Article 3 Institute, Inc. Bylaws.
NON-PROFIT BYLAWS OF ARTICLE 3 INSTITUTE INCORPORATED PREAMBLEThe following Bylaws shall be subject to, and governed by, the Non-Profit Corporation Act of Missouri and the Articles of Incorporation of Article 3 Institute Incorporated. In the event of a direct conflict between the herein contained provisions of these Bylaws and the mandatory provisions of the Non-Profit Corporation Act of Missouri, said Non-Profit Corporation Act shall be the prevailing controlling law. In the event of a direct conflict between the provisions of these Bylaws and the Articles of Incorporation of Corporation, it shall then be these Bylaws which shall be controlling. ARTICLE 1 - NAMEThe legal name of the Non-Profit Corporation shall be known as Article 3 Institute Incorporated, and shall herein be referred to as the "Institute." ARTICLE 2 - PURPOSEThe general purposes for which this Institute has been established are as follows:The Institute shall be operated for the purpose of promoting knowledge of and adherence to the duties, powers, and limitation of powers outlined for the Missouri general assembly in article iii of the Missouri constitution.. The Institute is established within the meaning of IRS Publication 557 Section 501(c)(4) Organization of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. In addition, this Institute has been formed for the purpose of performing all things incidental to, or appropriate in, the foregoing specific and primary purposes. However, the Institute shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activity or the exercise of any powers which are not in furtherance of its primary non-profit purposes. The Institute shall hold and may exercise all such powers as may be conferred upon any nonprofit organization by the laws of the State of Missouri and as may be necessary or expedient for the administration of the affairs and attainment of the purposes of the Institute. At no time and in no event shall the Institute participate in any activities which have not been permitted to be carried out by an entity exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code"), such as certain political and legislative activities. ARTICLE 3 - OFFICESThe principal office of the Institute shall be located at 33867 Highway E, Dixon, Missouri 65459. The Institute may have other such offices as the Board of Directors may determine or deem necessary, or as the affairs of the Institute may find a need for from time to time, provided that any permanent change of address for the principal office is properly reported as required by law. ARTICLE 4 - DEDICATION OF ASSETS The properties and assets of the Institute are irrevocably dedicated to and for non-profit purposes only. No part of the net earnings, properties, or assets of this Institute, on dissolution or otherwise, shall inure to the benefit of any person or any member, director, or officer of this Institute. On liquidation or dissolution, all remaining properties and assets of the Institute shall be distributed to the original donors or, if they can not be determined, paid over to an organization dedicated to non-profit purposes which has established its tax-exempt status pursuant to Section 501(c) of the Code. ARTICLE 5 - BOARD OF DIRECTORSGeneral Powers and ResponsibilitiesThe Institute shall be governed by a Board of Directors (the "Board"), which shall have all the rights, powers, privileges and limitations of liability of directors of a non-profit corporation organized under the Non-Profit Corporation Act of Missouri. The Board shall establish policies and directives governing business and programs of the Institute and shall delegate to the Executive Director and Institute staff, subject to the provisions of these Bylaws, authority and responsibility to see that the policies and directives are appropriately followed. Number and QualificationsThe Board shall have up to 7 members, but no fewer than three (3) Board members. The number of Board members may be increased beyond 7 members by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the then-serving Board of Directors. A Board member need not be a resident of the State of Missouri. Board CompensationNo Board member shall receive compensation for service on the Board or any other position. Reimbursement of reasonable expenses shall be permitted. Board ElectionsThe Governance Committee, if created, shall present nomination for new and renewing Board members at the board meeting immediately preceding the beginning of the next fiscal year. New and renewing Board members shall be approved by a two-thirds majority of those Board members at a Board meeting at which a quorum is present. Term of BoardAll appointments to the Board shall be for a term of 2 year(s).
Vacancies A vacancy on the Board of Directors may exist at the occurrence of the following conditions:a) The death, resignation, or removal of any director;b) The declaration by resolution of the Board of a vacancy in the office of a director who has been declared of unsound mind by a final order of court.c) An increase in the authorized number of directors; ord) The failure of the directors, at any annual or other meeting of directors at which director(s) are to be elected, to elect the full authorized number of directors. The Board of Directors, by way of affirmative vote of a 2/3 majority of the directors then currently in office, may remove any director without cause at any regular or special meeting, provided that the director to be removed has been notified in writing in the manner set forth in Article 5. Except as provided in this paragraph, any director may resign effective upon giving written notice to the chair of the Board, the president of Institute, the secretary of Institute, or the Board of Directors, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of the resignation. If the resignation is effective at a future time, a successor may be designated to take office when the resignation becomes effective. Unless the Attorney General of Missouri is first notified, no director may resign when the Institute would then be left without a duly elected director in charge of its affairs.Any vacancy on the Board may be filled by a two-thirds majority of the directors then in office, whether or not the number of directors then in office is less than a quorum, or by vote of a sole remaining director. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director's term of office expires.A Board member elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office. ResignationEach Board member shall have the right to resign at any time upon written notice thereof to the Chair of the Board, Secretary of the Board, or the Executive Director. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof, and the acceptance of such resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. RemovalA Board member may be removed, with or without cause, at any duly constituted meeting of the Board, by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of then-serving Board members. MeetingsThe Board's regular meetings may be held at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board. The Chair of the Board or any 2 regular Board members may call a special meeting of the Board with 1 days' written notice provided to each member of the Board. The notice shall be served upon each Board member via hand delivery, regular mail, email, text message or fax. The person(s) authorized to call such special meetings of the Board may also establish the place the meeting is to be conducted, so long as it is a reasonable place to hold any special meeting of the Board. Virtual meeting are permitted. MinutesThe Secretary shall be responsible for the recording of all minutes of each and every meeting of the Board in which business shall be transacted in such order as the Board may determine from time to time. However, in the event that the Secretary is unavailable, the Chair of the Board shall appoint an individual to act as Secretary at the meeting. The Secretary, or the individual appointed to act as Secretary, shall prepare the minutes of the meetings, which shall be delivered to the Institute to be placed in the minute books. A copy of the minutes shall be delivered to each Board member via either regular mail, hand delivered, emailed, or faxed within 3 business days after the close of each Board meeting. Action by Written ConsentAny action required by law to be taken at a meeting of the Board, or any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Board, may be taken without a meeting if consent in writing setting forth the action so taken shall be signed by all Board members. The number of directors in office must constitute a