this Article II for the purpose of electing trustees, by any shareholder of the Trust who is a shareholder of record (and, if such nomination is proposed at the request of any beneficial owner, at the request of a beneficial owner who was the beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust) both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11 of this Article II and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11 of this Article II. In the event the Trust calls a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Trustees, any shareholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a trustee as specified in the Trust’s notice of meeting, if the shareholder’s notice, containing the information required by Section 11(a)(3) of this Article II, shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Trustees to be elected at such meeting. The Public Announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

  (c) General.

 

  (1)

If information submitted pursuant to this Section 11 of this Article II by any shareholder proposing a nominee for election as a trustee

 

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  or any proposal for other business at a meeting of shareholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II. Any such shareholder shall notify the Trust of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Trustees, any such shareholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any authorized officer of the Trust, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 11 of this Article II, and (B) a written update of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 11 of this Article II as of an earlier date. If a shareholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II.

 

  (2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II shall be eligible for election by shareholders as trustees, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II.

 

  (3) For purposes of this Section 11, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. “Public Announcement” shall mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

  (4)

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11 of this Article II, a shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in

 

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  this Section 11 of this Article II. Nothing in this Section 11 of this Article II shall be deemed to affect any right of a shareholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, or the right of the Trust to omit a proposal from, the Trust’s proxy statement pursuant to, and in accordance with, Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 11 of this Article II shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act.

Section 12. CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITION ACT. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or any successor statute (the “MGCL”), shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust. This section may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

Section 13. TELEPHONIC MEETINGS. The Board of Trustees or chairman of the meeting may permit one or more shareholders to participate in a meeting of shareholders by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at the meeting.

ARTICLE III

TRUSTEES

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS. The business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Trustees.

Section 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND RESIGNATIONS. At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Trustees may establish, increase or decrease the number of trustees, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than one nor more than 15, and further provided that the tenure of office of a trustee shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of trustees. Any trustee of the Trust may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation.

Section 3. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS. An annual meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of shareholders, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings of the Board of Trustees without other notice than such resolution.

 

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Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or a majority of the trustees then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Trustees may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Trustees called by them. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Trustees without other notice than such resolution.

Section 5. NOTICE. Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be delivered personally or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, courier or United States mail to each trustee at his or her business or residence address. Notice by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Notice by United States mail shall be given at least three days prior to the meeting. Notice by courier shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the trustee or his or her agent is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which the trustee or his or her agent is a party. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Trust by the trustee. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Trust by the trustee and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Notice by United States mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice, unless specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.

Section 6. QUORUM. A majority of the trustees shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Trustees, provided that, if less than a majority of such trustees is present at such meeting, a majority of the trustees present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of trustees is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority or such other percentage of such group.

The trustees present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough trustees to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING. The action of a majority of the trustees present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws. If enough trustees have withdrawn from a meeting to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum, but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of trustees necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws.

 

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Section 8. ORGANIZATION. At each meeting of the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board or, in the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman of the board, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or, in the absence of the chief executive officer, the president or, in the absence of the president, a trustee chosen by a majority of the trustees present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The secretary or, in his or her absence, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of the secretary and all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 9. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 10. CONSENT BY TRUSTEES WITHOUT A MEETING. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each trustee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Trustees.

Section 11. VACANCIES. If for any reason any or all of the trustees cease to be trustees, such event shall not terminate the Trust or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining trustees hereunder. Until such time as the Trust becomes subject to Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL, any vacancy on the Board of Trustees for any cause other than an increase in the number of trustees may be filled by a majority of the remaining trustees, even if such majority is less than a quorum; any vacancy in the number of trustees created by an increase in the number of trustees may be filled by a majority vote of the entire Board of Trustees; and any individual so elected as trustee shall serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualifies. At such time as the Trust becomes subject to Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL and except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred shares, any vacancy on the Board of Trustees may be filled only by a majority of the remaining trustees, even if the remaining trustees do not constitute a quorum. Any trustee elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 12. COMPENSATION. Trustees shall not receive any stated salary for their services as trustees but, by resolution of the Board of Trustees, may receive compensation per year and/or per meeting and/or per visit to real property or other facilities owned or leased by the Trust and for any service or activity they performed or engaged in as trustees. Trustees may be reimbursed for expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees or of any committee thereof and for their expenses, if any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity they perform or engage in as trustees; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any trustees from serving the Trust in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

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Section 13. RELIANCE. Each trustee and officer of the Trust shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Trust, be entitled to rely on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the Trust whom the trustee or officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, by a lawyer, certified public accountant or other person, as to a matter which the trustee or officer reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence, or, with respect to a trustee, by a committee of the Board of Trustees on which the trustee does not serve, as to a matter within its designated authority, if the trustee reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.

