UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 17, 2025
DEFI DEVELOPMENT CORP.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 001-41748 | 83-2676794 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification Number) |
6401 Congress Avenue, Suite 250 Boca Raton, Florida |
33487 | |
(Address of registrant’s principal executive office) | (Zip code) |
(561) 559-4111
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
JANOVER INC.
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share | JNVR | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Appointment of John (Fei) Han as Chief Financial Officer
On April 17, 2025, John (Fei) Han was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of the Defi Development Corp., formerly known as Janover Inc. (the “Company”). In connection with his appointment, Mr. Han entered into an employment agreement with the Company on April 17, 2025 (the “Han Employment Agreement”).
The material terms of the Han Employment Agreement were approved by the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors (the “Board”) on April 17, 2025. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Han will receive an annual base salary of $450,000 and is eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus with a target amount equal to 65% of his base salary. Mr. Han is also eligible to receive equity awards as determined from time to time by the Compensation Committee of the Board.
The Han Employment Agreement provides that, in the event Mr. Han’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause or by Mr. Han for good reason (each as defined in the agreement), in addition to Final Compensation, he will be entitled to receive payment of any earned but unpaid bonus for the prior calendar year, if the termination occurs after the end of such year but before the bonus is paid. If Mr. Han’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause or by Mr. Han for good reason within six months following a change in control (as defined in the agreement), he will be entitled to a lump sum payment equal to two times his base salary, full acceleration of all unvested equity awards, and continued health insurance coverage for 12 months.
There are no family relationships between Mr. Han and any director or executive officer of the Company that require disclosure under Item 401(d) of Regulation S-K. Other than with respect to the Han Employment Agreement, there are no transactions between Mr. Han or any member of his immediate family and the Company or any of its subsidiaries that require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Han and any other person pursuant to which he was selected as Chief Financial Officer.
The foregoing description of the Han Employment Agreement is qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the agreement, which is filed hereto as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Resignation of Bruce S. Rosenbloom as Chief Financial Officer
In connection with Mr. Han’s appointment as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, Mr. Rosenbloom stepped down as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Rosenbloom, continues to work with the Company in a senior advisory role and will enter into an employment/consulting agreement for services to be provided to the Company at a later date. Mr. Rosenbloom’s decision to resign is not due to any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.
Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On April 17, 2025, the Company amended its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), to effect a change of the Company’s name from “Janover Inc.” to “DeFi Development Corp.” (the “Name Change”). The Name Change became effective at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 17, 2025.
The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) approved the Name Change pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The Name Change does not affect the rights of the Company’s stockholders, and there were no other changes to the Certificate of Incorporation. A copy of the certificate of amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to affect the Name Change is filed as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
In connection with the Name Change, the Board also approved an amendment and restatement of the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws solely to reflect the Name Change (as amended and restated, the “Amended and Restated Bylaws”) effective as of April 17, 2025. A copy of the Amended and Restated Bylaws is filed as Exhibit 3.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
Total Shares Outstanding
The Company disclosed on its website that, as of the date hereof, the Company has 1,567,615 total shares outstanding.
Furnished Information
The information disclosed pursuant to Item 7.01 in this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
Following the Name Change, the new trading symbol for the Company’s common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market will be “DFDV”. The Company will inform the market when its common stock begins to trade under the new name and trading symbol. The CUSIP number for the Company’s common stock will not change in connection with the Name Change.
On April 22, 2025, the Company issued a press release announcing the name change and trading symbol change. The press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference, except that the information contained on any websites referenced in the press release is not incorporated by reference.
On April 23, 2025, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Han (the “CFO Appointment Press Release”), as described in Item 5.02 above. A copy of the CFO Appointment Press Release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. | Description | |
3.1 | Certificate of Amendment to Restated Certificate of Incorporation | |
3.2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws | |
10.1 | Executive Employment Agreement, effective as of April 17, 2025, by and between the Company and John (Fei) Han | |
99.1 | Press Release, dated April 22, 2025 | |
99.2 | Press Release, dated April 23, 2025 | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: April 23, 2025 | DEFI DEVELOPMENT CORP. | |
By: | /s/ Joseph Onorati | |
Name: | Joseph Onorati | |
Title: | Chairman & CEO |
3
Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
JANOVER INC.
