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CORPORATE BYLAWS OF THE BAHÁ'Í
ASSOCIATION OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
ARTICLE I.
CORPORATION
Section
1.1 Corporate Name. The Name of Corporation
shall be BAHÁ'Í ASSOCIATION OF MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, an Illinois
not-for-profit corporation.
Section
1.2. Corporate Purposes. The purposes of the
corporation shall be as stated in its
articles of incorporation.
Section
1.3. Corporate Offices. The corporation
shall continuously maintain in the State of
Illinois a registered office and a
registered agent whose business office is
identical with such registered office and
may have other offices within or without the
State of Illinois as the board of directors
may from time to time determine.
Section
1.4. Corporate Dissolution. In the event of
the dissolution of the corporation, the
board of directors, after paying or making
provisions for the payment of all of the
liabilities of the corporation, shall
distribute the assets of the corporation as
provided in its articles of incorporation.
ARTICLE
II.
MEMBERS
Section
2.1. Sole Member. The sole member shall be
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ'ÍS
OF THE UNITED STATES, an Illinois
not-for-profit corporation.
Section
2.2. Action by Sole Member. The member shall
act by executing and delivering to the Chair
or Secretary of the corporation a written
instrument or instruments, signed by an
authorized officer of the member, setting
forth the action taken and the applicable
corporate authorizations and directions from
the Board of Trustees of the member. The
action of the sole member shall be deemed to
have been taken on the dates the written
instruments are so delivered unless the
instruments provide otherwise.
Section
2.3. Advisory Members. The corporation shall
actively solicit the support and
participation in the affairs of the
corporation of persons who collectively
shall be known as the advisory members. The
board of directors shall establish the
qualifications for advisory membership
including but not limited to payment of
advisory member dues. Among the privileges
of the advisory members shall be the power
to serve on the board of directors,
recommend membership on the board of
directors and make recommendations on other
policy matters by whatever means for
arranging this the board may decide. The
advisory members, however, shall have no
other power or authority to manage the
corporation under these by-laws.
ARTICLE
III.
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Section
3.1. Board of Directors. The board of
directors of the corporation shall consist
of not less than four (4) nor more than nine
(9) persons. The initial board of directors
of the corporation shall be six (6) persons,
two of whom shall serve for a term of one
year or until the first annual meeting of
the sole member of the corporation, two (2)
of whom shall serve for a term of two (2)
years or until the second annual meeting of
the sole member of the corporation, and two
(2) of whom shall serve for a term of three
(3) years or until the third annual meeting
of the sole member of the corporation, all
as stated in the Articles of Incorporation
of the corporation.
Section
3.2. Power and Duties of Board of Directors.
The policy-making powers of the corporation
shall be vested in the board of directors of
the corporation, which shall, inter-alia,
have charge, control, and management of the
policies, property, affairs, and funds of
the corporation; determine compliance with
the corporation's stated purposes; fill
vacancies among the officers; and have the
power and authority to do and perform all
acts or functions not inconsistent with
these bylaws or the corporation's Articles
of Incorporation.
Section
3.3. Appointment; Vacancies; and Removal.
The directors shall be appointed to the
board of the corporation by action of the
sole member as provided in § 2.2
immediately preceding each annual meeting of
the board of directors. Vacancies on the
board of directors due to death,
resignation, or other cause may but need not
be filled during the year through
appointment by the sole member. Directors
shall hold office until their successors
have been appointed. A member of the board
of directors may with the assent of the sole
member succeed himself for any number of
terms. Any director may be removed by action
of the sole member whenever in its judgment
the best interests of the corporation would
be served thereby.
Section
3.4. Annual Meeting of the Board. Beginning
with the year following the year of
incorporation, the annual meeting of the
board of directors shall be held at a date
and time at the principal office of the
corporation or at such place as may be
designated from time to time by the board of
directors at such hour as may be designated
in the notice for the purpose of electing
the officers for the coming year.
Section
3.5. Regular Meetings of the Board. In
addition to the annual meeting described in
§ 3.4, the board of directors shall hold at
least one (1) regular meeting each calendar
year at the principal office of the
corporation or such other convenient
locations as designated by the board chair.
Section
3.6. Special Meetings of the Board. Special
meetings of the board of directors may be
called by the board chair and also shall be
called within five (5) days of receipt of a
written request of two (2) of the members of
the board.
