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BYLAWS
OF PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION OF THE MID-SOUTH, INC.
ARTICLE I
CORPORATION SECTION I.1
Corporate
Name. The name of the corporation shall be Promotional Products
Association of the Mid-South, Inc. (the "Corporation"),
a Tennessee mutual benefit corporation organized pursuant to the
Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act (the "Act").
No officer, director, member or employee of the Corporation shall
use the name, logo or other insignia of the Corporation for other
than official Corporation business without written authorization
of the board of directors.
SECTION I.2.
Corporate
Offices. The Corporation shall have and continuously maintain
in the State of Tennessee a registered office and registered agent
whose office address is identical with such registered office
and may have other offices within or without the State of Tennessee
as the board of directors may from time to time determine.
SECTION I.3.
Corporate Purposes.
The Corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively as
follows: (A) to receive, administer,
and expend funds to promote and represent the common business interests
of, and improve business conditions among, members of the promotional
products industry in the mid-south; (B)
to engage
in such other activities, exercise such other powers and privileges,
take such other actions and carry out such other purposes as may
be authorized by the charter of the Corporation and which are
permitted to be carried on by an entity that is described in Section
501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code") and exempt from taxation under Code section
501(a), or any corresponding section of any future federal tax
code.
SECTION I.4.
Restrictions
on Purpose and Activities. Notwithstanding any other
provisions of these bylaws to the contrary, the following restrictions
shall apply to the purposes, operations and activities of the Corporation:
(A) the Corporation shall not, except
to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise
any powers that are not in furtherance of the primary purposes of
the Corporation; (B) no part of the
net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or
be distributable to, its directors, officers or other persons, except
that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable
compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions
in furtherance of the purposes set forth in these bylaws; and (C)
the Corporation
shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried
on by an entity described in Section 501(c)(6) of the Code and
exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code.
SECTION I.5.
Corporate Dissolution.
Upon the dissolution of the Corporation, after paying or making
provision for the payment of all of the liabilities and obligations
of the Corporation, the board of directors shall cause the remaining
assets of the Corporation to be distributed exclusively for the
common business interests of its members or to organizations that
are exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code
by virtue of being described in Code Section 501(c)(6) of the Code
and whose purpose is to further the interests of the promotional
products industry. Any assets not so disposed of shall be disposed
of by a court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the
principal office of the Corporation is then located exclusively
for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said
court shall determine that are organized and operated exclusively
as an organization described in Section 501(c)(6) of the Code and
exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code
and whose purpose is to further the interests of the promotional
products industry.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION II.1.
Membership
Classes. Membership in this Corporation shall consist of
Regular Members, Associate Members and Honorary Life Members.
SECTION II.2.
Regular Members.
Regular members shall be open to (i) organizations that are actively
engaged in, and derive a significant portion of their income from,
the manufacture and/or sale of promotional products, and (ii)
organizations that are primarily a service provider to the promotional
products industry. Regular membership shall be held by the
organization with each employee of the organization being considered
a member of the Corporation via his or her employment. Each
regular member organization shall have one vote to be exercised
by a representative designated by that organization. Any
organization member employee may serve as an officer, director,
or committee member of the Corporation. Regular members
shall be members of PPAI, listed by number with ASI or supply
five (5) letters of recommendation from current PPAMS members.
An application for membership must be made to and approved by
a majority of the board of directors.
SECTION II.3.
Associate
Members. Associate membership shall be available to other
interested individuals or organizations that do not otherwise
meet the requirements of regular membership and are not primarily
considered consumers of promotional products. Associate
members have all the rights and privileges of regular members,
but are not eligible to vote or hold office. An application
for membership must be made to and approved by a majority of the
board of directors.
SECTION II.4.
Honorary Life
Members. Honorary Life Membership may be conferred by the
board of directors upon any outstanding individual who, in the
opinion of the board of directors, has contributed to the success
of the Corporation and/or the promotional products industry.
Honorary life members shall have all the rights and privileges
as regular members, but are not eligible to vote or hold office.
Honorary life members shall not pay dues or initiation fees.
SECTION II.5.
Dues. Membership
dues will be determined annually by the board of directors.