Pursuant to Section 242 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Janover Inc. (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify as follows:
FIRST: A resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation pursuant to Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware setting forth an amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, and declaring said amendment to be advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation.
SECOND: That Article I of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as amended, be and hereby is deleted in its entirety and the following is inserted in lieu thereof:
I.
The name of this corporation is DeFi Development Corp. (the “Corporation”).”
THIRD: This Certificate of Amendment shall be effective at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 17, 2025.
***
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Amendment has been executed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation on this 17th day of April, 2025.
JANOVER INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Joseph Onorati | ||
Name: |
Joseph Onorati |
||
Title: | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer |
Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
DEFI DEVELOPMENT CORP.
(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
Section 1.1 Registered Office. The registered office of the corporation in the State of Delaware is 3411 Silverside Road, Tatnall Building, # 104, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware, Zip Code 19810 or in such other location as the Board of Directors of the corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
Section 1.2 Other Offices. The corporation shall also have and maintain an office or principal place of business at such place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors, and may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
CORPORATE SEAL
Section 2.1 Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors may adopt a corporate seal. Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.
ARTICLE III
STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS
Section 3.1 Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as provided under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).
Section 3.2 Annual Meeting.
(a) The annual meeting of the stockholders of the corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other business as may lawfully come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (iii) by any stockholder of the corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in the following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section.
(b) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a) of this Section,
(i) the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation,
(ii) such other business must be a proper matter for stockholder action under the DGCL and applicable law,
(iii) if the stockholder, or the beneficial owner on whose behalf any such proposal or nomination is made, has provided the corporation with a Solicitation Notice (as defined in this paragraph), such stockholder or beneficial owner must, in the case of a proposal, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry any such proposal, or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a percentage of the corporation’s voting shares reasonably believed by such stockholder or beneficial owner to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by such stockholder, and must, in either case, have included in such materials the Solicitation Notice, and
(iv) if no Solicitation Notice relating thereto has been timely provided pursuant to this Section, the stockholder or beneficial owner proposing such business or nomination must not have solicited a number of proxies sufficient to have required the delivery of such a Solicitation Notice under this Section. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposed to nominate for election or reelection as a director all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and Rule 14a-4(d) thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class and number of shares of the corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, and (iii) whether either such stockholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of the proposal, at least the percentage of the corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, a sufficient number of holders of the corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (an affirmative statement of such intent, a “Solicitation Notice”).
(c) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (b) of this Section to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors of the corporation is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the corporation at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a stockholder’s notice required by this Section shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the corporation.
(d) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section (or elected or appointed pursuant to Article IV of these Bylaws) shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made, or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, in order to include information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholders’ meeting, stockholders must provide notice as required by the regulations promulgated under the 1934 Act. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act.
(f) For purposes of this Section, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service, or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13, 14, or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.
Section 3.3 Special Meetings.
(a) Special meetings of the stockholders of the corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, by (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer, (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by directors representing a quorum of the Board of Directors, or (iv) by the holders of shares entitled to cast not less than 50% of the votes at the meeting, and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall fix.
(b) If a special meeting is properly called by any person or persons other than the Board of Directors, the request shall be in writing, specifying the general nature of the business proposed to be transacted, and shall be delivered personally or sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or by telegraphic or other facsimile transmission to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary of the corporation. No business may be transacted at such special meeting otherwise than specified in such notice. The Board of Directors shall determine the time and place of such special meeting, which shall be held not less than thirty-five (35) nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days after the date of the receipt of the request. Upon determination of the time and place of the meeting, the officer receiving the request shall cause notice to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. Nothing contained in this paragraph (b) shall be construed as limiting, fixing, or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the Board of Directors may be held.
Section 3.4 Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by law, notice, given in writing or by electronic transmission, of each meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, such notice to specify the place, if any, date and hour, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at any such meeting. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the corporation. Notice of the time, place, if any, and purpose of any meeting of stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to notice thereof or by electronic transmission by such person, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any stockholder by his or her attendance thereat in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Any stockholder so waiving notice of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.
Section 3.5 Quorum. At all meetings of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the presence, in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of one-third (1/3) of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairman of the meeting or by vote of the holders of a majority of the shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Except as otherwise provided by statute, or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of a majority of shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where otherwise provided by the statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a majority of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series, present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter. Except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority (plurality, in the case of the election of directors) of shares of such class or classes or series present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or classes or series.
