| Article I. NAME, OFFICE LOCATIONS, AND PURPOSES
Section 1. Name The name of the Corporation shall be "OVERSEAS
CHINESE
ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATION, Inc."
Section 2. Office Locations
The principal office will be located at 2785 Marshall Lake Dr.,
Oakton, VA 22124. The Corporation may relocate or have such
other offices as the Board of Directors (the "Board")
may determine.
OCEAN may establish chapters at locations in or outside of
the U.S. with the Approval of the Board. Such chapters of
OCEAN must abide by the By-laws of OCEAN and any other resolutions
the Board may adopt in this regard in addition to providing
periodic report of past and planned activities to the Board.
Such report may not be less than twice per year.
Section 3. Purposes
The purposes of OCEAN shall include:
a. Educating individuals, institutions, and business communities
regarding conducting business in the United States and in
China;
b. Promoting, supporting, and contributing to the development
of better business environment for overseas Chinese entrepreneurs;
c. Promoting, supporting, and contributing to the development
of better business relations between the United States and
China;
d. Facilitating exchanges among members and interested public
regarding business opportunities; and
e. Providing support to members in their effort to become
successful entrepreneurs.
Article II. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Enumeration
Membership of OCEAN shall consist of one (1) class. Natural
persons, if qualified, may be admitted to membership upon
approval by the Board, by a special committee appointed by
the Board, or by the President. Any natural person may become
a Member. A Member has the right to take part inactivates
(albeit paying a fee if such is required to all Members) organized
by OCEAN and to attend annual and special meetings of the
Members; a Member shall have the right to vote in the elections
for the Board in annual meetings. After having been a Member
of good standing for six (6) months, a Member shall also have
the right of being nominated for election to become a Member
of the Board upon nominated by three (3) or more current Members
of the Board or by more than ten (10) percent of the Membership.
A Member shall enjoy these rights as long as he or she is
in good standing. A Member is in good standing if the Member
is current or not more than three (3) months late on membership
dues.
a. Membership Fee
Membership fee for Members shall be $30 per calendar year
or per fiscal year as the board may determine. Membership
fee for Members shall be one half of that for those members
currently enrolled in undergraduate schools. A reduced annual
membership fee may be applied if payment is made for more
than two years as may be determined by the board.
Section 2. Resignation
Any member may resign at any time by giving notice of his
or her resignation in writing to any officer or director of
OCEAN.
Section 3. Removal
Any member may be removed of his or her membership at any
time with or without cause by a majority vote of the Board
upon motion by three (3) or more current Member of the Board.
Article III. MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERS
Section 1. Place
All meetings of the Members except the annual meeting of
the Members shall be held at such location and at such time
as determined by the President and stated in the notice of
meeting required to be sent to Members. Location and time
of meeting of the members shall be selected to allow as full
attendance as possible.
Section 2. Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Members shall be held in the first
weekend of each March and shall be called by the President
or, on his or her behalf, by a Director
designated by the President. In the event that the annual
meeting is not held on such date, a special meeting in lieu
of the annual meeting, at such time and location as maybe
determined by the Board, may be held with all the force and
effect of an annual meeting. Location and time of such annual
or special meeting of the Members shall be selected to allow
as full attendance as possible.
Section 3. Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Members may be called at the request
by two (2) Directors upon approval by the Board, by a third
(1/3) of Directors of the Board, by the written application
of Members representing at least thirty (30) percent of the
Members with good standing, and shall be arranged by the Clerk,
or in the case of the death, absence, incapacity or refusal
of the Clerk, by any other officer or any Director of the
Board. Location and time of such special meetings of the Members
shall be selected to allow as full attendance as possible.
Section 4. Notice
A written notice of the place, date and hour of all meetings
of the members stating the purposes of the meeting shall be
given by the Clerk or (or other person authorized by the by-laws
or by the President) at least seven (7) days before the meeting
to each member entitled to vote thereat and to each member
who, under the Articles of Organization or under the by-laws,
is entitled to such notice. Notices shall be given through
mail, telephone, e-mail, word of mouth, or other reliable
method of communication. In the event that a special meeting
shall be called by a third (1/3) of Directors of the Board
or by the written application of Members representing at least
thirty (30) percent of the Members with good standing, notice
of such special meeting must be made in writing at least fourteen
(14) days before the scheduled date of such meeting.