quorum for an action taken by written consent. Such consent shall be placed in the minute book of the Institute and shall have the same force and effect as a vote of the Board taken at an actual meeting. The Board members' written consent may be executed in multiple counterparts or copies, each of which shall be deemed an original for all purposes. In addition, facsimile signatures and electronic signatures or other electronic "consent click" acknowledgments shall be effective as original signatures. QuorumAt each meeting of the Board of Directors or Board Committees, the presence of a majority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any time the Board consists of an even number of members and a vote results in a tie, then the vote of the Chair of the Board shall be the deciding vote. The act of the majority of the Board members serving on the Board or Board Committees and present at a meeting in which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board or Board Committees, unless otherwise provided by the Articles of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or a law specifically requiring otherwise. If a quorum is not present at a meeting, the Board members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice until a quorum shall be present. However, a Board member shall be considered present at any meeting of the Board or Board Committees if during the meeting he or she is present via telephone or web conferencing with the other Board members participating in the meeting. VotingEach Board member shall only have one vote. ProxyMembers of the Board shall not be allowed to vote by written proxy, however absentee votes are permitted. Board Member AttendanceAn elected Board Member who is absent from 5 consecutive regular meetings of the Board during a fiscal year shall be encouraged to reevaluate with the Chair of the Board his/her commitment to the Institute. The Board may deem a Board member who has missed 5 consecutive meetings without such a reevaluation with the Chair, to have resigned from the Board. ARTICLE 6 - OFFICERSDesignation to Lobby for the InstituteNo officer shall be designated as a legislative, executive, or judicial lobbyist. No person shall be considered to be designated as a legislative, executive, or judicial lobbyist without specific written authorization by the Board filed with the Recorder of Deeds of Maries County Missouri.
Officers and DutiesThe Board shall elect officers of the Institute which shall include either a Chair of the Board (Chief Executive Officer) or a President (Executive Director) or both a Chair of the Board and a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer), and such other officers as the Board may designate by resolution but in no case less than 1 officer to prepare minutes of the directors' and members' meetings and authenticate the records of the Institute. The same person may hold any number of offices. In addition to the duties in accordance with this Article, officers shall conduct all other duties typically pertaining to their offices and other such duties which may be required by law, Articles of Incorporation, or by these bylaws, subject to control of the Board of Directors, and they shall perform any other such additional duties which the Board of Directors may assign to them at their discretion.The officers will be selected by the Board at its annual meeting, and shall serve the needs of the Board, subject to all the rights, if any, of any officer who may be under a contract of employment. Therefore, without any bias or predisposition to the rights of any officer that may be under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed with or without cause by the Board. All officers have the right to resign at any time by providing notice in writing to the Chair of the Board, President, and/or Secretary of the Institute, without bias or predisposition to all rights, if any, of the Institute under any contract to which said officer is a part thereof. All resignations shall become effective upon the date on which the written notice of resignation is received or at any time later as may be specified within the resignation; and unless otherwise indicated within the written notice, a stated acceptance of the resignation shall not be required to make the resignation effective. Any and all vacancies in any office because of death, resignation, disqualification, removal, or for any other cause, shall be filled in accordance with the herein prescribed Bylaws for regular appointments to such office. The compensation, if any, of the officers shall be fixed or determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. Chair of the Board (Chief Executive Officer)It shall be the responsibility of the Chair of the Board, when present, to preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. The Chair of the Board is authorized to execute, in the name of the Institute, any and all contracts or other documents which may be authorized, either generally or specifically, by the Board to be executed by the Institute, except when required by law that the President's signature must be provided. President (Executive Director)It shall be the responsibility of the President, in general, to supervise and conduct all activities and operations of the Institute, subject to the control, advice and consent of the Board of Directors. The President shall keep the Board of Directors completely informed, shall freely consult with them in relation to all activities of the Institute, and shall see that all orders and/or resolutions of the Board are carried out to the effect intended. The Board of Directors may place the President under a contract of employment where appropriate. The President shall be empowered to act, speak for, or otherwise represent the Institute between meetings of the Board. The President shall be responsible for the hiring and firing of all personnel and shall be responsible for keeping the Board informed at all times of staff performance and for implementing any personnel policies which may be adopted and implemented by the Board. The President, at all times, is authorized to contract, receive, deposit, disburse and account for all funds of the Institute, to execute in the name of the Institute all contracts and other documents authorized either generally or specifically by the Board to be executed by the Institute, and to negotiate any and all material business transactions of the Institute. SecretaryThe Secretary, or his/her designee, shall be the custodian of all records and documents of the Institute, which are required to be kept at the principal office of the Institute, and shall act as secretary at all meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall keep the minutes of all such meetings on file in hard copy or electronic format. S/he shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the Institute and shall see that the seal of the Institute, if any, is affixed to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Institute under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer)It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and accurate accounts of all the properties and business transactions of the Institute, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital, retained earnings, and other matters customarily included in financial statements. The Treasurer shall be responsible for ensuring the deposit of, or cause to be deposited, all money and other valuables as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Furthermore, the Treasurer shall disburse, or cause to be disbursed, the funds of the Institute, as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, and shall render to the Chair of the Board, President, and directors, whenever they request it, an account of all the Treasurer's transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Institute. The Treasurer shall give the Institute a bond, if so requested and required by the Board of Directors, in the amount and with the surety or sureties specified by the Board for faithful performance of the duties of the Treasurer's office and for restoration to the Institute of all its books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of every kind in the Treasurer's possession or under the Treasurer's control upon the Treasurer's death, resignation, retirement, or removal from office. The Institute shall pay the cost of such a bond. ARTICLE 7 - COMMITTEESCommittees of DirectorsThe Board of Directors may, from time to time, and by resolution adopted by a majority of the directors then in office provided that a quorum is present, designate one or more committees to exercise all or a portion of the authority of the Board, to