Section 3.6 Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings. Any meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time either by the chairman of the meeting or by the vote of a majority of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or applicable law. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 3.7 Voting Rights. For the purpose of determining those stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the corporation on the record date, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders. Every person entitled to vote or execute consents shall have the right to do so either in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by an agent or agents authorized by a proxy granted in accordance with Delaware law. An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
Section 3.8 Joint Owners of Stock. If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his or her act binds all; (b) if more than one (1) votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1) votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery for relief as provided in the DGCL, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the purpose of subsection (c) shall be a majority or even-split in interest.
Section 3.9 List of Stockholders. The Secretary shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the corporation. In the event that the corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the corporation. The list shall be open to examination of any stockholder during the time of the meeting as provided by law.
Section 3.10 Action Without Meeting.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required by statute to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, or by electronic transmission setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted.
(b) Every written consent or electronic transmission shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and no written consent or electronic transmission shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the corporation in the manner herein required, written consents or electronic transmissions signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action are delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to a corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.
(c) Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing or by electronic transmission and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take action were delivered to the corporation as provided in Section 228(c) of the DGCL. If the action to which the stockholders’ consent is such as would have required the filing of a certificate under any section of the DGCL if such action had been voted on by stockholders at a meeting thereof, then the certificate filed under such section shall state, in lieu of any statement required by such section concerning any vote of stockholders, that written consent has been given in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
(d) An electronic mail, facsimile or other electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder or proxyholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed and dated for the purposes of this Section, provided that any such electronic mail, facsimile or other electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the corporation can determine
(e) that the electronic mail, facsimile or other electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or proxyholder or by a person or persons authorized to act for the stockholder and the date on which such stockholder or proxyholder or authorized person or persons transmitted such electronic mail, facsimile or electronic transmission. The date on which such electronic mail, facsimile or electronic transmission is transmitted shall be deemed to be the date on which such consent was signed. No consent given by electronic mail, facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been delivered until such consent is reproduced in paper form and until such paper form shall be delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the state of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to a corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations on delivery, consents given by electronic mail, facsimile or other electronic transmission may be otherwise delivered to the principal place of business of the corporation or to an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded if, to the extent and in the manner provided by resolution of the board of directors of the corporation. Any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing.
Section 3.11 Organization.
(a) At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the Chief Executive Officer, or, if the Chief Executive Officer is absent, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall act as chairman. The Secretary, or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the Chief Executive Officer, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
(b) The Board of Directors shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairman of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of record of the corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairman shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.
ARTICLE IV
DIRECTORS
Section 4.1 Number and Term of Office.
The authorized number of directors of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors from time to time. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation. If for any cause, the directors shall not have been elected at an annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as convenient.
Section 4.2 Powers. The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 4.3 Term of Directors.
(a) Directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
(b) No person entitled to vote at an election for directors may cumulate votes to which such person is entitled.
Section 4.4 Vacancies. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director; provided, however, that whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.
Section 4.5 Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by delivering his or her notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Secretary, such resignation to specify whether it will be effective at a particular time, upon receipt by the Secretary or at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. If no such specification is made, it shall be deemed effective at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. When one or more directors shall resign from the Board of Directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of the Director whose place shall be vacated and until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
Section 4.6 Removal. Subject to any limitations imposed by applicable law, the Board of Directors or any director may be removed from office at any time (i) with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally at an election of directors or (ii) without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the corporation, entitled to elect such director.
Section 4.7 Meetings
(a) Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or date and at any place within or without the State of Delaware which has been designated by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, including a voice-messaging system or other system designated to record and communicate messages, facsimile, or by electronic mail or other electronic means. No further notice shall be required for a regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
(b) Special Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer (if a director), or any director.
(c) Meetings by Electronic Communications Equipment. Any member of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
(d) Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of the time and place of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means, during normal business hours, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting. If notice is sent by US mail, it shall be sent by first class mail, postage prepaid at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing or by electronic transmission at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
(e) Waiver of Notice. The transaction of all business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present who did not receive notice shall sign a written waiver of notice or shall waive notice by electronic transmission. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.
Section 4.8 Quorum and Voting.
