Source: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/11B/008
Timestamp: 2020-01-21 05:27:36
Document Index: 268214775

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 1']

Chapter 008: DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Subchapter 001: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
§ 8.02. Qualifications of directors
All directors must be individuals. The articles of incorporation or bylaws may prescribe other qualifications for directors. A director need not be a resident of this State or a member of the corporation unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws so prescribe. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.03. Number of directors
(b) The number of directors may be increased or decreased (but to no fewer than three) from time to time by amendment to or in the manner prescribed in the articles of incorporation or bylaws. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.04. Election, designation, and appointment of directors
(a) If the corporation has members, all the directors (except the initial directors) shall be elected at the first annual meeting of members, and at each annual meeting thereafter, unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide some other time or method of election, or provide that some of the directors are appointed by some other person or designated.
(b) If the corporation does not have members, all the directors (except the initial directors) shall be elected, appointed, or designated as provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws. If no method of designation or appointment is set forth in the articles of incorporation or bylaws, the directors (other than the initial directors) shall be elected by the board. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
(d) Despite the expiration of a director's term, the director continues to serve until the director's successor is elected, designated, or appointed and qualifies, or until there is a decrease in the number of directors. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.06. Staggered terms for directors
The articles of incorporation or bylaws may provide for staggering the terms of directors by dividing the total number of directors into two, three, four, five, or six groups, with each group containing one-half, one-third, one-quarter, one-fifth or one-sixth of the total, as near as may be. In that event, the terms of the directors in the first group expire at the first annual members' meeting after their election, the terms of the second group expire at the second members' meeting after their election, and the terms of the third group, fourth group, fifth group, and sixth group, if any, expire at the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth annual members' meeting after their election. At each annual members' meeting held thereafter, directors shall be chosen for a term not to exceed six years, as the case may be, to succeed those whose terms expire. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.07. Resignation of directors
(a) A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the board of directors, its chair, or to the president or other officer responsible for recording the minutes of the meetings of the directors of the corporation.
(b) A resignation is effective when the notice is effective unless the notice specifies a later effective date. If a resignation is made effective at a later date, the board may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the board provides that the successor does not take office until the effective date. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.09. Removal of designated or appointed directors
(a) A designated director may be removed by an amendment to the articles of incorporation or bylaws deleting or changing the designation.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws, an appointed director may be removed without cause by the person appointing the director.
(2) The person removing the director shall do so by giving written notice of the removal to the director and either the presiding officer of the board or the corporation's president or secretary.
(3) A removal is effective when the notice is effective unless the notice specifies a future effective date. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.12. Compensation of directors
Unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide otherwise, a board of directors may fix the compensation of directors. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.13. Financially disinterested majority-Public benefit corporations
(a) No more than 49 percent of the individuals serving on the board of any public benefit corporation may be financially interested persons.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "financially interested persons" means:
(1) individuals who have received or are entitled to receive compensation, directly or indirectly, from the corporation for services rendered to it within the previous 12 months, whether as full- or part-time employees, independent contractors, consultants, or otherwise, excluding any reasonable payments made to directors for serving as directors; or
(2) any spouse, brother, sister, parent, or child of any such individual.
(c) The failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any transaction entered into by a corporation. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
Subchapter 002: MEETINGS AND ACTION OF THE BOARD
§ 8.20. Regular and special meetings
(b) A board of directors may hold regular or special meetings in or outside this State.
§ 8.21. Action without meeting
(a) Unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide otherwise, action required or permitted by this title to be taken at a board of directors' meeting may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by all members of the board. Each action must be evidenced by one or more written consents describing the action taken, signed by each director, and included in the minutes filed with the corporate records reflecting the action taken.
(c) A consent signed under this section has the effect of a meeting vote and may be described as such in any document. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
(a) Unless the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or subsection (c) of this section provide otherwise, regular meetings of the board may be held without notice of the date, time, place, or purpose of the meeting.
(b) Unless the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or subsection (c) of this section provide otherwise, special meetings of the board must be preceded by at least two business days' notice to each director of the date, time, and place of the meeting. The notice need not describe the purpose of the special meeting unless required by the articles of incorporation or bylaws.
(d) Unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws otherwise provide, the presiding officer of the board, the president, or 20 percent of the directors then in office may call and give notice of a meeting of the board. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
(a) A director may waive any notice required by this title, the articles of incorporation, or bylaws before or after the date and time stated in the notice. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the waiver must be in writing, signed by the director entitled to the notice, and filed with the minutes or the corporate records.