Dues may not be prorated for partial year membership. Members
whose dues are delinquent for 45 days will be dropped from the
membership. Members whose dues are delinquent for 90 days
must reapply for membership.
SECTION II.6.
Expulsion
and Suspension. Any member may be suspended or expelled from the
Corporation for due cause which shall include a violation of these
bylaws or any rule or practice properly adopted by the Corporation
or any other conduct, in the opinion of the board of directors,
that is prejudicial to the interests of the Corporation or the
promotional products industry. Prior to a vote for suspension
or expulsion, the member must be notified by registered U.S. mail,
postage prepaid, at least 20 days in advance, with a statement
of the cause for such suspension or expulsion, and the date, time
and location of the board of directors meeting called to decide
the appropriate action. The member shall have the right
to attend said board of directors meeting, be heard and respond
to the notice. Suspension or expulsion of a member shall be by
two-thirds vote of the entire board of directors. A suspended
or expelled member may appeal such board action within 10 days
by written request for review made to the president. The
president shall appoint a panel of 5 regular members not serving
on the board to review the board's decision. The ruling
of this panel is final. Any member suspended or terminated shall
not be released from any liability of dues or other monies due
and shall not be entitled to or receive any refund of dues.
SECTION II.7.
Meetings.
The Corporation will hold an annual meeting of the membership at
such time as may be determined by a majority vote of the directors.
Business to be conducted shall include, but not be limited to, the
installation of the board of directors and the reading of the financial
statement. To conduct business, except as otherwise noted
in these bylaws, the members present shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION III.1.
Initial Board
of Directors. The initial board of directors of the Corporation
shall consist of those individuals currently holding the position
of director of Promotional Products Association of the Mid-South
until successors are appointed as provided in these bylaws.
SECTION III.2.
Powers.
The policy making powers of the Corporation shall be vested in
and exercised by the board of directors, which shall have charge,
control and responsibility for the management of the policies,
property, affairs and funds of the Corporation and which shall
alone determine compliance with the Corporation's stated purposes
and have the power and authority to do and perform all acts or
functions not inconsistent with these bylaws or the Corporation's
charter. Specifically, the board of directors is authorized
and empowered to create, appoint, establish or name such committees,
councils or other person or persons to exercise some or all of
the powers which would otherwise be exercisable by the board of
directors as the board of directors shall deem necessary or appropriate
and shall have the power by resolution to delegate and designate
those powers, rights and privileges of the board of directors
which shall be vested in and exercised by one or more such committees,
counsels, or other person or persons to the extent permitted by
the charter of the corporation, these bylaws, the Code and the
applicable provisions of the Act.
SECTION III.3.
Number of
Directors and Composition of Board of Directors. Nine (9) members
shall comprise the board of directors, consisting of five (5)
officers and four (4) at-large directors (collectively referred
to as "directors" and singularly referred to as "director").
The five officer positions shall be: president, vice president,
treasurer, secretary and immediate past president. Officers
shall serve a term of one year on the board of directors.
The at-large directors shall serve two year terms with two at-large
directors being elected each year. It is intended that the
board of directors reflect a cross-section of the members.
SECTION III.4.
Vacancies
on the Board of Directors. If a vacancy occurs on the board
of directors, the remaining members of the board of directors
may appoint a successor to fill the vacancy for the unexpired
term. If a director leaves the employ of a member organization
and is not re-employed by a member organization within one hundred
twenty (120) days, such director's position on the board of directors
shall terminate automatically.
SECTION III.5.
Presence at
Meetings. Any director who is absent from three (3) consecutive
board meetings or is absent from any four (4) board meetings within
one year shall be considered to have resigned from the board of
directors.
SECTION III.6.
Nominations and
Elections. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the president
and approved by the board of directors. The committee shall
consist of five members; the outgoing president as chairman, two
"supplier" members and two "distributor" members.
The nominating committee, shall be formed by June 1st of each year
unless otherwise determined by the board of directors. The
nominating committee in advance of the placing a member's name as
a candidate on the ballot, must receive confirmation from the nominee
that he or she accepts the nomination and will serve if elected.
The nominating committee may not nominate a member of the committee
for a board of directors position, except for the current president
to serve as immediate past president position. The committee shall
submit to the membership a slate of candidates for each officer
and at-large director position by making ballots available to each
member, with a provision for write-in candidates by November 1st
of each year. The committee shall announce the elected officers
and directors by December 15th of each year. Election of the
board of directors shall be conducted by mail vote of eligible members.