(a) Unless the Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the total number of directors then serving; provided, however, that such number shall never be less than one-third (1/3) of the total number of directors except that when one director is authorized, then one director shall constitute a quorum. At any meeting, whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the directors present may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting. If the Certificate of Incorporation provides that one or more directors shall have more or less than one vote per director on any matter, every reference in this Section to a majority or other proportion of the directors shall refer to a majority or other proportion of the votes of the directors.
(b) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
Section 4.9 Action Without Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writing or writings or transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 4.10 Fees and Compensation. Directors shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 4.11 Committees.
(a) Executive Committee. The Board of Directors may appoint an Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any bylaw of the corporation.
(b) Other Committees. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, appoint such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other committees appointed by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees, but in no event shall any such committee have the powers denied to the Executive Committee in these Bylaws.
(c) Term. The Board of Directors, subject to the provisions of paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section may at any time increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of his or her death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.
(d) Meetings. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other committee appointed pursuant to this Section shall be held at such times and places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special meetings of any such committee may be held at any place which has been determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any director who is a member of such committee, upon notice to the members of such committee of the time and place of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors. Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolutions authorizing the creation of the committee, a majority of the authorized number of members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee.
Section 4.12 Organization. At every meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairman has not been appointed or is absent, the Chief Executive Officer (if a director), or if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director or is absent, the President (if a director), or if the President is not a director or is absent, the most senior Vice President (if a director) or, in the absence of any such person, a chairman of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting. The Secretary, or in his or her absence, any Assistant Secretary directed to do so by the Chief Executive Officer or President, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 5.1 Officers Designated. The officers of the corporation shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the President and the Secretary, all of whom shall be elected at the annual organizational meeting of the Board of Directors. If there is no Chief Executive Officer appointed, then the President shall also serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in Section 5.2(c). The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Controllers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary. The Board of Directors may assign such additional titles as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 5.2 Tenure and Duties of Officers.
(a) General. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors, or by the Chief Executive Officer or other officer if so authorized by the Board of Directors.
(b) Duties of Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, when present, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. If there is no Chief Executive Officer and no President, then the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation and shall have the powers and duties prescribed in paragraph (c) of this Section.
(c) Duties of Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and (if a director) at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present. The Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
(d) Duties of President. In the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer or if the office of Chief Executive Officer is vacant, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and (if a director) at all meetings of the Board of Directors, unless the Chairman of the Board of Directors has been appointed and is present. If the office of Chief Executive Officer is vacant, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the corporation. The President shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.
(e) Duties of Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents may assume and perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President or whenever the office of President is vacant. The Vice Presidents shall perform other duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the President shall designate from time to time.
(f) Duties of Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the corporation. The Secretary shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary shall perform all other duties provided for in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. The Chief Executive Officer may direct any Assistant Secretary to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time.
(g) Duties of Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to his or her office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time. The Chief Executive Officer may direct the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Controller or any Assistant Controller to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each Controller and Assistant Controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time.
Section 5.3 Delegation of Authority. The Board of Directors may from time-to-time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
Section 5.4 Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission notice to the Board of Directors or to the Chief Executive Officer or to the President or to the Secretary. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the corporation under any contract with the resigning officer.
Section 5.5 Removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors in office at the time, or by the unanimous written or electronic consent of the directors in office at the time, or by any committee or superior officers upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VI
EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION
Section 6.1 Execution of Corporate Instruments. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the corporation the corporate name, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the corporation. All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries of funds to the credit of the corporation or on special accounts of the corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to do. Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
Section 6.2 Voting of Securities Owned by the Corporation. All stock and other securities of other corporations owned or held by the corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or any Vice President.
ARTICLE VII
SHARES OF STOCK
Section 7.1 Form and Execution of Certificates. The shares of the corporation shall be represented by certificates or shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, of the corporation shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of shares of stock in the corporation represented by certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the corporation by any two authorized officers, including but not limited to the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by him or her in the corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 7.2 Lost Certificates. A new certificate or certificates shall be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the corporation in such manner as it shall require or to give the corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Section 7.3 Restrictions on Transfer.
(a) The corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the corporation to restrict the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, or other disposal of or encumbering of any of the shares of stock of the corporation or any right or interest therein, whether voluntarily or by operation of law, or by gift or otherwise (each, a “Transfer”) of shares of stock of the corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
(b) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized, and, in the case of stock represented by certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares.