Section 5. Quorum
Unless the Articles of Organization otherwise provide, the
number of Members present at a meeting which was announced
fourteen (14) days or earlier to the Membership shall constitute
a quorum, except that any resolution requiring approval or
ratification by the Members is valid if and only if the number
of Directors of the Board participating in such approval or
ratification shall constitute quorum of the Board.
Section 6. Voting
In all meetings of the members where any member is entitled
to vote, every such member shall be entitled to one vote.
Members may vote by written proxy dated not more than six
(6) months before the meeting named therein, which shall be
filed with the clerk before the meeting.
Section 7. Action by Consent
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting
of the Members may be taken without a meeting if all the members
who are otherwise entitled to vote, consent to the action
in writing and the written consents are filed with the records
of the meetings of the Members. Such consents shall be treated
for all purposes as a vote at a meeting. Members may participate
in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar
communications equipment by means of which all persons participating
in the meeting can hear each other at the same time and participation
by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
Article IV. DIRECTORS
Section 1. Enumeration
OCEAN shall have a Board of Directors consisting of no more
than twenty-one (21) directors (i.e., Members of the Board)
who shall have the powers and duties of a Board of Directors
under General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 180. The exact
number of directors shall be fixed by a resolution of the
Board. A Secretary of the Board may be created by the Board
who may or may not be a Director of the Board and is responsible
for assisting the Chairperson is planning, organization of
activities of the Board, and record-keeping.
Section 2. Qualifications
a. Eligibility to become a Director
(i) Current Directors of the Board are automatically eligible
for election as directors.
(ii) In order to qualify for election as a Director, an individual
must have been a Member of OCEAN of good standing for at least
six (6) months and must have been nominated by at least three
(3) current Members of the Board or by at least ten (10) percent
of the Membership.
b. Automatic Status as a Director
Notwithstanding Section 2a of Art. IV, the President shall
automatically become a
Director upon election by the Board if she or he was not
a Director before such election.
c. The Clerk shall be a resident of Massachusetts unless
a resident agent shall have been appointed by the Board pursuant
to Massachusetts's law.
Section 3. Election of Directors
The Directors shall be elected by a majority vote of the
Members once every two years at the annual meeting. Current
Directors of the Board are automatically nominated for election
unless an individual Director of the Board elects to withdraw
from such nomination by a written notice submitted to the
Chairperson of the Board at least thirty (30) days before
the scheduled election. In the event of any vacancy due to
any reason, the Board may, by a vote of two-third majority
of the Board, fill any vacancy if the annual meeting is more
than three (3) months away.
Section 4. Chairperson of the Board
Eligibility to become the Chairperson
b. One must be a Member having good standing for at least
one (1) year to be eligible to become the Chairperson of the
Board.
c. The Chairperson shall be elected by a majority vote of
the Board every two (2) years at the annual meeting of the
Board or at a Special meeting if vacancy arises more than
three (3) moths before the scheduled annual meeting. Any Director
of the Board may be nominated or nominate herself or himself
in elections of the Chairperson.
Section 5. Term
Except as hereinafter provided, the term of a Director shall
be two (2) years. Half of the directors shall be re-elected
every two years. In case of a Board with an odd number of
directors, the number of directors equal to one half of the
even number which is one less than that odd number shall be
re-elected.
Section 6. Sponsors, Benefactors, Contributors, Advisors,
Friends of OCEAN
Any person or entity or groups of persons or group of entities
designated by the Board as sponsors, benefactors, contributors,
advisors or friends of OCEAN or such other title as the Board
deems appropriate (such person or entity, individually being
referred to as an "Honor Director" and collectively,
the "Honor Directors") shall, except, as the Board
shall otherwise determine, serve as in an honorary capacity
on the Board. Any such Honor Director shall not have right
of notice of, or to vote at, any meeting, shall not be counted
for purposes of establishing a quorum for any meeting and
shall have no other rights or responsibilities.
Section 7. Resignation
Any Director may resign at any time by tendering his or her
resignation in writing to the President, Vice President, Chairperson
of the Board, or three (3) Directors of the Board.