The chairman of the nominating committee is to receive the returned
ballots for counting by the nominating committee. There shall
be a four week period for return of the ballots before counting.
Election for each position shall be by a plurality of the votes
for that position from the returned ballots. In the event
of a tie vote, the matter will be settled by a coin toss.
ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS OF
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION IV.1.
Regular Meetings
of the Board of Directors. The board of directors shall initially
hold regular meetings at least quarterly at the principal office
of the Corporation or at such other place as may be designated
from time to time by the board of directors, for the purpose of
transacting such business as may be required or permitted pursuant
to the Corporation's charter, these bylaws or as may otherwise
be properly presented to the board of directors. The date and
time for regular meetings shall be established, and is subject
to change, by the board of directors. Regular meetings of the
board of directors shall be open to all members.
SECTION IV.2.
Special Meetings
of the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the board of directors
may be called by the president and any two (2) directors, or upon
the petition of five (5) directors provided to the president.
The business to be conducted at the special meeting shall be stated
in the notice of such special meeting and only that business may
be conducted. If business is to be conducted at a special
meeting, a majority of the board of directors must be present.
SECTION IV.3.
Notice of
Board Meetings. Written notice of the date, time and location
of all regular or special board meetings shall be by any reasonable
means, including first class U.S. mail, facsimile transmission
or hand delivery. Unless properly waived, notice shall be given
to each director and each regular member at least ten (10) days
before the time of the regular or special meeting.
SECTION IV.4.
Action by
Written Consent. Waiver of notice of any board meeting or any
action required to be taken at a meeting of the board of directors,
or any action which may be taken at a meeting of the board of
directors or of any committee of the board of directors, may be
taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth
the action so taken, is signed by all the directors entitled to
vote with respect to the subject matter thereof, or by all the
members of the committee, as the case may be. Any consent signed
by all the directors or all the members of the committee shall
have the same effect as a unanimous vote and may be stated as
such in any document.
SECTION IV.5.
Quorum at
Board Meetings. For all meetings of the board of directors
(other than for action taken by unanimous written consent), an
initial quorum shall be required in order to convene and begin
the meeting. An initial quorum shall constitute a majority of
the directors in office immediately before the meeting begins.
Once an initial quorum is present to organize a meeting, a quorum
of the board of directors for the continuance of the meeting shall
consist of one third (1/3) of the number of directors of the Corporation.
If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, the affirmative vote
of a majority of the directors present is the act of the board
of directors unless the Act, the charter or bylaws of the Corporation
requires the vote of a greater number of directors.
SECTION IV.6.
Procedure at
Meetings. Robert Rules of Order Revised (latest edition) shall govern
procedure at all meetings of all boards and committees on matters
where not covered expressly by these bylaws. ARTICLE V BOARD COMMITTEES
SECTION V.1.
General Committees.
Committees of the board of directors may be standing or special
as specified by these bylaws or as designated by the board of
directors from time to time and shall be authorized or established
by the board of directors. Committees may be created or terminated
at any time by resolution. Except as provided in Tennessee Code
Annotated § 48-58-302, members of any standing or special committee
may be members of the board of directors or other natural persons,
and they shall serve at the pleasure of the board of directors.
SECTION V.2.
Appointment.
Committees shall be appointed by the president for such tasks
as circumstances warrant. A committee shall limit its activities
to the accomplishment of the tasks for which it is appointed and
shall have no power to act except as specifically conferred by
action of the board of directors. The president shall appoint
a member of the committee to serve as chairman.
SECTION V.3.
Committee
Procedures Generally. Each committee shall record minutes
of its deliberations, recommendations and conclusions and shall
promptly deliver a copy of such minutes to the secretary of the
Corporation. Reasonable notice of the meetings of any committee
shall be given to the members thereof. The committee chairman
may invite to any committee meeting such individuals as he or
she may select who may be helpful to the deliberations of the
committee. A majority of the members of each committee shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority
of the members of any committee present at a meeting at which
a quorum is present shall be the action of the committee. Each
committee may operate through the establishment of one or more
subcommittees to be composed of such members of the committee
and to have such duties and responsibilities as shall be delegated
to the subcommittee by the committee. Each committee may adopt
rules for its own operations and that of its subcommittees not
inconsistent with these bylaws, the policies of the board, the
charter of the Corporation, the Code or the Act.