(c) If the stockholder desires to sell or otherwise Transfer any of his or her shares of stock, then the stockholder shall first give written notice thereof to the corporation. The notice shall name the proposed transferee and state the number of shares to be transferred, the proposed consideration, and all other terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer.
Section 7.4 Fixing Record Dates.
(a) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, subject to applicable law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
(b) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. Any stockholder of record seeking to have the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent shall, by written notice to the Secretary, request the Board of Directors to fix a record date. The Board of Directors shall promptly, but in all events within ten (10) days after the date on which such a request is received, adopt a resolution fixing the record date. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors within ten (10) days of the date on which such a request is received, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.
(c) In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.
Section 7.5 Registered Stockholders. The corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR
Section 8.1 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 9.1 Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Employees and Other Agreements.
(a) Directors and Executive Officers. The corporation shall indemnify its directors and executive officers (for the purposes of this Article, “executive officers” shall have the meaning defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the 1934 Act) to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law; provided, however, that the corporation may modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its directors and executive officers; and, provided, further, that the corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the corporation under the DGCL or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under paragraph (d) of this Section.
(b) Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents. The corporation shall have power to indemnify its other officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to any such person except executive officers to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.
(c) Expenses. The corporation shall advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or executive officer of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or executive officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or executive officer in connection with such proceeding; provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) 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 Section or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, no advance shall be made by the corporation to an executive officer of the corporation (except by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the corporation, in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, even if not a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.
(d) Enforcement. Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and executive officers under this Section shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the corporation and the director or executive officer. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this Section to a director or executive officer or officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. The claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting the claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL or any other applicable law for the corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. In connection with any claim by an executive officer of the corporation (except in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the corporation) for advances, the corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense as to any such action clear and convincing evidence that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding that such person acted without reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was lawful. Neither the failure of the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law, nor an actual determination by the corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(e) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Section shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any applicable statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law.
(f) Survival of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Section shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or executive officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
(g) Insurance. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, or any other applicable law, the corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this Section.
(h) Amendments. Any repeal or modification of this Section shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaws in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the corporation.
(i) Saving Clause. If this Section or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this Bylaw that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this Section shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the corporation shall indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent under applicable law.
(j) Certain Definitions. For the purposes of this Section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) The term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include,
without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.
(2) The term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.
(3) The term the “corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(4) References to a “director,” “executive officer,” “officer,” “employee,” or “agent” of the corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the corporation as, respectively, a director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(5) References to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this Section.
ARTICLE X
NOTICES
Section 10.1 Notices.
(a) Notice to Stockholders. Written notice to stockholders of stockholder meetings shall be given as provided in these Bylaws. Without limiting the manner by which notice may otherwise be given effectively to stockholders under any agreement or contract with such stockholder, and except as otherwise required by law, written notice to stockholders for purposes other than stockholder meetings may be sent by United States mail or nationally recognized overnight courier, or by facsimile, telegraph or telex or by electronic mail or other electronic means.
(b) Notice to Directors. Any notice required to be given to any director may be given by the method stated in paragraph (a) of this Section, or as otherwise provided for in these Bylaws. If such notice is not delivered personally, it shall be sent to such address as such director shall have filed in writing with the Secretary, or, in the absence of such filing, to the last known post office address of such director.
(c) Affidavit of Mailing. An affidavit of mailing, executed by a duly authorized and competent employee of the corporation or its transfer agent appointed with respect to the class of stock affected or other agent, specifying the name and address or the names and addresses of the stockholder or stockholders, or director or directors, to whom any such notice or notices was or were given, and the time and method of giving the same, shall in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained.
(d) Methods of Notice. It shall not be necessary that the same method of giving notice be employed in respect of all recipients of notice, but one permissible method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any other permissible method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or others.
(e) Notice to Person with Whom Communication Is Unlawful. Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the corporation, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.