the extent of the powers specifically delegated in the resolution of the Board or in these Bylaws. Each such committee shall consist of at least two (2) directors, and may also include persons who are not on the Board but whom the directors believe to be reliable and competent to serve at the specific committee. However, committees exercising any authority of the Board of Directors may not have any non-director members. The Board may designate one or more alternative members of any committee who may replace any absent member at any meeting of the committee. The appointment of members or alternate members of a committee requires the vote of a majority of the directors then in office, provided that a quorum is present. The Board of Directors may also designate one or more advisory committees that do not have the authority of the Board. However, no committee, regardless of Board resolution, may: a) Approve of any action that, pursuant to applicable Law, would also require the affirmative vote of the members of the Board if this were a membership vote.b) Fill vacancies on, or remove the members of, the Board of Directors or any committee that has the authority of the Board.c) Fix compensation of the directors serving on the Board or on any committee.d) Amend or repeal the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or adopt new bylaws.e) Amend or repeal any resolution of the Board of Directors that by its express terms is not so amendable or repealable.f) Appoint any other committees of the Board of Directors or their members.g) Approve a plan of merger, consolidation, voluntary dissolution, bankruptcy, or reorganization; or a plan for the sale, lease, or exchange of all or considerably all of the property and assets of the Institute otherwise than in the usual and regular course of its business; or revoke any such plan.h) Approve any self-dealing transaction, except as provided pursuant to Law.Unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Directors, no committee shall bind the Institute in a contract or agreement or expend Institute funds. Meetings and Actions of CommitteesMeetings and actions of all committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of Article 7 - Committees of these Bylaws, concerning meetings and actions of the directors with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board of Directors and its members, except that the time for regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board of Directors or by resolution of the committee. Special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to any and all alternate members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. Minutes shall be kept for each meeting of any committee and shall be filed with the Institute records. The Board of Directors may adopt rules not consistent with the provisions of these Bylaws for the governance of any committee. If a director relies on information prepared by a committee of the Board on which the director does not serve, the committee must be composed exclusively of any or any combination of (a) directors, (b) directors or employees of the Institute whom the director believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, or (c) counsel, independent accountants, or other persons as to matters which the director believes to be within that person's professional or expert competence. ARTICLE 8 - STANDARD OF CAREGeneralA director shall perform all the duties of a director, including, but not limited to, duties as a member of any committee of the Board on which the director may serve, in such a manner as the director deems to be in the best interest of the Institute and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, as an ordinary, prudent, and reasonable person in a similar situation may exercise under similar circumstances.In the performance of the duties of a director, a director shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:a) One or more officers or employees of the Institute whom the director deems to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;b) Counsel, independent accountants, or other persons, as to the matters which the director deems to be within such person's professional or expert competence; orc) A committee of the Board upon which the director does not serve, as to matters within its designated authority, which committee the director deems to merit confidence, so long as in any such case the director acts in good faith, after reasonable inquiry when the need may be indicated by the circumstances, and without knowledge that would cause such reliance to be unwarranted. Except as herein provided in Article 8 - Standard of Care, any person who performs the duties of a director in accordance with the above shall have no liability based upon any failure or alleged failure to discharge that person's obligations as a director, including, without limitation of the following, any actions or omissions which exceed or defeat a public or charitable purpose to which the Institute, or assets held by it, are dedicated. LoansThe Institute shall not make any loan of money or property to, or guarantee the obligation of, any director or officer. Conflict of InterestThe purpose of the Conflict of Interest policy is to protect the Institute's interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of one of its officers or directors, or that might otherwise result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable corporations/organizations and is not intended as an exclusive statement of responsibilities. Restriction on Interested DirectorsNo person serving on the Board of Directors at any time may be interested persons. An interested person is (1) any person currently being compensated by the Institute for services rendered to it within the previous twelve (12) months, whether as a full-time or part-time employee, independent contractor, or otherwise, excluding any reasonable compensation paid to a director; and (2) any brother, sister, parent, ancestor, descendent, spouse, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law, or father-in-law of any such person. However, any violation of the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any transaction entered into by the interested person. Duty to DiscloseIn connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence of the financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the directors who are considering the proposed transaction or arrangement. Establishing a Conflict of InterestAfter the disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, the interested person shall leave the Board meeting while the potential conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining Board members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists. Addressing a Conflict of InterestIn the event that the Board should establish that a proposed transaction or arrangement establishes a conflict of interest, the Board shall then proceed with the following actions:a) Any interested person may render a request or report at the Board meeting, but upon completion of said request or report the individual shall be excused while the Board discusses the information and/or material presented and then votes on the transaction or arrangement proposed involving the possible conflict of interest.b) The Chair of the Board shall, if deemed necessary and appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.c) After exercising due diligence, the Board shall determine whether the Institute can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.d) If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the Board shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction or arrangement is in the best interest of the Institute, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. It shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction arrangement in conformity with this determination. Violations of Conflict of Interest PolicyShould the Board have reasonable cause to believe an interested person has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, the Board shall then inform the interested person of the basis for such belief and afford the interested person an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose.If, after hearing the interested person's explanation, and after making further investigation as may be warranted in consideration of the circumstances, the Board determines the interested person intentionally failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. Procedures and RecordsAll minutes of the Board Meetings, when applicable, shall contain the following information:a) The names of all the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the