Section
3.7. Notice of Board Meeting. Written notice
stating the date, place and time of each
meeting of the board of directors shall be
given not less than three (3) days before
the date of the meeting. Such notice shall
be delivered by mail, telephone, telegraph,
facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or
by personal service by or at the direction
of the chair, the secretary or the persons
calling the meeting, to each director
entitled to vote at the meeting. In the case
of special meetings, and when otherwise
required by the General Not For Profit
Corporation Act of the State of Illinois,
the notice shall state generally the nature
of the business to be taken up at the
meeting. Unless otherwise stated in the
notice thereof, any and all business may be
transacted at any meeting without
specification of such business in the
notice.
Section
3.8. Informal Action. Any action required or
permitted to be taken at a meeting of the
board of directors or one of its committees
may be taken without meeting if a consent in
writing, setting forth the action so taken,
shall be signed by all of the directors or
committee members, as the case may be.
Section
3.9. Quorum. A majority of the board of
directors shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business at any meeting of
the board of directors; provided that if
less than a majority of the directors are
present at said meeting, a majority of the
directors present may adjourn the meeting to
another time and place without further
notice, unless otherwise required by the
General Not For Profit Corporation Act of
the State of Illinois.
Section
3.10. Manner of Acting. The act of a
majority of the directors present at a
meeting at which a quorum is present shall
constitute an act of the board of directors,
unless the act of a greater number is
required by statute, these bylaws, or the
General Not For Profit Corporation Act of
the State of Illinois. No director may act
by proxy on any matter.
Section
3.11. Compensation. Directors shall not
receive any stated salaries for their
services, but by resolution of the board of
directors, expenses for attendance, if any,
may be allowed for each regular, special or
annual meeting of the board of directors;
however, no director shall be precluded from
receiving compensation for performing
services for the corporation in some
capacity other than as a director.
Section
3.12. Presumption of Assent. A director of
the corporation who is present at a meeting
of the board of directors at which action on
any corporate matter is taken shall be
conclusively presumed to have assented to
the action taken unless his or her dissent
shall be entered in the minutes of the
meeting or unless he or she shall file his
or her written dissent to such action with
the person acting as secretary of the
meeting before the adjournment thereof. Such
right of dissent shall not apply to a
director who voted in favor of such action.
Section
3.13. Telephone Meetings. Any one or more
members of the board of directors or any
committee thereof may participate in a
meeting of the Board of Directors or
committee by means of a conference telephone
or other communications equipment allowing
all persons participating in the meeting to
communicate with each other. Participation
by such means shall constitute presence in
person at the meeting of the person or
persons so participating.
ARTICLE
IV.
OFFICERS
OF THE CORPORATION
Section
4.1. Designation of Corporate Officers. The
officers of the corporation shall be a chair
of the board (who shall be a member of the
board of directors), a vice-chair, a
secretary, a treasurer and such other
assistant secretaries and/or assistant
treasurers as the board of directors may
from time to time elect. All officers shall
be elected by the board of directors at he
board's annual meeting and shall hold office
for a period of one (1) year or until their
successors shall have been duly elected and
qualified. Officers whose authority and
duties are not prescribed in these Bylaws
shall have the authority and perform duties
as prescribed from time to time by the board
of directors. Any two or more offices may be
held by the same person.
Section
4.2. Removal. Any officer or agent elected
or appointed by the board of directors may
be removed by the board of directors
whenever in its judgment the best interests
of the corporation would be served thereby
but such removal shall be without prejudice
to the contract rights, if any, of the
person so removed.
Section
4.3. Vacancies. Vacancies may be filled or
new offices created and filled at any
meeting of the board of directors.
Section
4.4. Duties of the Chair. The chair shall
chair all the meetings of the board of
directors and shall perform such other
duties assigned to the chair of the board
under these bylaws. The chair shall be the
chief executive officer of the corporation,
shall be the direct executive representative
of the board of directors in the management
of the corporation, and shall have all the
duties and authority which such position
would customarily require, and which may be
assigned to the chair under these bylaws or
by the board of directors.
Section
4.5. Duties of the Vice Chair. The vice
chair shall report directly to the board of
directors and shall assist in the
implementation of the chair's duties as from
time to time directed by the board of
directors.