(b) A director's attendance at or participation in a meeting waives any required notice to the director of the meeting unless the director, upon arriving at the meeting or prior to the vote on a matter not noticed in conformity with this title, the articles of incorporation, or bylaws, objects to lack of notice and does not thereafter vote for or assent to the objected to action. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.24. Quorum and voting
(b) If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, the affirmative vote of a majority of directors present is the act of the board of directors unless this title, the articles of incorporation, or bylaws require the vote of a greater number of directors.
(1) the director objects at the beginning of the meeting (or promptly upon the director's arrival) to holding it or transacting business at the meeting;
(3) the director delivers written notice of the director's dissent or abstention to the presiding officer of the meeting before its adjournment of the meeting. The right of dissent or abstention is not available to a director who votes in favor of the action taken. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
Subchapter 003: STANDARD OF CONDUCT
§ 8.32. Loans to or guarantees for directors and officers
(a) A corporation may not lend money to or guarantee the obligation of a director or officer of the corporation.
(b) The fact that a loan or guarantee is made in violation of this section does not affect the borrower's liability on the loan. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
(a) Unless otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, a corporation shall have a president, a secretary, a treasurer, and such other officers as are appointed by the board.
(b) The bylaws or the board shall delegate to one of the officers responsibility for preparing minutes of the directors' and members' meetings and for authenticating records of the corporation.
(c) The same individual may simultaneously hold more than one office in a corporation, except that a person may not simultaneously hold the office of president and secretary. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.41. Duties and authority of officers
Each officer has the authority and shall perform the duties set forth in the bylaws. In addition, each officer, to the extent consistent with the bylaws, has the authority and shall perform the duties prescribed in a resolution of the board. The board may authorize an officer, pursuant to a resolution of the board and to the extent consistent with the bylaws, to prescribe the duties and authority of other officers. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.43. Resignation and removal of officers
(a) An officer may resign at any time by delivering notice to the corporation. A resignation is effective when the notice is effective unless the notice specifies a future effective date. If a resignation is made effective at a future date and the corporation accepts the future effective date, its board of directors may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the board provides that the successor does not take office until the effective date.
(b) A board may remove any officer at any time with or without cause. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.44. Contract rights of officers
(b) An officer's removal does not affect the officer's contract rights, if any, with the corporation. An officer's resignation does not affect the corporation's contract rights, if any, with the officer. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.45. Officers' authority to execute documents
Any contract or other instrument in writing executed or entered into between a corporation and any other person is not invalidated as to the corporation by any lack of authority of the signing officers in the absence of actual knowledge on the part of the other person that the signing officers had no authority to execute the contract or other instrument if it is signed by either the presiding officer of the board of directors and the president or, if the corporation has no president, or if they are the same person, then by the executive director of the corporation and any other officer. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
Subchapter 005: INDEMNIFICATION
§ 8.52. Mandatory indemnification
Unless limited by its articles of incorporation, a corporation shall indemnify a director who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which the director was a party because he or she is or was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses, reasonably incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
(b) The undertaking required by subdivision (a)(2) of this section must be an unlimited general obligation of the director but need not be secured and may be accepted without reference to financial ability to make repayment.
§ 8.56. Indemnification of officers, employees, and agents
(1) an officer of the corporation who is not a director is entitled to mandatory indemnification under section 8.52 of this title, and is entitled to apply for court-ordered indemnification under section 8.54 of this title, in each case to the same extent as a director;
(2) the corporation may indemnify and advance expenses under this subchapter to an officer, employee, or agent of the corporation who is not a director to the same extent as a director; and
(3) a corporation may also indemnify and advance expenses to an officer, employee, or agent who is not a director to the extent, consistent with public policy, that may be provided by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, general or specific action of its board of directors, or contract. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.57. Insurance
A corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or who, while a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic business or nonprofit corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise, against liability asserted against or incurred by him or her in that capacity or arising from his or her status as a director, officer, employee, or agent, whether or not the corporation would have power to indemnify the person against the same liability under section 8.51 or 8.52 of this title. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)
§ 8.58. Application of subchapter
(a) A provision treating a corporation's indemnification of or advance for expenses to directors that is contained in its articles of incorporation, bylaws, a resolution of its members or board of directors, or in a contract or otherwise, is valid only if and to the extent the provision is consistent with this subchapter. If articles of incorporation limit indemnification or advance for expenses, indemnification and advance for expenses are valid only to the extent consistent with the articles.
(b) This subchapter does not limit a corporation's power to pay or reimburse expenses incurred by a director in connection with appearing as a witness in a proceeding at a time when the director has not been made a named defendant or respondent to the proceeding. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)