Board's decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed.b) The names of the persons who were present for discussions and any votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussions, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any vote taken in connection with the proceedings.Acknowledgement of Conflict of Interest PolicyEach director, principal officer, and member of a committee with Board delegated powers shall be required to sign a statement which affirms that such person:a) Has received a copy of the conflict of interest policy;b) Has read and understands the policy;c) Has agreed to comply with the policy; andd) Understands that the Institute is charitable, and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption, it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes. Violation of Loyalty - Self-Dealing ContractsA self-dealing contract is any contract or transaction (i) between this Institute and one or more of its Directors, or between this Institute and any corporation, firm, or association in which one or more of the Directors has a material financial interest ("Interested Director"), or (ii) between this Institute and a corporation, firm, or association of which one or more of its directors are Directors of this Institute. Said self-dealing shall not be void or voidable because such Director(s) of corporation, firm, or association are parties or because said Director(s) are present at the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee which authorizes, approves or ratifies the self-dealing contract, if:a) All material facts are fully disclosed to or otherwise known by the members of the Board and the self-dealing contract is approved by the Interested Director in good faith (without including the vote of any membership owned by said Interested Director(s));b) All material facts are fully disclosed to or otherwise known by the Board of Directors or committee, and the Board of Directors or committee authorizes, approves, or ratifies the self-dealing contract in good faith—without counting the vote of the Interested Director(s)—and the contract is just and reasonable as to the Institute at the time it is authorized, approved, or ratified; orc) As to contracts not approved as provided in above sections (a) and/or (b), the person asserting the validity of the self-dealing contract sustains the burden of proving that the contract was just and reasonable as to the Institute at the time it was authorized, approved, or ratified. Interested Director(s) may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, which authorizes, approves, or ratifies a contract or transaction as provided for and contained in this section. IndemnificationTo the fullest extent permitted by law, the Institute shall indemnify its "agents," as described by law, including its directors, officers, employees and volunteers, and including persons formerly occupying any such position, and their heirs, executors and administrators, against all expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any "proceeding," and including any action by or in the right of the Institute, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a person as described in the Non-Profit Corporation Act. Such right of indemnification shall not be deemed exclusive of any other right to which such persons may be entitled apart from this Article.To the fullest extent permitted by law, and, except as otherwise determined by the Board in a specific instance, expenses incurred by a person seeking indemnification in defending any "proceeding" shall be advanced by the Institute of an undertaking by or on behalf of that person to repay such amount unless it is ultimately determined that the person is entitled to be indemnified by the Institute for those expenses. The Institute shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any agent of the Institute, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any liability asserted against or incurred by the agent in such capacity or arising out of the agent's status as such, or to give other indemnification to the extent permitted by law. ARTICLE 9 - EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTSExecution of Corporate InstrumentsThe Board of Directors may, at its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute any corporate instrument or document, or to sign the corporate name without limitation, except when otherwise provided by law, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the Institute.Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or otherwise required by law, formal contracts of the Institute, promissory notes, deeds of trust, mortgages, other evidences of indebtedness of the Institute, other corporate/organization instruments or documents, memberships in other corporations/organizations, and certificates of shares of stock owned by the Institute shall be executed, signed, and/or endorsed by the President.All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositories on funds to the credit of the Institute, or in special accounts of the Institute, shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize to do so. Loans and ContractsNo loans or advances shall be contracted on behalf of the Institute and no note or other evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless and except as the specific transaction is authorized by the Board of Directors. Without the express and specific authorization of the Board, no officer or other agent of the Institute may enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Institute. ARTICLE 10 - RECORDS AND REPORTSMaintenance and Inspection of Articles and BylawsThe Institute shall keep at its principal office the original or a copy of its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws as amended to date, which shall be open to inspection by the directors at all reasonable times during office hours. Maintenance and Inspection of Federal Tax Exemption Application and Annual Information ReturnsThe Institute shall keep at its principal office a copy of its federal tax exemption application and its annual information returns for three years from their date of filing, which shall be open to public inspection and copying to the extent required by law. Maintenance and Inspection of Other Corporate RecordsThe Institute shall keep adequate and correct books and records of accounts and written minutes of the proceedings of the Board and committees of the Board. All such records shall be kept at a place or places as designated by the Board and committees of the Board, or in the absence of such designation, at the principal office of the Institute. The minutes shall be kept in written or typed form, and other books and records shall be kept either in written or typed form or in any form capable of being converted into written, typed, or printed form. Upon leaving office, each officer, employee, or agent of the Institute shall turn over to his or her successor or the Chair of the Board or President, in good order, such corporate/organization monies, books, records, minutes, lists, documents, contracts or other property of the Institute as have been in the custody of such officer, employee, or agent during his or her term of office.Every director shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to inspect all books, records, and documents of every kind and the physical properties of the Institute and each of its subsidiary corporations/organizations. The inspection may be made in person or by an agent or attorney, and shall include the right to copy and make extracts of documents. Preparation of Annual Financial StatementsThe Institute shall prepare annual financial statements using generally accepted accounting principles. The Institute shall make these financial statements available to the Missouri Attorney General no later than 30 days after the close of the fiscal year to which the statements relate. ReportsThe Board shall ensure an annual report is sent to all directors within 30 days after the end of the fiscal year of the Institute, which shall contain the following information:a) The assets and liabilities, including trust funds, of this corporation at the end of the fiscal year.b) The principal changes in assets and liabilities, including trust funds, during the fiscal year.c) The expenses or disbursements of the Institute for both general and restricted purposes during the fiscal year.d) The information required by the Non-Profit Corporation Act concerning certain self-dealing transactions involving more than $50,000.00 or indemnifications involving more than $10,000.00 which took place during the fiscal year.The report shall be accompanied by any pertinent report from