Section 14. RATIFICATION. The Board of Trustees or the shareholders may ratify and make binding on the Trust any action or inaction by the Trust or its officers to the extent that the Board of Trustees or the shareholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any shareholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a trustee, officer or shareholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Trustees or by the shareholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Trust and its shareholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

Section 15. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS. A trustee who is not also an officer of the Trust shall have no responsibility to devote his or her full time to the affairs of the Trust. Any trustee or officer, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to, in addition to or in competition with those of or relating to the Trust.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS. The Board of Trustees may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and one or more other committees, composed of one or more trustees, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. The exact composition of each committee, including the total number of trustees and the number of Independent Trustees on each such committee, shall at all times comply with the listing requirements and rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, as modified or amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as modified or amended from time to time. For purposes of this section, “Independent Trustee” shall have the definition set forth in Section 303A.01 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, as amended from time to time, or such superseding definition as is hereafter promulgated by the New York Stock Exchange.

Section 2. POWERS. The Board of Trustees may delegate to committees appointed under Section 1 of this Article IV any of the powers of the Board of Trustees, except as prohibited by law.

 

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Section 3. MEETINGS. Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the committee. The act of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of Trustees may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or, in the absence of a chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another trustee to act in the place of such absent member.

Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS. Members of a committee of the Board of Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 5. CONSENT BY COMMITTEES WITHOUT A MEETING. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.

Section 6. VACANCIES. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Trustees shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS. The officers of the Trust shall include a president, a secretary and a treasurer and may include a chairman of the board, a vice chairman of the board, a chief executive officer, one or more vice presidents, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, one or more assistant secretaries and one or more assistant treasurers. In addition, the Board of Trustees may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable. The officers of the Trust shall be elected annually by the Board of Trustees, except that the chief executive officer or president may from time to time appoint one or more vice presidents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers or other officers. Each officer shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, or his or her resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except president and vice president may be held by the same person. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Trust and such officer or agent.

Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION. Any officer or agent of the Trust may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Trustees if in its judgment the best interests of the Trust would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Trust may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board, the chief

 

22


executive officer, the president or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Trust.

Section 3. VACANCIES. A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Trustees for the balance of the term.

Section 4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. The Board of Trustees may designate a chief executive officer. In the absence of such designation, the chairman of the board shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust. The chief executive officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Trust, as determined by the Board of Trustees, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Trust. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Trust or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

Section 5. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. The Board of Trustees may designate a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or the chief executive officer.

Section 6. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. The Board of Trustees may designate a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or the chief executive officer.

Section 7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Board of Trustees may designate from among its members a chairman of the board, who shall not, solely by reason of these Bylaws, be an officer of the Trust. The Board of Trustees may designate the chairman of the board as an executive or non-executive chairman. The chairman of the board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Trustees. The chairman of the board shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Trustees.

Section 8. PRESIDENT. In the absence of a chief executive officer, the president shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Trust. In the absence of a designation of a chief operating officer by the Board of Trustees, the president shall be the chief operating officer. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Trust or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS. In the absence of the president or in the event of a vacancy in such office, the vice president (or in the event there be more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president; and

 

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shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such vice president by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president, senior vice president, or vice president for particular areas of responsibility.

Section 10. SECRETARY. The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, the Board of Trustees and committees of the Board of Trustees in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Trust; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such shareholder; (e) have general charge of the share transfer books of the Trust; and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees.

Section 11. TREASURER. The treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Trust, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Trust, shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Trust in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Trustees and in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees. In the absence of a designation of a chief financial officer by the Board of Trustees, the treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Trust.

The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Trust as may be ordered by the Board of Trustees, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the president and Board of Trustees, at the regular meetings of the Board of Trustees or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Trust.

Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS. The assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or treasurer, respectively, or by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees.

Section 13. COMPENSATION. The cash compensation and cash incentive compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by Spirit Realty, L.P. (together with its permitted assignees, the “Manager”), the Trust’s manager under the asset management agreement, dated May 31, 2018, by and between the Trust and the Manager, as amended from time to time. The equity compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time under the authority of the Board of Trustees and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a trustee.

ARTICLE VI

CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

Section 1. CONTRACTS. The Board of Trustees may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Trust and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Trust when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Trustees and executed by an authorized person.

 

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Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Trust shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Trust in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Trustees.

Section 3. DEPOSITS. All funds of the Trust not otherwise employed shall be deposited or invested from time to time to the credit of the Trust in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Trustees, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, or any other officer designated by the Board of Trustees may determine.