Section 8. Removal
A Director may be removed from directorship or the Chairperson
from office at any time with or without cause by a motion
by at least one half (1/2) of the Board and by a two-third
majority vote of the Directors then in office. A Director
is automatically removed from office upon three consecutive
absences without cause at regularly scheduled Board meetings
or upon five absences without cause out of any eight consecutive
regularly scheduled meetings.
Section 9. Vacancies
Continuing Directors may act despite any vacancy or vacancies
on the Board and shall for this purpose be deemed to constitute
the full Board. Any vacancy on the Board, however occurring,
including a vacancy resulting from the enlargement of the
Board, may be filled by the Directors if it is more than three
(3) months away from the scheduled annual meeting.
Article V. OFFICERS
Section 1. Enumeration
The officers of OCEAN shall consist of a President, two Vice
Presidents, and an Office Manager, a Clerk and such other
officers as the Board shall determine and appoint.
Section 2. Qualifications
a. Eligibility to become a Vice President
Subject to other provisions, a Member who has been a Member
of OCEAN of good standing for at least six (6) months may
be eligible to become a Vice President.?Vice Presidents are
nominated by the President and approved by the Board by a
majority vote.
b. Eligibility to become the President
Subject to other provisions, any Member who has been a member
of OCEAN of good standing for at least one (1) year may be
elected by a majority vote of the Board as the President upon
nomination by the Chairperson of the Board or by three (3)
or more current Members of the Board.
Section 3. Term
Except as hereinafter provided, the term of any officer shall
be two (2) years.?
Section 4. Resignation
An officer other than the President may resign at any time
by tendering his or her resignation in writing to the President,
Vice President, or Chairperson of the Board. The President
may resign at any time by tendering his or her resignation
to the Chairperson of the Board and at least one other Director
of the Board.
Section 6. Removal
President and Vice Presidents may be removed from office
at any time with or without cause by a two-third majority
vote of the Board upon motion by at least one half (1/2) of
the Board.
Section 7. Vacancies
Vacancy in any office other than the Vice Presidency may
be filled by the President. Vacancy in the Vice Presidency
may be filled by nomination by the Present and approval by
a majority vote of the Board.
Article VI. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Place
Meetings of the Board shall be held at such place in or outside
Massachusetts as may be named in the notice of such meeting.
Location and time of such meetings shall be selected to allow
as full attendance as possible by the Directors of the Board.
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Section 2. Annual and Regular Meetings
The annual meeting of the Board shall be held each year less
than two weeks before or after the annual meeting of the Members
at which Board election is held. In the event that the annual
meeting of the Board is not held on such date, a special meeting
of the Board in lieu of the annual meeting of the Board may
be held with all the force and effect of an annual meeting
of the Board. Regular meetings not less than three (3) per
calendar or fiscal year (in addition to the annual meeting)
may be held at such times as the Board of Directors may fix.
Location and time of such meetings shall be selected to allow
as full attendance as possible by the Directors of the Board.
Section 3. Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President
or by at least one third (1/3) directors at other times throughout
the year.
Section 4. Notice
No notice need be given for a regular or annual meeting of
the Board the date(s) of which have been announced or are
known to the Directors of the Board. Seven (7) days notice
by mail, telegraph, telephone, e-mail or word or mouth shall
be given for a special meeting unless shorter notice is adequate
or is warranted under the circumstances. A notice or waiver
of notice need not specify the purpose of any special meeting.
Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Director if written
waiver of notice, executed by him or her before or after the
meeting, is filed with the records of the meeting, or to any
director who attends the meeting without protesting, prior
thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him
or her.
Section 5. Quorum
Unless otherwise provided by law, one half (1/2) of the Board
shall constitute a quorum of the Board.
Section 6. Action by Consent; telephone Conference Meetings
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Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting
of the directors may be taken without a meeting if all directors
consent to the action in writing (including facsimile and
e-mail communication) and the written consents are filed with
the records of the meetings of the Directors. Such consents
shall be treated for all purposes as a vote at a meeting.