an independent accountant or, if there is no such report, the certificate of an authorized officer of the Institute that such statements were prepared without audit from the books and records of the Institute. ARTICLE 11 - FISCAL YEARThe fiscal year for this Institute shall end on December 31. ARTICLE 12 - AMENDMENTS AND REVISONSThese Bylaws may be adopted, amended, or repealed by a two-thirds majority of the directors then in office. Such action is authorized only at a duly called and held meeting of the Board of Directors for which written notice of such meeting, setting forth the proposed bylaw revisions with explanations therefore, is given in accordance with these Bylaws. If any provision of these Bylaws requires the vote of a larger portion of the Board than is otherwise required by law, that provision may not be altered, amended or repealed by that greater vote. ARTICLE 13 - CORPORATE/ORGANIZATION SEALThe Board of Directors may adopt, use, and alter a corporate/organization seal. The seal shall be kept at the principal office of the Institute. Failure to affix the seal to any corporate/organization instrument, however, shall not affect the validity of that instrument. ARTICLE 14 - CONSTRUCTION AND DEFINITIONSUnless the context otherwise requires, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions contained in the Non-Profit Corporation Act as amended from time to time shall govern the construction of these Bylaws. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular, and the term "person" includes a Institute as well as a natural person. If any competent court of law shall deem any portion of these Bylaws invalid or inoperative, then so far as is reasonable and possible (i) the remainder of these Bylaws shall be considered valid and operative, and (ii) effect shall be given to the intent manifested by the portion deemed invalid or inoperative. CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARYI, Paul Hamby, certify that I am the current elected and acting Secretary of the Institute, and the above Bylaws are the bylaws of this Institute as adopted by the Board of Directors on June 19, 2024, and that they have not been amended or modified since the date above. EXECUTED on this 27th day of August, 2024, in the State of Missouri. ____/s/ Paul Hamby ______________________________Paul Hamby (Duly Elected Secretary)
Vacancies A vacancy on the Board of Directors may exist at the occurrence of the following conditions:a) The death, resignation, or removal of any director;b) The declaration by resolution of the Board of a vacancy in the office of a director who has been declared of unsound mind by a final order of court.c) An increase in the authorized number of directors; ord) The failure of the directors, at any annual or other meeting of directors at which director(s) are to be elected, to elect the full authorized number of directors. The Board of Directors, by way of affirmative vote of a 2/3 majority of the directors then currently in office, may remove any director without cause at any regular or special meeting, provided that the director to be removed has been notified in writing in the manner set forth in Article 5. Except as provided in this paragraph, any director may resign effective upon giving written notice to the chair of the Board, the president of Institute, the secretary of Institute, or the Board of Directors, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of the resignation. If the resignation is effective at a future time, a successor may be designated to take office when the resignation becomes effective. Unless the Attorney General of Missouri is first notified, no director may resign when the Institute would then be left without a duly elected director in charge of its affairs.Any vacancy on the Board may be filled by a two-thirds majority of the directors then in office, whether or not the number of directors then in office is less than a quorum, or by vote of a sole remaining director. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director's term of office expires.A Board member elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office. ResignationEach Board member shall have the right to resign at any time upon written notice thereof to the Chair of the Board, Secretary of the Board, or the Executive Director. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof, and the acceptance of such resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. RemovalA Board member may be removed, with or without cause, at any duly constituted meeting of the Board, by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of then-serving Board members. MeetingsThe Board's regular meetings may be held at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board. The Chair of the Board or any 2 regular Board members may call a special meeting of the Board with 1 days' written notice provided to each member of the Board. The notice shall be served upon each Board member via hand delivery, regular mail, email, text message or fax. The person(s) authorized to call such special meetings of the Board may also establish the place the meeting is to be conducted, so long as it is a reasonable place to hold any special meeting of the Board. Virtual meeting are permitted. MinutesThe Secretary shall be responsible for the recording of all minutes of each and every meeting of the Board in which business shall be transacted in such order as the Board may determine from time to time. However, in the event that the Secretary is unavailable, the Chair of the Board shall appoint an individual to act as Secretary at the meeting. The Secretary, or the individual appointed to act as Secretary, shall prepare the minutes of the meetings, which shall be delivered to the Institute to be placed in the minute books. A copy of the minutes shall be delivered to each Board member via either regular mail, hand delivered, emailed, or faxed within 3 business days after the close of each Board meeting. Action by Written ConsentAny action required by law to be taken at a meeting of the Board, or any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Board, may be taken without a meeting if consent in writing setting forth the action so taken shall be signed by all Board members. The number of directors in office must constitute a quorum for an action taken by written consent. Such consent shall be placed in the minute book of the Institute and shall have the same force and effect as a vote of the Board taken at an actual meeting. The Board members' written consent may be executed in multiple counterparts or copies, each of which shall be deemed an original for all purposes. In addition, facsimile signatures and electronic signatures or other electronic "consent click" acknowledgments shall be effective as original signatures. QuorumAt each meeting of the Board of Directors or Board Committees, the presence of a majority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If at any time the Board consists of an even number of members and a vote results in a tie, then the vote of the Chair of the Board shall be the deciding vote. The act of the majority of the Board members serving on the Board or Board Committees and present at a meeting in which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board or Board Committees, unless otherwise provided by the Articles of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or a law specifically requiring otherwise. If a quorum is not present at a meeting, the Board members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice until a quorum shall be present. However, a Board member shall be considered present at any meeting of the Board or Board Committees if during the meeting he or she is present via telephone or web conferencing with the other Board members participating in the meeting. VotingEach Board member shall only have one vote. ProxyMembers of the Board shall not be allowed to vote by written proxy, however absentee votes are permitted. Board Member AttendanceAn elected Board Member who is absent from 5 consecutive regular meetings of the Board during a fiscal year shall be encouraged to reevaluate with the Chair of the Board his/her commitment to the Institute. The Board may deem a Board member who has missed 5 consecutive meetings without such a reevaluation with the Chair, to have resigned from the Board. ARTICLE 6 - OFFICERSDesignation to Lobby for the InstituteNo officer shall be designated as a legislative, executive, or judicial lobbyist. No person shall be considered to be designated as a legislative, executive, or judicial lobbyist without specific written authorization by the Board filed with the Recorder of Deeds of Maries County Missouri.