Section
4.6. Duties of the Secretary. The secretary
shall (a) record the minutes of the meetings
of the board of directors in one or more
books provided for that purpose; (b) see
that all notices are clearly given in
accordance with the provision of these
Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be a
custodian of the corporate records; (d) keep
a register of the post office address,
telephone number, facsimile transmission
number, if any, electronic mail address, if
any, of the sole member and each director
which shall be furnished to the secretary by
the sole member and each director; and (e)
perform all duties incident to the office of
the secretary and such other duties as from
time to time may be assigned to him or her
by the board of directors. In the absence of
the secretary, an assistant secretary shall
perform such duties.
Section 4.7. Duties of the Treasurer. The
treasurer shall have custody and control of
the funds of the corporation and shall have
such duties as are customarily performed by
or required of corporate treasurers,
including giving a bond when requested by
the board of directors and such other duties
as from time to time may be assigned to him
or her by the board of directors. He or she
shall ensure that a true and accurate
accounting of the financial transactions of
the corporation is made periodically, that
reports of such transactions are presented
to the board of directors and that all
accounts payable are presented to such
representatives as the board may designate
for authorization of payment. In the absence
of the treasurer, an assistant treasurer
shall perform such duties.
Section
4.8. Assistant Treasurers and Assistant
Secretaries. The assistant treasurers and
assistant secretaries shall perform such
duties as shall be assigned to them by the
treasurer or the secretary, respectively, or
by the board of directors.
Section
4.9. Salaries. The salaries, if any, of the
officers shall be fixed from time to time by
the board of directors and no officer shall
be prevented from receiving such salary by
reason of the fact that he or she is also a
director of the corporation.
ARTICLE
V.
COMMITTEES
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section
5.1. Committees Generally. Committees may be
created or terminated at any time by
resolution of the board. Every committee
shall have two or more directors, and always
a majority of the directors, among its
members. All committee chairmen and
committee members shall be appointed by the
board of directors. At a committee meeting,
a quorum shall be one-half (_) the number of
voting members of the committee and the act
of a majority of the voting members of any
committee present at a meeting at which a
quorum is present shall be the action of the
committee. Each committee shall submit brief
minutes of its meetings to the corporate
secretary for distribution to the board. The
committees, to the extent provided in the
resolution and not restricted by law, shall
have and exercise the authority of the board
of directors in the management of the
corporation; but the designation of such
committees and the delegation thereto of
authority shall not operate to relieve the
board of directors, or any individual
director, of any responsibility imposed upon
it, him or her by law.
Section
5.2. Advisory Committees or Task Forces.
Advisory committees or task forces not
having or exercising the authority of the
board of directors in the corporation may be
designated or created by the board of
directors and shall consist of such person
or persons as the Board of Directors
designates. Such a committee or task force
may not act on behalf of the corporation or
bind it to any actions, but may make
recommendations to the board of directors of
the corporation.
Section
5.3. Term of Office. Each member of a
committee or task force shall continue as
such until the next annual meeting of the
board of directors and until his or her
successor is appointed, unless the committee
or task force shall be sooner terminated, or
unless such member be removed from the
committee or task force by the board of
directors, or unless the member shall cease
to qualify as a member thereof.
Section 5.4. Chair. One member of each
committee of directors, advisory committee
or task force shall be elected as chair by a
majority of the members of the committee or
task force in attendance at the first
meeting. The first meeting of a committee or
task force shall be called by a person
designated by the board of directors to
convene the meeting.
Section
5.5. Vacancies. Vacancies in the membership
of any committee or task force may be filled
by appointments made in the same manner as
provided in the case of the original
appointments.
Section
5.6. Informal Action. The authority of a
committee or task force may be exercised
without a meeting if a consent in writing,
setting forth the action taken, is signed by
all the members entitled to vote.
ARTICLE
VI.
FISCAL
MATTERS
Section
6.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the
corporation shall be set by a resolution
adopted by the board of directors.
Section
6.2. Contracts. The board of directors may
authorize any officer or officers, agent or
agents of the corporation, in addition to
the officers so authorized by these bylaws,
to enter into any contract or execute and
deliver any instrument in the name of and on
behalf of the corporation, and such
authority may be general or confined to
specific instances.
Section
6.3. Loans. 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. Such authority may be general or
confined to specific instances. No loan in
excess of $2,000 shall be extended or
incurred by or on behalf of the corporation
in any fiscal year without the prior
approval of the sole member of the
corporation. No loan in any amount shall be
granted to an officer or director of the
corporation.