(f) Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address. Except as otherwise prohibited under DGCL, any notice given under the provisions of DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Such consent shall have been deemed to have been given if such stockholder fails to object in writing to the corporation within 60 days of having been given notice by the corporation of its intention to send the single notice. Any consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the corporation.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
Section 11.1 Amendments. The Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws of the corporation. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the corporation required by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
ARTICLE XII
EMERGENCY BYLAWS
Section 12.1 Emergency Bylaws. This Article XII shall be operative during any emergency, disaster or catastrophe, as referred to in Section 110 of the DGCL, or other similar emergency condition (including, without limitation, a pandemic), as a result of which a quorum of the Board or a committee thereof cannot readily be convened for action (each, an “Emergency”), notwithstanding any different or conflicting provision of the preceding Sections of these Bylaws or in the Certificate of Incorporation. To the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article XII, the preceding Sections of these Bylaws and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation shall remain in effect during such Emergency, and upon termination of such Emergency, the provisions of this Article XII shall cease to be operative unless and until another Emergency shall occur.
Section 12.2 Meetings; Notice. During any Emergency, a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof may be called by any member of the Board or such committee or the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Notice of the place, date and time of the meeting shall be given by any available means of communication by the person calling the meeting to such of the directors or committee members and Designated Officers (as defined below) as, in the judgment of the person calling the meeting, it may be feasible to reach. Such notice shall be given at such time in advance of the meeting as, in the judgment of the person calling the meeting, circumstances permit.
Section 12.3 Quorum. At any meeting of the Board called in accordance with Section 12.2 above, the presence or participation of one director shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and at any meeting of any committee of the Board called in accordance with Section 12.2 above, the presence or participation of one committee member shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the event that no directors are able to attend a meeting of the Board, or any committee thereof, then the Designated Officers in attendance shall serve as directors, or committee members, as the case may be, for the meeting, without any additional quorum requirement and will have full powers to act as directors, or committee members, as the case may be, of the Corporation.
Section 12.4 Liability. No officer, director or employee of the Corporation acting in accordance with the provisions of this Article XII shall be liable except for willful misconduct.
Section 12.5 Amendments. At any meeting called in accordance with Section 12.2 above, the Board, or any committee thereof, as the case may be, may modify, amend or add to the provisions of this Article XII as it deems it to be in the best interests of the Corporation so as to make any provision that may be practical or necessary for the circumstances of the Emergency.
Section 12.6 Repeal or Change. The provisions of this Article XII shall be subject to repeal or change by further action of the Board or by action of the stockholders, but no such repeal or change shall modify the provisions of Section 12.4 above with regard to action taken prior to the time of such repeal or change.
Section 12.7 Definitions. For purposes of this Article XII, the term “Designated Officer” means an officer identified on a numbered list of officers of the Corporation who shall be deemed to be, in the order in which they appear on the list up until a quorum is obtained, directors of the Corporation, or members of a committee of the Board, as the case may be, for purposes of obtaining a quorum during an Emergency, if a quorum of directors or committee members, as the case may be, cannot otherwise be obtained during such Emergency, which officers have been designated by the Board from time to time but in any event prior to such time or times as an Emergency may have occurred.
Exhibit 10.1
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement, dated as of April 14, 2025 (this “Agreement”), is made and entered into by and between Janover Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Fei Han (aka John Han) (the “Executive” and together with the Company, the “Parties” and individually a “Party”).Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in Section 11.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, Company wishes to employ Executive as its Chief Financial Officer and Executive wishes to be employed by Company as its Chief Financial Officer.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual promises, terms, provisions, and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the adequacy and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
AGREEMENT
1. | Employment. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Company hereby offers, and Executive hereby accepts employment with Company, as of the date first above written (the “Effective Date”). |
2. | Term. The Executive’s employment hereunder shall be effective as of the Effective Date and shall continue for 2 (two) years from the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”), unless terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; provided that, on expiry of such Initial Term, the Agreement shall be deemed to be automatically extended, upon the same terms and conditions, for successive periods of one (1) year (each “Renewal Term”), unless either Party provides written notice of its intention not to extend the term of the Agreement at least 90 days prior to the applicable renewal date. The Initial Term and each Renewal Term are hereinafter referred to as the “Term.” |
3. | Capacity and Performance. |