Directors of the Board or any committee designated thereby
may participate in a meeting of the Board or of any such committee
by means of a telephone conference or similar communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same time, and participation
by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
Section 7. Vote of Interested Directors
Any director (the "Interested Director") who is
a member, stockholder, trustee, director, officer or employee
(the "Interested Status") of any firm, corporation
or association (the "Interested Entity") with which
OCEAN contemplates any business transaction ("Otherwise
Interested Transaction") shall disclose his or her Interested
Status, other similar relationship with the Interested Entity
and any interest in the Otherwise Interested Transaction to
the other Directors before any such Otherwise Interested Transaction
may be acted upon by the Board. No Interested Director shall
vote on such Otherwise Interested Transaction, but any Interested
Director may be counted for purpose of determining a quorum
of the Board. An affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors
who are not Interested Directors shall be required before
OCEAN may proceed with and consummate any Otherwise Interested
Transaction. An Otherwise Interested Transaction proceeded
with or consummated by OCEAN in accordance with the provisions
of the preceding paragraph shall not be invalidated or in
any way affected solely by the fact that any Interested Director
or Interested Directors have or may have derived any personal
benefits that are or may be adverse to the interests of OCEAN.
No Interested Director or Interested Directors that have disclosed
his or her Interested Status, other similar relationship with
any Interested Entity and any interest in the Otherwise Interested
Transaction to the other directors shall be liable to OCEAN
or to any director or member for any loss incurred as a result
of the Otherwise Interested Transaction, nor shall any such
director or directors be required to convey to OCEAN any personal
benefits or any gains or profits to be realized thereon. Upon
approval by a two-third-majority vote of the Board, an interested
office may engage in an Otherwise Interested Transaction on
behalf of OCEAN.
Article VII. POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
Section 1. Directors
The Directors shall be responsible for the general management
of the affairs of OCEAN except for those powers reserved to
the Members by law, the Articles of Organization, or this
Bylaw. The Board may from time to time, to the extent permitted
by law, delegate any of its powers to any committee, subject
to such limitations as the Board may impose. Contacts or agreements
between OCEAN and any other individual, organization or entity,
creation of any office, creation of any branch or chapter,
spending within a month of more than one thousand dollars
($1,000.00), and any major activities must be reported to
and be approved by the Board.
Section 2. Chairperson of the Board
The Chairperson shall oversee the general welfare of OCEAN
as managed by the President and other officers. In any voting
requiring a two-third majority vote by the Board, the vote
of the Chairperson shall be counted, as two votes should there
be a tie otherwise.
Section 3. President
The President shall be the chief executive officer of OCEAN
and, subject to the Board's supervision, shall be primarily
responsible for carrying out the policy and management directives
of the Board. The President shall also have such other proper
and necessary powers and duties as are customarily associated
with such office or as may be designated from time to time
by the Board. The President shall report at regularly scheduled
Board meetings the activities occurred in the period after
the last report and significant activities planned.
Section 4. Vice Presidents
The Vice Presidents shall assist the President in exercising
the President's duties, and shall have such powers and duties
as may be designated from time to time by the President. There
shall be at least one Vice President, additional Vice Presidencies
may be created by the Board. All Vice Presidents shall be
nominated by the President and approved by a majority vote
of the Board.
Section 5. Office Manager
The Office Manager shall be the administrative officer of
OCEAN appointed by the President and assisting the President
in administrative and financial affairs, and shall also have
such powers and duties as may be designated from time to time
by the President.
Section 6. Clerk
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The Clerk shall maintain complete records of all meetings
of the Members and shall have custody of the seal of OCEAN
if one is made upon authorization and approval by the Board,
shall coordinate recruiting of members, and maintain a complete
and current membership list, process membership applications
bill and collect membership dues, and coordinate any financial
and accounting matters with the Office Manager.
Section 7. Committees
All committees of the Board shall be appointed by the Chairperson
upon approval by the Board. The term of members of any such
committee shall be determined by the Chairperson and approved
by the Board.