Section
6.4 Gifts, Grants and Transfers of Assets.
The corporation shall obtain the approval of
the sole member of the corporation before it
makes any gift, grant or transfer of
corporate assets in excess of $2,000 in
value in any fiscal year to other than the
sole member of the corporation or any entity
owned or controlled by the sole member.
Section
6.5. 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 shall
be signed 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. In the absence of such
determination by the board of directors,
such instruments shall be signed by the
treasurer or an assistant treasurer and
countersigned by the chair, vice chair,
secretary or assistant secretary of the
corporation.
Section
6.6. Deposits. All funds of the corporation
shall be deposited from time to time to the
credit of the corporation in such banks,
trust companies, or other depositories as
the board of directors may select.
Section
6.7. Gifts. The board of directors may
accept on behalf of the corporation any
contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for
the general purposes or for any special
purpose of the corporation.
Section
6.8. Audit. The board of directors of the
corporation shall appoint an independent
auditor each year to conduct an examination
of the corporation's financial statements.
The audit shall include a review of and
comments on the corporation's system of
internal controls over its books, records,
assets and liabilities. The annual financial
statements of the corporation, together with
the auditors' report and copies of all
completed and executed tax returns required
to be filed with any federal or state
governments shall be submitted, as soon as
they become available, to the sole member of
the corporation. The board of directors
shall also submit to the sole member of the
corporation such report or reports of the
corporation's programs and activities as the
sole member may request from time to time.
ARTICLE
VII.
CONFLICTS
OR DUALITY OF INTEREST
Section
7.1. Statement of General Policy. The
corporation's affirmative policy shall be to
require that all actual or apparent
conflicts be disclosed promptly and fully to
all necessary parties and to prohibit
specified involvement in the affairs of the
corporation by persons having such
conflicts. This policy shall apply to all
members of the board of directors and
corporate officers, agents and employees of
the corporation, including independent
contractor providers of services and
materials.
Section
7.2. Disclosure of all Conflicts. All
persons to whom this policy applies shall
disclose all real or apparent conflicts,
which they discover or which have been
brought to their attention in connection
with the corporation's activities. When an
individual director, officer, agent or
employee believes that he or she or a member
of his or her immediate family might have or
does have a real or apparent conflict, he
shall abstain from making motions, voting,
executing agreements, or taking any other
similar direct action on behalf of the
corporation where the conflict might
pertain, but shall not be precluded from
discussion or consultation or other similar
involvement on behalf of the corporation.
The board of directors of the corporation at
any time may establish further guidelines
consistent with the interests of the
corporation for the resolution of any real
or apparent conflicts.
ARTICLE
VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section
8.1 Basic Indemnification. The corporation
shall indemnify each of its officers and
directors against expenses actually and
necessarily incurred by them in connection
with the defense or settlement of any
action, lawsuit, or proceeding in which they
are made parties, by reason of being or
having been an officer or director, except
in relation to matters as to which such
officer or director shall be adjudged in
such action, lawsuit or proceeding to be
liable for willful misconduct in the
performance of duty and to such matters as
shall be settled by agreement predicated on
the existence of such liability. Such right
of indemnification shall not be deemed
exclusive of any right, or rights, to which
they may be entitled under any other bylaw,
agreement or otherwise.
Section
8.2. Insurance of Risk. The corporation's
management shall have the authority to
purchase and maintain or affect insurance on
behalf of any and all of its present and
former officers and directors, against any
liability or settlement based on asserted
liability incurred by them by reason of
being or having been officers or directors
of the corporation.
ARTICLE
IX.
WAIVER
OF NOTICE
Whenever
any notice is required to be given under the
provisions of the General Not For Profit
Corporation Act of Illinois or under the
provisions of the articles of incorporation
or the bylaws of the corporation, a waiver
thereof in writing, signed by the person or
persons entitled to the notice, whether
before or after the time stated therein,
shall be deemed equivalent to giving the
notice. Attendance at any meeting (including
participation by means of a conference
telephone or other communications equipment)
shall constitute waiver of notice thereof
unless the person at the meeting objects to
the holding of the meeting because proper
notice was not given.
ARTICLE
X
AMENDMENTS
The
power to alter, amend, or repeal the bylaws
or adopt new bylaws shall be vested in the
sole member of the corporation. Such action
may be taken at a regular meeting for which
written notice of the purpose shall be
given. The bylaws may contain any provisions
for the regulation and management of the
corporation not inconsistent with law or the
articles of incorporation.
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