(a) | During the Term, the Executive shall be employed by Company on a full-time basis as its Chief Financial Officer. Executive shall perform such duties and responsibilities as directed by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), consistent with Executive’s position on behalf of Company. |
(b) | Executive shall devote his full business time, attention, skill, and best efforts to the performance of his duties under this Agreement and shall not engage in any other business or occupation during the Term, including, without limitation, any activity that: (x) conflicts with the interests of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, (y) interferes with the proper and efficient performance of Executive’s duties for the Company, or (z) interferes with Executive’s exercise of judgment in the Company’s best interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall preclude Executive from: (i) serving, with the prior written consent of the Board, as a member of the Board of Directors or Advisory Board (or the equivalent in the case of a non-corporate entity) of a noncompeting for-profit business and one or more charitable organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs, and (iii) managing Executive’s personal investments and affairs; provided, however, that the activities set out in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) shall be limited by Executive so as not to materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate, with the performance of his duties and responsibilities hereunder. |
(c) | Executive’s employment with Company shall be exclusive with respect to the business of Company. Accordingly, during the Term, Executive shall devote Executive’s full business time and Executive’s best efforts, business judgment, skill and knowledge to the advancement of the business and interests of Company and the discharge of Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder, except for permitted vacation (and other paid time off) periods, reasonable periods of illness or incapacity, and reasonable and customary time spent on civic, charitable and religious activities, in each case such activities shall not interfere in any material respect with Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder. |
(d) | During the Term, the Executive will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer. |
(e) | The Board shall appoint Executive as the Chief Financial Officer. |
(f) | Executive shall be employed to perform his duties under this Agreement at the primary office location of Company, or at such other location or locations as may be mutually agreeable to Executive and Company. Notwithstanding this, it is expected that the Executive shall be required to travel a reasonable amount of time in the performance of his duties under this Agreement. |
4. | Compensation and Benefits. |
(a) | Base Salary. For services performed by Executive under this Agreement, Company shall pay Executive an annual base salary of $450,000, minus applicable withholdings and deductions, payable at the same times as salaries are payable to other executives of Company (the “Base Salary”). During the Term, the Base Salary shall be reviewed by the Compensation Committee and/or the Board each year, and the Board may, from time to time, increase such Base Salary and any reference to “Base Salary” herein shall refer to such Base Salary, as increased. |
(b) | Annual Bonus. For each fiscal year of the Company during the Term, the Company shall afford Executive the opportunity to earn an incentive bonus (“Bonus”) as described in this Section 4(b). The aggregate target Bonus payable to Executive under such program(s) shall be 65% of the Base Salary or any other amount set by the Compensation Committee of the Board in its discretion, and shall be payable to the extent the applicable performance goals are achieved (which goals and payment matrices shall be set by the Compensation Committee of the Board in its discretion). The amount of the Bonus will be determined by certification by the Board that the applicable goals have been achieved, and the Board shall promptly provide such certification following the achievement of the applicable goals. |
(c) | Equity Awards. During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to receive equity awards either now or in the future, on terms and conditions similar to those applicable to other executive officers of the Company generally, inside or outside of any established equity plan. The amount and terms of the long-term incentive awards awarded to the Executive shall be set by the Compensation Committee in its discretion. The RSU award will be evidenced by a restricted stock unit award agreement using the Company’s standard form for employee restricted stock unit award grants under the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan (the “Equity Plan”), and will be subject to the terms and conditions of such restricted stock unit award agreement and the Equity Plan. |
(d) | Change in Control. To the extent not already vested, the RSUs granted to Executive (as stated above), will fully vest upon a Change in Control (and participate fully with other stockholders in such Change in Control) if Executive is providing services in any capacity to the Company on the date of such Change in Control. In addition, if Executive is providing services as an executive of the Company on the date of a Change in Control, to the extent not already vested, all other outstanding equity awards, including the RSU award, will fully vest upon such Change in Control (and participate fully with other stockholders in such Change in Control). |
(e) | Other Executive Benefits. During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all executive benefit plans, including health and 401(k) plans, from time to time generally in effect for Company’s executives (collectively, “Benefit Plans”). Such participation and receipt of benefits under any such Benefit Plans shall be on the same terms (including cost-sharing between Company and Executive) as are applicable to other Company executives and shall be subject to the terms of the applicable plan documents and generally applicable Company policies. The Company may alter, modify, add to or delete the Benefit Plans in a manner nondiscriminatory to Executive at any time in accordance with applicable plan rules. |
(f) | Vacation. The Executive shall be entitled to an annual vacation of 20 days plus ten established holiday days per full calendar year of his employment with the Company hereunder. Any unused vacation in one accrued calendar year may not be carried over to any subsequent calendar year. |
