Exhibit 4.1

 

METABOLIX, INC.

 

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION OF PREFERENCES,

RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS

OF

SERIES B CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 151 OF THE

DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW

 

The undersigned, Joseph Shaulson and Sarah P. Cecil, do hereby certify that:

 

1. They are the President and Secretary, respectively, of Metabolix, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”).

 

2. The Corporation is authorized to issue Five Million shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value, none of which have been issued.

 

3. The following resolutions were duly adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”):

 

WHEREAS, the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation provides for a class of its authorized stock known as preferred stock, consisting of Five Million shares, $0.01 par value per share, issuable from time to time in one or more series;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors is authorized to fix the dividend rights, dividend rate, voting rights, conversion rights, rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences of any wholly unissued series of preferred stock and the number of shares constituting any series and the designation thereof, of any of them; and

 

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Board of Directors, pursuant to its authority as aforesaid, to fix the rights, preferences, restrictions and other matters relating to a series of the preferred stock, which shall consist of up to 50,000 shares of the preferred stock which the Corporation has the authority to issue, as follows:

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors does hereby provide for the issuance of a series of preferred stock for cash or exchange of other securities, rights or property and does hereby fix and determine the rights, preferences, restrictions and other matters relating to such series of preferred stock as follows:

 











 

TERMS OF PREFERRED STOCK

 

Section 1.                                  Definitions. For the purposes hereof, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

 

“Alternate Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(d).

 

“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

“Charter Amendment” means the amendment of the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to increase the authorized number of shares of Common Stock to not less than 150,000,000.

 

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and stock of any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Corporation which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

“Conversion Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

 

“Conversion Shares” means, collectively, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

“Conversion Shares Registration Statement” means a registration statement that registers the resale of all Conversion Shares of the Holders, who shall be named as “selling stockholders” therein and meets the requirements of Section 9 of the Purchase Agreement.

 

“Delaware Courts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(c).

 

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“Fundamental Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(d).

 

“Holder” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 2.

 

“Issue Date Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(f).

 

“Liquidation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.

 

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

“Purchase Agreement” means the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 4, 2014, among the Corporation and the original Holders, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

 

“Purchase Rights” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).

 

“Securities” means the Series B Preferred Stock and the Underlying Shares.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Series B Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

 

“Stated Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2, as the same may be increased pursuant to Section 3.

 

“Stockholder Approval” means the approval of the Charter Amendment by the requisite stockholders of the Corporation.

 

“Successor Entity” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(d).

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for business.

 

“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE MKT, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

“Transaction Documents” means this Certificate of Designation, the Purchase Agreement, and all exhibits and schedules hereto and thereto.

 

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“Transfer Agent” means American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, the current transfer agent of the Corporation, and any successor transfer agent of the Corporation.

 

“Underlying Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued and issuable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock.

 

Section 2.                                  Designation, Amount and Par Value. The series of preferred stock shall be designated as its Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares so designated shall be up to 50,000 (which shall not be subject to increase without the written consent of all of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock (each, a “Holder” and collectively, the “Holders”)). Each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $.01 per share and a stated value equal to $1,000 (the “Stated Value”).

 

Section 3.                                  Dividends. Except for stock dividends or distributions for which adjustments are to be made pursuant to Section 7, Holders shall be entitled to receive, and the Corporation shall pay, dividends or distributions on shares of Series B Preferred Stock equal (on an as-if-converted-to-Common Stock basis) to and in the same form as dividends or distributions actually paid on shares of the Common Stock when, as and if such dividends or distributions are paid on shares of the Common Stock.  No other dividends or distributions shall be paid on shares of Series B Preferred Stock.

 

Section 4.                                  Voting Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise required by law, the Series B Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights. However, as long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation shall not, without the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock, alter or change adversely the powers, preferences or rights given to the Series B Preferred Stock or alter or amend this Certificate of Designation in a manner that adversely affects the powers, preferences or rights given to the Series B Preferred Stock.

 

Section 5.                                  Liquidation. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a “Liquidation”), the Holders shall be entitled to receive out of the assets, whether capital or surplus, of the Corporation an amount equal (on an as-if-converted-to-Common Stock basis) to and in the same form as amounts actually paid on shares of the Common Stock.  The Corporation shall mail written notice of any such Liquidation, not less than 45 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each Holder.

 

Section 6.                                  Conversion.

 

a)                                     Mandatory, Automatic Conversion. Upon the filing and acceptance of the Charter Amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall automatically convert into that number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value of such share of Series B Preferred Stock by the Conversion Price.  Any conversion pursuant to this Section 6(a) shall occur automatically and without any further action by the Holders and whether or

 

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not the certificates representing such shares of Series B Preferred Stock are surrendered to the Corporation or its Transfer Agent.  Upon the occurrence of such automatic conversion, the Corporation shall provide written notice to the Holders, and the Holders shall, a reasonable time thereafter, surrender the certificates representing such shares at the office of the Corporation or any Transfer Agent for the Series B Preferred Stock.  Thereupon, there shall be issued and delivered to such Holder promptly at such office and in its name as shown on the Corporation’s stock records, a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Series B Preferred Stock surrendered were convertible on the date on which such automatic conversion occurred.  All Shares of Series B Preferred Stock converted into Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been retired and canceled and shall not be reissued.

 

b)                                     Conversion Price.  The conversion price for the Series B Preferred Stock (the “Conversion Price”) shall equal $1.00, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7.

 

c)                                      Fractional Shares.  No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock.   As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such conversion, the Corporation shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Conversion Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

d)                                     Transfer Taxes and Expenses.  The issuance of certificates for shares of the Common Stock on conversion of Series B Preferred Stock shall be made without charge to any Holder for any documentary stamp or similar taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificates; provided that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion in a name other than that of the Holders of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the Corporation shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificates unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Corporation the amount of such tax or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Corporation that such tax has been paid.