Article VIII. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
OCEAN shall, to the extent legally permissible, indemnify
each person who serves or has served at any time as a director
or officer of OCEAN, or who at any time has served as a director,
officer of, or in a similar capacity with, another organization
at the request of or on behalf of OCEAN, against all expenses
and liabilities (including counsel fees, judgments, fines,
excise taxes, penalties and amounts payable in settlements)
reasonably incurred by or imposed upon such person in connection
with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
other proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative, in which he or she may become involved by
reason of his or her serving or having served in such capacity
(other than a proceeding voluntarily initiated by such person
unless (i) he or she is successful on the merits in such a
proceeding, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by OCEAN or
(3) the proceeding seeks a declaratory
judgment regarding his or her own conduct); provided that
no indemnification shall be provided for any such person with
respect to any matter as to which he or she shall have been
finally adjudicated in any proceeding not to have acted in
good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action
was in the best interests of OCEAN; and provided, further,
that as to any matter disposed of by a settlement payment
by such person, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise,
the payment and indemnification thereof have been approved
either by OCEAN (which approval shall not unreasonably be
withheld), or by a court of competent jurisdiction. Such indemnification
shall include payment by OCEAN of expenses incurred in defending
a civil or criminal action or proceeding, upon receipt of
an undertaking by the person indemnified to repay such payment
if he or she shall be adjudicated to be not entitled to indemnification
under this article, which undertaking may be accepted without
regard to the financial ability of such person to make repayment.
A person entitled to indemnification hereunder whose duties
include service or responsibilities as a fiduciary with respect
to a subsidiary of OCEAN or any other organization at the
request of or on behalf of OCEAN, shall be deemed to have
acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her
action was in the best interests of OCEAN if he or she acted
in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action
was in the best interests of such subsidiary or organization
or of the participants or beneficiaries of, or other persons
with interests in, such subsidiary or organization with respect
to whom he or she had such a fiduciary duty. Where indemnification
hereunder requires authorization or approval by OCEAN, such
authorization or approval shall be conclusively deemed to
have been obtained, and in any case where a director of OCEAN
approves the payment of indemnification, such director shall
be wholly protected and indemnified in accordance with this
article, if: (i) the payment has been approved or ratified
(1) by a majority vote of a quorum of the directors consisting
of persons who are not at that time parties to the proceeding,
(2) by a majority vote of a committee of two or more directors
who are not at that time parties to the proceedings and are
selected for this purpose by the full board (in which selection
directors who are parties to the proceeding may participate),
or (3) by the disinterested members of OCEAN; or (ii) the
action is taken in reliance upon the opinion of independent
legal counsel (who may be counsel to OCEAN) appointed for
the purpose by vote of the directors or in the manner specified
in clauses (1), (2) or (3) of subparagraph (i); or (iii) the
payment is approved by a court of competent jurisdiction;
or (iv) the directors may have otherwise acted in accordance
with the standard of conduct set forth in Chapter 180 of the
Massachusetts General Laws. Any indemnification or advance
of expenses under this article shall be paid promptly, and
in any event within 30 days after the receipt by OCEAN of
a written request therefore from the person to be indemnified,
unless with respect to a claim for indemnification, OCEAN
shall have determined that the person is not entitled to indemnification.
If OCEAN denies the request or if payment is not made within
such 30-day period, the person seeking to be indemnified may
at any time thereafter seek to enforce his or her rights hereunder
in a court of competent jurisdiction and, if successful in
whole or in part, he or she shall be entitled also to indemnification
for the expenses of prosecuting such action. Unless otherwise
provided by law, the burden of proving that the person is
not entitled to indemnification shall be on OCEAN. The right
of indemnification under this article shall be a contract
right inuring to the benefit of the directors, officers and
other persons entitled to be indemnified hereunder and no
amendment or repeal of this article shall adversely affect
any right of such director, officer or other person existing
at the time of such amendment or repeal. The indemnification
provided hereunder shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
executors and administrators of a director, officer or other
person entitled to indemnification hereunder. The indemnification
provided hereunder may, to the extent authorized by OCEAN,
apply to the directors, officers and other persons associated
with constituent corporations that have been merged into or
consolidated with OCEAN who would have been entitled to indemnification
hereunder had they served in such capacity with or at the
request of OCEAN. The right of indemnification under this
article shall be in addition to and not exclusive of all other
rights to which such director or officer or other persons
may be entitled. Nothing contained in this article shall affect
any rights to indemnification to which OCEAN employees or
agents other than directors and officers and other persons
entitled to indemnification hereunder may be entitled by contract
or otherwise under law.
Article IX. AMENDMENT
These by-laws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole
or in part, by the affirmative vote of a two-third majority
of the Board. Following the making, amending or repealing
of any of these bylaws in whole or in part by the Directors,
written notice thereof stating the substance of such change
shall be promptly given to all Members of good standing.
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