ARTICLE VII

SHARES

Section 1. CERTIFICATES. Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Trustees, shareholders of the Trust are not entitled to certificates representing the shares of beneficial interest held by them. In the event that the Trust issues shares of beneficial interest represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized officer, shall contain any statements and information required by Maryland law and shall be signed by the officers of the Trust in any manner permitted by Maryland law. In the event that the Trust issues shares of beneficial interest without certificates, to the extent then required by Maryland law, the Trust shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by Maryland law to be included on share certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of shareholders based on whether or not their shares are represented by certificates.

Section 2. TRANSFERS. All transfers of shares of beneficial interest shall be made on the books of the Trust, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Trustees or any officer of the Trust may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Trustees that such shares shall no longer be represented by certificates. Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by Maryland law, the Trust shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by Maryland law to be included on share certificates.

The Trust shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of shares will be subject in all respects to the Declaration of Trust and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

 

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Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE. Any officer of the Trust may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Trust alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such shareholder and the Board of Trustees has determined that such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Trust, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Trust a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Trust.

Section 4. FIXING OF RECORD DATE. The Board of Trustees may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of shareholders of record is to be held or taken.

When a record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been set as provided in this section, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except if the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date originally fixed for the meeting, in which case a new record date for such meeting may be determined as set forth herein.

Section 5. SHARE LEDGER. The Trust shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each shareholder and the number of shares of each class held by such shareholder.

Section 6. FRACTIONAL SHARES; ISSUANCE OF UNITS. The Board of Trustees may authorize the Trust to issue fractional shares or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the Board of Trustees may issue units consisting of different securities of the Trust. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Trust, except that the Board of Trustees may provide that for a specified period securities of the Trust issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Trust only in such unit.

ARTICLE VIII

ACCOUNTING YEAR

The Board of Trustees shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Trust by a duly adopted resolution.

 

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ARTICLE IX

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 1. AUTHORIZATION. Dividends and other distributions upon the shares of the Trust may be authorized by the Board of Trustees, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or shares of the Trust, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust.

Section 2. CONTINGENCIES. Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Trust available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Trustees may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends or other distributions, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Trust or for such other purpose as the Board of Trustees shall determine, and the Board of Trustees may modify or abolish any such reserve.

ARTICLE X

INVESTMENT POLICY

Subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or policies with respect to investments by the Trust as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion.

ARTICLE XI

SEAL

Section 1. SEAL. The Board of Trustees may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Trust. The seal shall contain the name of the Trust and the year of its formation and the words “Formed Maryland.” The Board of Trustees may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL. Whenever the Trust is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Trust.

ARTICLE XII

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCE OF EXPENSES

To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Trust shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former trustee or officer of the Trust and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a trustee or officer of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Declaration of Trust and

 

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these Bylaws shall vest immediately upon election of a trustee or officer. The Trust may, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to an individual who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph of this Article XII with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

ARTICLE XIII

FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF DISPUTES

Unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any present or former trustee or officer or other employee or shareholder of the Trust to the Trust or the Trust’s shareholders or any standard of conduct applicable to the trustees of the Trust, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Maryland REIT Law, the MGCL, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland or, if that Court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensible parties named as defendants. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of beneficial interest of the Trust shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XIII.

ARTICLE XIV

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice of a meeting is required to be given pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing or by electronic transmission, given 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. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened.

 

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ARTICLE XV

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

The Board of Trustees shall have the power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws. In addition, the shareholders of the Trust may alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and adopt new Bylaws if any such alteration, repeal or adoption is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

ARTICLE XVI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of the Bylaws shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such holding shall apply only to the extent of any such invalidity or unenforceability and shall not in any manner affect, impair or render invalid or unenforceable any other provision of the Bylaws in any jurisdiction.

Section 2. VOTING STOCK IN OTHER COMPANIES. Stock of other corporations or associations, registered in the name of the Trust, may be voted by the chief executive officer, the president, a vice-president, or a proxy appointed by any of them. The Board of Trustees, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.

Section 3. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS. A person who holds more than one office in the Trust may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.

Section 4. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN. The Trust shall seek shareholder approval prior to its adoption of a Rights Plan unless the Board of Trustees determines that, under the circumstances existing at the time, it is in the best interests of the shareholders to adopt a Rights Plan without delay. If a Rights Plan is adopted or extended by the Board of Trustees without prior stockholder approval, such plan must provide that it will expire unless ratified by the shareholders within 12 months of adoption or extension. As used in this section, the term “Rights Plan” refers generally to any plan providing for the distribution of preferred shares, rights, warrants, options or debt instruments to the shareholders of the Trust, designed to assist the Board of Trustees in the exercise of its duties in connection with actual or potential unsolicited takeover proposals or significant share accumulations by conferring certain rights to shareholders upon the occurrence of a “triggering event” such as a tender offer or third-party acquisition of a specified percentage of shares. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, this Section 4 may not be altered, amended or repealed except by the shareholders of the Trust by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

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