Officers and DutiesThe Board shall elect officers of the Institute which shall include either a Chair of the Board (Chief Executive Officer) or a President (Executive Director) or both a Chair of the Board and a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer), and such other officers as the Board may designate by resolution but in no case less than 1 officer to prepare minutes of the directors' and members' meetings and authenticate the records of the Institute. The same person may hold any number of offices. In addition to the duties in accordance with this Article, officers shall conduct all other duties typically pertaining to their offices and other such duties which may be required by law, Articles of Incorporation, or by these bylaws, subject to control of the Board of Directors, and they shall perform any other such additional duties which the Board of Directors may assign to them at their discretion.The officers will be selected by the Board at its annual meeting, and shall serve the needs of the Board, subject to all the rights, if any, of any officer who may be under a contract of employment. Therefore, without any bias or predisposition to the rights of any officer that may be under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed with or without cause by the Board. All officers have the right to resign at any time by providing notice in writing to the Chair of the Board, President, and/or Secretary of the Institute, without bias or predisposition to all rights, if any, of the Institute under any contract to which said officer is a part thereof. All resignations shall become effective upon the date on which the written notice of resignation is received or at any time later as may be specified within the resignation; and unless otherwise indicated within the written notice, a stated acceptance of the resignation shall not be required to make the resignation effective. Any and all vacancies in any office because of death, resignation, disqualification, removal, or for any other cause, shall be filled in accordance with the herein prescribed Bylaws for regular appointments to such office. The compensation, if any, of the officers shall be fixed or determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. Chair of the Board (Chief Executive Officer)It shall be the responsibility of the Chair of the Board, when present, to preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. The Chair of the Board is authorized to execute, in the name of the Institute, any and all contracts or other documents which may be authorized, either generally or specifically, by the Board to be executed by the Institute, except when required by law that the President's signature must be provided. President (Executive Director)It shall be the responsibility of the President, in general, to supervise and conduct all activities and operations of the Institute, subject to the control, advice and consent of the Board of Directors. The President shall keep the Board of Directors completely informed, shall freely consult with them in relation to all activities of the Institute, and shall see that all orders and/or resolutions of the Board are carried out to the effect intended. The Board of Directors may place the President under a contract of employment where appropriate. The President shall be empowered to act, speak for, or otherwise represent the Institute between meetings of the Board. The President shall be responsible for the hiring and firing of all personnel and shall be responsible for keeping the Board informed at all times of staff performance and for implementing any personnel policies which may be adopted and implemented by the Board. The President, at all times, is authorized to contract, receive, deposit, disburse and account for all funds of the Institute, to execute in the name of the Institute all contracts and other documents authorized either generally or specifically by the Board to be executed by the Institute, and to negotiate any and all material business transactions of the Institute. SecretaryThe Secretary, or his/her designee, shall be the custodian of all records and documents of the Institute, which are required to be kept at the principal office of the Institute, and shall act as secretary at all meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall keep the minutes of all such meetings on file in hard copy or electronic format. S/he shall attend to the giving and serving of all notices of the Institute and shall see that the seal of the Institute, if any, is affixed to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Institute under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer)It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and accurate accounts of all the properties and business transactions of the Institute, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital, retained earnings, and other matters customarily included in financial statements. The Treasurer shall be responsible for ensuring the deposit of, or cause to be deposited, all money and other valuables as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Furthermore, the Treasurer shall disburse, or cause to be disbursed, the funds of the Institute, as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, and shall render to the Chair of the Board, President, and directors, whenever they request it, an account of all the Treasurer's transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Institute. The Treasurer shall give the Institute a bond, if so requested and required by the Board of Directors, in the amount and with the surety or sureties specified by the Board for faithful performance of the duties of the Treasurer's office and for restoration to the Institute of all its books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of every kind in the Treasurer's possession or under the Treasurer's control upon the Treasurer's death, resignation, retirement, or removal from office. The Institute shall pay the cost of such a bond. ARTICLE 7 - COMMITTEESCommittees of DirectorsThe Board of Directors may, from time to time, and by resolution adopted by a majority of the directors then in office provided that a quorum is present, designate one or more committees to exercise all or a portion of the authority of the Board, to the extent of the powers specifically delegated in the resolution of the Board or in these Bylaws. Each such committee shall consist of at least two (2) directors, and may also include persons who are not on the Board but whom the directors believe to be reliable and competent to serve at the specific committee. However, committees exercising any authority of the Board of Directors may not have any non-director members. The Board may designate one or more alternative members of any committee who may replace any absent member at any meeting of the committee. The appointment of members or alternate members of a committee requires the vote of a majority of the directors then in office, provided that a quorum is present. The Board of Directors may also designate one or more advisory committees that do not have the authority of the Board. However, no committee, regardless of Board resolution, may: a) Approve of any action that, pursuant to applicable Law, would also require the affirmative vote of the members of the Board if this were a membership vote.b) Fill vacancies on, or remove the members of, the Board of Directors or any committee that has the authority of the Board.c) Fix compensation of the directors serving on the Board or on any committee.d) Amend or repeal the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or adopt new bylaws.e) Amend or repeal any resolution of the Board of Directors that by its express terms is not so amendable or repealable.f) Appoint any other committees of the Board of Directors or their members.g) Approve a plan of merger, consolidation, voluntary dissolution, bankruptcy, or reorganization; or a plan for the sale, lease, or exchange of all or considerably all of the property and assets of the Institute otherwise than in the usual and regular course of its business; or revoke any such plan.h) Approve any self-dealing transaction, except as provided pursuant to Law.Unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Directors, no committee shall bind the Institute in a contract or agreement or expend Institute funds. Meetings and Actions of CommitteesMeetings and actions of all committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of Article 7 - Committees of these Bylaws, concerning meetings and actions of the directors with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board of Directors and its members, except