SECTION V.4.
Authorized
Committees. The board of directors is authorized and encouraged
to appoint a chairperson and have operate the following committees:
1. Membership
2. Newsletter
3. Education
4. Exhibits and Trade Shows
5. Telephone Tree
6. Programs
7. Legislative
8. Public Relations
SECTION V.5
Binding Effect.
No action taken or recommendation made by a committee shall be
binding upon the Corporation until after the approval thereof
by the board of directors or the membership, except for the nominations
of the nominating committee.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS OF
THE CORPORATION
SECTION VI.1.
Designation
of Corporate Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall be
a president, vice president, a secretary, a treasurer, and an
immediate past president and such other officers as the board
may establish from time to time.
SECTION VI.2.
Term and Removal.
An officer may be elected or appointed for a designated term or
for an unspecified term but shall continue to hold office until
a successor shall have been duly elected or appointed in accordance
with these bylaws. Any two (2) or more offices may be held by
the same person except the offices of president and secretary.
Any officer may be removed from office at any time with or without
cause by action of the board of directors.
SECTION VI.3.
President.
The president shall be the executive officer of the Corporation,
shall preside at meetings of the Corporation and board of directors
and shall be a member, ex-officio, with right to vote on all committees.
The president shall perform all the normal and customary supervision
of any and all paid staff positions, including hiring and firing
with board of directors approval. The president will also,
at the annual meeting and at such other times as the president
shall deem proper, communicate to the Corporation or to the board
of directors such matters and make such suggestions as may, in
the president's opinion, tend to promote the welfare and increase
the usefulness of the Corporation, and shall perform other duties
as are necessarily incident to the office of the president or
as may be prescribed by the board of directors.
SECTION VI.4.
Vice President.
The duties of the vice president are to include those duties requested
by the president. In case of the death or absence of the
president or of his or her inability for any cause to act in the
capacity of president, the vice president shall assume the duties
of the president.
SECTION VI.5.
Treasurer.
It will be the duty of the treasurer to collet dues and fees and
other monies from members and others. The treasurer shall
keep an account of all monies received and expended for the use
of the Corporation, and shall make disbursements authorized by
the board of directors and shall make a report at each board meeting,
at the annual business meeting and when called upon by the president.
The funds, books and vouchers of the treasurer shall be subject
to verification and inspection by the board of directors at all
times. At the expiration of his or her term of office, the
treasurer shall deliver to the treasurer-elect all books, monies
and other property, or, in the absence of a treasurer-elect, to
the president. The treasurer and any other members of the board
of directors who are responsible for the signing of checks shall
be properly bonded by an authorized bonding agency.
SECTION VI.6.
Secretary.
It shall be the duty of the secretary to give notice of and attend
all business meetings of the Corporation, conduct correspondence
and to keep a list of the members of the Corporation. Responsibilities
also include taking and reporting the minutes of all board of
directors meetings and general membership business meetings.
The secretary shall also keep and hold safe all association records,
papers and past meeting minutes, except those financial records
kept by the treasurer.
SECTION VI.7.
Immediate
Past President. The position of immediate past president
is to provide continuity and perspective to the board of directors
and to assist with a smooth transition in the changing of officers
and directors. In the event the immediate past president
is either unwilling or unable to serve his or her term,
the board of directors shall appoint another past president to
this position.
SECTION VI.8
Consecutive
Terms. The president and vice president shall not serve
consecutive terms in the same office.
ARTICLE VII
COMPENSATION
Service to
the Corporation shall be on a voluntary basis. No officer
or director may receive a salary or other compensation.
Reimbursement for expenses incurred in or on official association
business may be made with board of directors approval.
Gifts and other non-cash honorarium not to exceed $75.00 per person
per year may be made with board of directors approval. Non-member
paid staff and other professional services may be approved by
the board of directors when in the best interest of the Corporation.
ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL MATTERS
SECTION VIII.1
Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the corporation shall commence on September
1 of each year and shall end on December 31 of each year, except
as the board of directors in its discretion, shall otherwise determine.