 

e)                                      Issuance Limitations.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Series B Preferred Stock may not be converted into any shares of Common Stock unless the Corporation has obtained Stockholder Approval.

 

Section 7.                                  Certain Adjustments.

 

a)                                     Stock Dividends and Stock Splits.  If the Corporation, at any time while the Series B Preferred Stock is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes

 

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a distribution or distributions payable in shares of Common Stock on shares of Common Stock or any other Common Stock Equivalents (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Corporation upon conversion of, or payment of a dividend on, Series B Preferred Stock), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of a reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues, in the event of a reclassification of shares of the Common Stock, any shares of capital stock of the Corporation, then the Conversion Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event, and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event.  Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 7(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b)                                     Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 7(a), if, at any time while the Series B Preferred Stock is outstanding, the Corporation grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then each Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which such Holder could have acquired if such Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of such Holder’s Series B Preferred Stock immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.

 

c)                                      Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as Series B Preferred Stock is outstanding, if the Corporation declares or makes any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, then, in each such case, Holders shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that such Holders would have participated therein if such Holders had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete conversion of Series B Preferred Stock immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution.

 

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d)                                     Fundamental Transaction.  If, at any time while Series B Preferred Stock is outstanding, (i) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into another Person, (ii) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Corporation or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Corporation, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or Affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent conversion of Series B Preferred Stock, Holders shall have the right to receive, for each Conversion Share that would have been issuable upon such conversion immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 6(e) on the conversion of Series B Preferred Stock), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Corporation, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which Series B Preferred Stock is convertible immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 6(e) on the conversion of Series B Preferred Stock).  For purposes of any such conversion, the determination of the Conversion Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Corporation shall apportion the Conversion Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration.  If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, the Holders shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration as to the securities, cash or property to be received upon any conversion of Series B Preferred Stock following such Fundamental Transaction.  To the extent necessary to effectuate the foregoing provisions, any successor to the Corporation or surviving entity in such Fundamental Transaction shall file a new Certificate of Designation with the same terms and conditions and issue to the Holders new preferred stock consistent with

 

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the foregoing provisions and evidencing the Holders’ right to convert such preferred stock into Alternate Consideration.  The Corporation shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Corporation is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Corporation under this Certificate of Designation and the Purchase Agreement in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7(d) pursuant to written agreements and shall, at the option of a Holders, deliver to the Holders in exchange for Series B Preferred Stock a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to Series B Preferred Stock which is convertible into a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon conversion of Series B Preferred Stock (without regard to any limitations on the conversion of Series B Preferred Stock) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with a conversion price which applies the Conversion Price to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such conversion price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of Series B Preferred Stock immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holders. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Certificate of Designation and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Corporation” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Corporation and shall assume all of the obligations of the Corporation under this Certificate of Designation and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Corporation herein.

 

e)                                      Calculations.  All calculations under this Section 7 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be.  For purposes of this Section 7, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding any treasury shares of the Corporation) issued and outstanding.

 

f)                                       Notice to the Holders of Adjustment to Conversion Price.  Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 7, the Corporation shall promptly deliver to each Holder a notice setting forth the Conversion Price after such adjustment and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

Section 8.                                  Miscellaneous.

 

a)                                     Notices.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Corporation, at the address set forth above Attention: Secretary, or such other address as

 

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the Corporation may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders delivered in accordance with this Section 8(a).  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Corporation hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Corporation, or if no such facsimile number or address appears on the books of the Corporation, at the facsimile number or address of such Holder, as set forth in Schedule I to the Purchase Agreement.  Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth in this Section 8(a) prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth in this Section 8(a) on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.

 

b)                                     Lost or Mutilated Series B Preferred Stock Certificate.  If a Holder’s Series B Preferred Stock certificate shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Corporation shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated certificate, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, a new certificate for the shares of Series B Preferred Stock so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such certificate, and of the ownership hereof reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation and, if requested by the Corporation, in its reasonable discretion, the receipt of a bond in a customary amount

 

c)                                      Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Certificate of Designation shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof.  Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by any of the Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective Affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced in the state and federal courts of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Courts”).  Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such Delaware Courts, or such Delaware Courts are improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being

 

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served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Certificate of Designation and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Certificate of Designation or the transactions contemplated hereby.  If any party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Certificate of Designation, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

d)                                     Waiver.  Any waiver by the Corporation or a Holder of a breach of any provision of this Certificate of Designation shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Certificate of Designation or a waiver by any other Holders.  The failure of the Corporation or a Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Certificate of Designation on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party (or any other Holder) of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Certificate of Designation on any other occasion.  Any waiver by the Corporation or a Holder must be in writing.

 

e)                                      Severability.  If any provision of this Certificate of Designation is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Certificate of Designation shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any Person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other Persons and circumstances.

 

f)                                       Next Business Day.  Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

g)                                      Headings.  The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Certificate of Designation and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

h)                                     Status of Converted or Redeemed Series B Preferred Stock.  Shares of Series B Preferred Stock may only be issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.  If any shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be converted, redeemed or reacquired by the Corporation, such shares shall resume the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock and shall no longer be designated as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock.

 

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RESOLVED, FURTHER, that the Chairman, the president or any vice-president, and the secretary or any assistant secretary, of the Corporation be, and they hereby are, authorized and directed to prepare and file this Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations in accordance with the foregoing resolution and the provisions of Delaware law.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Certificate this       day of August 2014.

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Joseph Shaulson
    	
 
    	
Sarah P. Cecil
    
	
President
    	
 
    	
Secretary
    


 

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