that the time for regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board of Directors or by resolution of the committee. Special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to any and all alternate members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. Minutes shall be kept for each meeting of any committee and shall be filed with the Institute records. The Board of Directors may adopt rules not consistent with the provisions of these Bylaws for the governance of any committee. If a director relies on information prepared by a committee of the Board on which the director does not serve, the committee must be composed exclusively of any or any combination of (a) directors, (b) directors or employees of the Institute whom the director believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, or (c) counsel, independent accountants, or other persons as to matters which the director believes to be within that person's professional or expert competence. ARTICLE 8 - STANDARD OF CAREGeneralA director shall perform all the duties of a director, including, but not limited to, duties as a member of any committee of the Board on which the director may serve, in such a manner as the director deems to be in the best interest of the Institute and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, as an ordinary, prudent, and reasonable person in a similar situation may exercise under similar circumstances.In the performance of the duties of a director, a director shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by:a) One or more officers or employees of the Institute whom the director deems to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;b) Counsel, independent accountants, or other persons, as to the matters which the director deems to be within such person's professional or expert competence; orc) A committee of the Board upon which the director does not serve, as to matters within its designated authority, which committee the director deems to merit confidence, so long as in any such case the director acts in good faith, after reasonable inquiry when the need may be indicated by the circumstances, and without knowledge that would cause such reliance to be unwarranted. Except as herein provided in Article 8 - Standard of Care, any person who performs the duties of a director in accordance with the above shall have no liability based upon any failure or alleged failure to discharge that person's obligations as a director, including, without limitation of the following, any actions or omissions which exceed or defeat a public or charitable purpose to which the Institute, or assets held by it, are dedicated. LoansThe Institute shall not make any loan of money or property to, or guarantee the obligation of, any director or officer. Conflict of InterestThe purpose of the Conflict of Interest policy is to protect the Institute's interest when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of one of its officers or directors, or that might otherwise result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable corporations/organizations and is not intended as an exclusive statement of responsibilities. Restriction on Interested DirectorsNo person serving on the Board of Directors at any time may be interested persons. An interested person is (1) any person currently being compensated by the Institute for services rendered to it within the previous twelve (12) months, whether as a full-time or part-time employee, independent contractor, or otherwise, excluding any reasonable compensation paid to a director; and (2) any brother, sister, parent, ancestor, descendent, spouse, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law, or father-in-law of any such person. However, any violation of the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any transaction entered into by the interested person. Duty to DiscloseIn connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence of the financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the directors who are considering the proposed transaction or arrangement. Establishing a Conflict of InterestAfter the disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, the interested person shall leave the Board meeting while the potential conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining Board members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists. Addressing a Conflict of InterestIn the event that the Board should establish that a proposed transaction or arrangement establishes a conflict of interest, the Board shall then proceed with the following actions:a) Any interested person may render a request or report at the Board meeting, but upon completion of said request or report the individual shall be excused while the Board discusses the information and/or material presented and then votes on the transaction or arrangement proposed involving the possible conflict of interest.b) The Chair of the Board shall, if deemed necessary and appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.c) After exercising due diligence, the Board shall determine whether the Institute can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.d) If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the Board shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction or arrangement is in the best interest of the Institute, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. It shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction arrangement in conformity with this determination. Violations of Conflict of Interest PolicyShould the Board have reasonable cause to believe an interested person has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, the Board shall then inform the interested person of the basis for such belief and afford the interested person an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose.If, after hearing the interested person's explanation, and after making further investigation as may be warranted in consideration of the circumstances, the Board determines the interested person intentionally failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. Procedures and RecordsAll minutes of the Board Meetings, when applicable, shall contain the following information:a) The names of all the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the Board's decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed.b) The names of the persons who were present for discussions and any votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussions, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any vote taken in connection with the proceedings.Acknowledgement of Conflict of Interest PolicyEach director, principal officer, and member of a committee with Board delegated powers shall be required to sign a statement which affirms that such person:a) Has received a copy of the conflict of interest policy;b) Has read and understands the policy;c) Has agreed to comply with the policy; andd) Understands that the Institute is charitable, and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption, it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes. Violation of Loyalty - Self-Dealing ContractsA self-dealing contract is any contract or transaction (i) between this Institute and one or more of its Directors, or between this Institute and any corporation, firm, or association in which one or more of the Directors has a material financial interest ("Interested Director"), or (ii) between this Institute and a corporation, firm, or association of which one or more of its directors are Directors of this Institute. Said self-dealing shall not be void or voidable because such Director(s) of corporation, firm, or association are parties or because said Director(s) are present at the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee which authorizes, approves or ratifies the self-dealing contract, if:a) All material facts are fully disclosed to or otherwise known by the members of the Board and the self-dealing contract is approved by the Interested Director in good faith (without including the vote of any membership owned by said Interested Director(s));b) All material facts are fully disclosed to or otherwise known by the Board of Directors or committee, and the Board of Directors or committee authorizes, approves, or ratifies the self-dealing contract in good faith—without counting the vote of the Interested Director(s)—and the contract is just and reasonable as to the Institute at the time it is authorized, approved, or ratified; orc) As to contracts not approved as provided in above sections (a) and/or (b), the person asserting the validity of the self-dealing contract sustains the burden