SECTION VIII.2.
Expenditures.
All expenditures in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall
be approved by the board of directors. Expenditures up to
one hundred dollars ($100.00) must be authorized by the president.
Routine operating supplies and approved budgeted items are exempt
from this article.
SECTION VIII.3.
Contracts.
The president and his or her designees shall be authorized to
execute contracts on behalf of the Corporation. In addition, the
board of directors may authorize other officers or agents to enter
into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the
name of and on behalf of the Corporation, with such authority
being either general or confined to specific instances.
SECTION VIII.4.
Loans and
Indebtedness. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of
the Corporation and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued
in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the board or
directors. Such authority may be general or confined to specific
instances. No loan shall be granted to an officer or director
of the corporation.
SECTION VIII.5.
Checks, Drafts.
Etc. All checks, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money,
notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of
the Corporation or to the Corporation, shall be signed or endorsed
by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation
and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by
resolution of the board of directors.
SECTION VIII.6.
Deposits.
All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited
from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks,
trust companies or other depositories as shall be approved by
the board of directors.
SECTION VIII.7.
Maintenance
of Records. The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books
and records of account and other records of the activities of
the Corporation as may be appropriate. All such records shall
be open to inspection upon the demand of any member of the board
of directors.
SECTION VIII.8.
Auditors.
The board of directors shall select the independent auditor or
auditors for the Corporation and its related entities.
To the fullest
extent permitted by the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, as
it may be amended from time to time, a director or incorporator
of the Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or
incorporator. If, after the date these bylaws are executed,
the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act is amended to authorize
corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal
liability of a director, then the liability of a director or incorporator
of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest
extent permitted by the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, as
so amended from time to time. Any repeal or modification
of this Article Ten by the Corporation shall not adversely affect
any right or protection of a director or incorporator of the Corporation
existing at the time of such repeal or modification or with respect
to events occurring prior to such time.
Each person
who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party
to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether
formal or informal (hereafter referred to as a "Proceeding"),
by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or incorporator
of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the
Corporation as a director (or the equivalent thereof) of another
corporation or of a partnership, limited liability company, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect
to employee benefit plans (hereinafter referred to as an "Indemnitee"),
whether the basis of such Proceeding is alleged action in an official
capacity as a director or in any other capacity while serving
as a director, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation
to the fullest extent authorized by the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation
Act, as it may be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment,
only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation
to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted
the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all
expense, liability and loss (including but not limited to counsel
fees, judgments, fines, ERISA, excise taxes or penalties and amounts
paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Indemnitee
in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue
as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or incorporator
and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee's heirs, executors
and administrators. The right to indemnification conferred
in this Article Ten shall be a contract right and shall include
the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred
in any such Proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter
referred to as an "Advancement of Expenses"); provided,
however, that an Advancement of Expenses incurred by an Indemnitee
shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking,
by or on behalf of such Indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced
if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision
from which there is no further right to appeal that such Indemnitee
is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this
Article Ten or otherwise, the Indemnitee furnishes the Corporation
with a written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that
he or she has met the standards for indemnification under the
Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, and a determination is made
that the facts then known to those making the determination would
not preclude indemnification.
The Corporation
may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer, employee or
agent who is not a director to the same extent as to a director
by specific action of the Corporation's Board of Directors or
by contract. The rights to indemnification and to the Advancement
of Expenses conferred in this Article Ten shall not be exclusive
of any other right that any person may have or hereafter acquire
under any statute, the charter, these bylaws, agreement, vote
of disinterested directors or otherwise.
The Corporation
may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and
any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or
another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability
or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to
indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss
under the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act. Notwithstanding
anything in this Article Ten to the contrary, the provisions of
this Article Ten shall be subject to all limitations applicable
to organizations that are described in Section 501(c)(6) of the
Code and exempt from Federal income taxation under Code Section
501(c). Accordingly, this Article Ten shall be of no force and
effect to the extent such provisions are inconsistent with such
limitations.
These bylaws
may be amended, repealed or altered, in whole or in part by two-thirds
vote of the board of directors provided the changes are submitted
for ratification to the membership of the Corporation within 30
days. Ratification shall be by mail vote with two-thirds of returning
ballots in the positive to effect the change.