of proving that the contract was just and reasonable as to the Institute at the time it was authorized, approved, or ratified. Interested Director(s) may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, which authorizes, approves, or ratifies a contract or transaction as provided for and contained in this section. IndemnificationTo the fullest extent permitted by law, the Institute shall indemnify its "agents," as described by law, including its directors, officers, employees and volunteers, and including persons formerly occupying any such position, and their heirs, executors and administrators, against all expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any "proceeding," and including any action by or in the right of the Institute, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a person as described in the Non-Profit Corporation Act. Such right of indemnification shall not be deemed exclusive of any other right to which such persons may be entitled apart from this Article.To the fullest extent permitted by law, and, except as otherwise determined by the Board in a specific instance, expenses incurred by a person seeking indemnification in defending any "proceeding" shall be advanced by the Institute of an undertaking by or on behalf of that person to repay such amount unless it is ultimately determined that the person is entitled to be indemnified by the Institute for those expenses. The Institute shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any agent of the Institute, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any liability asserted against or incurred by the agent in such capacity or arising out of the agent's status as such, or to give other indemnification to the extent permitted by law. ARTICLE 9 - EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTSExecution of Corporate InstrumentsThe Board of Directors may, at its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute any corporate instrument or document, or to sign the corporate name without limitation, except when otherwise provided by law, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the Institute.Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Board of Directors or otherwise required by law, formal contracts of the Institute, promissory notes, deeds of trust, mortgages, other evidences of indebtedness of the Institute, other corporate/organization instruments or documents, memberships in other corporations/organizations, and certificates of shares of stock owned by the Institute shall be executed, signed, and/or endorsed by the President.All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositories on funds to the credit of the Institute, or in special accounts of the Institute, shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize to do so. Loans and ContractsNo loans or advances shall be contracted on behalf of the Institute and no note or other evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless and except as the specific transaction is authorized by the Board of Directors. Without the express and specific authorization of the Board, no officer or other agent of the Institute may enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Institute. ARTICLE 10 - RECORDS AND REPORTSMaintenance and Inspection of Articles and BylawsThe Institute shall keep at its principal office the original or a copy of its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws as amended to date, which shall be open to inspection by the directors at all reasonable times during office hours. Maintenance and Inspection of Federal Tax Exemption Application and Annual Information ReturnsThe Institute shall keep at its principal office a copy of its federal tax exemption application and its annual information returns for three years from their date of filing, which shall be open to public inspection and copying to the extent required by law. Maintenance and Inspection of Other Corporate RecordsThe Institute shall keep adequate and correct books and records of accounts and written minutes of the proceedings of the Board and committees of the Board. All such records shall be kept at a place or places as designated by the Board and committees of the Board, or in the absence of such designation, at the principal office of the Institute. The minutes shall be kept in written or typed form, and other books and records shall be kept either in written or typed form or in any form capable of being converted into written, typed, or printed form. Upon leaving office, each officer, employee, or agent of the Institute shall turn over to his or her successor or the Chair of the Board or President, in good order, such corporate/organization monies, books, records, minutes, lists, documents, contracts or other property of the Institute as have been in the custody of such officer, employee, or agent during his or her term of office.Every director shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to inspect all books, records, and documents of every kind and the physical properties of the Institute and each of its subsidiary corporations/organizations. The inspection may be made in person or by an agent or attorney, and shall include the right to copy and make extracts of documents. Preparation of Annual Financial StatementsThe Institute shall prepare annual financial statements using generally accepted accounting principles. The Institute shall make these financial statements available to the Missouri Attorney General no later than 30 days after the close of the fiscal year to which the statements relate. ReportsThe Board shall ensure an annual report is sent to all directors within 30 days after the end of the fiscal year of the Institute, which shall contain the following information:a) The assets and liabilities, including trust funds, of this corporation at the end of the fiscal year.b) The principal changes in assets and liabilities, including trust funds, during the fiscal year.c) The expenses or disbursements of the Institute for both general and restricted purposes during the fiscal year.d) The information required by the Non-Profit Corporation Act concerning certain self-dealing transactions involving more than $50,000.00 or indemnifications involving more than $10,000.00 which took place during the fiscal year.The report shall be accompanied by any pertinent report from an independent accountant or, if there is no such report, the certificate of an authorized officer of the Institute that such statements were prepared without audit from the books and records of the Institute. ARTICLE 11 - FISCAL YEARThe fiscal year for this Institute shall end on December 31. ARTICLE 12 - AMENDMENTS AND REVISONSThese Bylaws may be adopted, amended, or repealed by a two-thirds majority of the directors then in office. Such action is authorized only at a duly called and held meeting of the Board of Directors for which written notice of such meeting, setting forth the proposed bylaw revisions with explanations therefore, is given in accordance with these Bylaws. If any provision of these Bylaws requires the vote of a larger portion of the Board than is otherwise required by law, that provision may not be altered, amended or repealed by that greater vote. ARTICLE 13 - CORPORATE/ORGANIZATION SEALThe Board of Directors may adopt, use, and alter a corporate/organization seal. The seal shall be kept at the principal office of the Institute. Failure to affix the seal to any corporate/organization instrument, however, shall not affect the validity of that instrument. ARTICLE 14 - CONSTRUCTION AND DEFINITIONSUnless the context otherwise requires, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions contained in the Non-Profit Corporation Act as amended from time to time shall govern the construction of these Bylaws. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular, and the term "person" includes a Institute as well as a natural person. If any competent court of law shall deem any portion of these Bylaws invalid or inoperative, then so far as is reasonable and possible (i) the remainder of these Bylaws shall be considered valid and operative, and (ii) effect shall be given to the intent manifested by the portion deemed invalid or inoperative. CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARYI, Paul Hamby, certify that I am the current elected and acting Secretary of the Institute, and the above Bylaws are the bylaws of this Institute as adopted by the Board of Directors on June 19, 2024, and that they have not been amended or modified since the date above. EXECUTED on this 27th day of August, 2024, in the State of Missouri. ____/s/ Paul Hamby ______________________________Paul Hamby (Duly Elected Secretary)