(g) | Business and Travel Expenses. Company shall pay or reimburse Executive for all reasonable, customary and necessary business expenses (including cell phone, travel, lodging, networking, and entertainment expenses) which are correctly documented and incurred or paid by Executive in the performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder, subject to the rules, regulations, and procedures of Company and in effect from time to time. |
5. | Termination of Employment; Severance Benefits. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2, the Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate under the following circumstances: |
(a) | Death. If Executive’s dies during the Term, Executive’s employment hereunder shall immediately and automatically terminate. In such event, Company shall pay to Executive’s designated beneficiary or, if no beneficiary has been selected by Executive, to Executive’s estate, the Final Compensation. Company shall have no further obligation hereunder to Executive, Executive’s beneficiary, or Executive’s estate upon the termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 5(a) including, specifically, that the provisions of Section 5(d) shall not apply. |
(b) | Disability. |
(i) | Company may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder due to Executive’s Disability during the Term by giving Executive thirty (30) days’ written notice of its intent to terminate, but in no event shall such termination be effective prior to the expiration of the time periods in the definition of “Disability.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, Company will, after engaging in an interactive process with Executive to discern whether reasonable accommodation(s) can be provided without undue hardship upon Company, offer Executive reasonable accommodation(s) to enable Executive to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position to the extent required by applicable law (if any) before terminating Executive’s employment hereunder. Executive may decline such reasonable accommodation, in which case Executive’s employment hereunder will terminate as provided in this subsection. |
(ii) | In the event of such termination for Disability, Executive will receive Executive’s Final Compensation. Company shall have no further obligation hereunder to Executive upon termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 5(d), including, specifically, that the provisions of Section 5(d) shall not apply. |
(iii) | Subject to Executive’s rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Company may designate another Executive to act in Executive’s place during any period of Executive’s Disability during which Executive is unable to perform the essential functions of Executive’s position with or without reasonable accommodation. Notwithstanding any such designation, Executive shall continue to receive the Base Salary in accordance with Section 4(a) and coverage under the Benefit Plans in accordance with Section 4(b), to the extent permitted by the then-current terms of the applicable benefit plans and as provided under the FMLA, if applicable, until the earliest to occur of: (A) the end of the Term, (B) Executive becomes eligible for disability income benefits under Company’s disability income plan, or (C) the termination of Executive’s employment. |
(iv) | While receiving disability income payments under Company’s disability income plan (if applicable), Company will continue to pay to Executive Executive’s Base Salary under Section 4(a), but may offset any such disability income payments Executive receives against the Base Salary payments. Executive will also continue to participate in the Benefit Plans in accordance with Section 4(b) and the terms of such Benefit Plans, until the end of the Term or until the termination of Executive’s employment, whichever occurs first. |
(v) | If any question arises as to whether during any period Executive has a Disability as defined herein, Executive may, and at the request of Company shall, submit to a medical examination by a qualified, unbiased physician selected by Company and reasonably acceptable to Executive or Executive’s duly appointed guardian, if any, to determine whether Executive has a Disability and such determination shall for the purposes of this Agreement be conclusive of the issue. |
(c) | By Company for Cause. Company may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause, as defined in Section 11(c), at any time upon notice to Executive setting forth in reasonable detail the nature of such Cause. Upon the giving of notice of termination of Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause, Executive will receive Executive’s Final Compensation. Except as provided herein, Company will have no further obligation to Executive upon termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 5(c). Any notice of termination of Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause, or any notice to Executive regarding any event, condition or circumstance that, if not cured, if applicable, in accordance with the above, could give rise to a termination of Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause, shall set forth in detail the applicable event(s), condition(s) or circumstance(s) constituting reason(s) or potential reason(s) for such termination hereunder. |
(d) | By Company Other than for Cause or by Executive for Good Reason. Company may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder other than for Cause at any time upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Executive and Executive may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder for Good Reason at any time upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Company. |
(i) | In the event of a termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 5(d), in addition to the Final Compensation, Executive shall receive: |
(1) | payment of applicable Base Salary for the period of (a) six (6) months from the date of termination, when the said termination is effected after first anniversary of the Effective Date, or (b) [twelve (12) months] from the date of termination, when the said termination is effected after second anniversary of the Effective Date; payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices, less applicable withholdings, commencing at the conclusion of the period set forth in Section 5(d)(iii); and |
(2) | if the date of termination occurs after the end of a calendar year but prior to the date on which a Bonus is paid under Section 4(b), payment of such Bonus as determined under Section 4(b) shall be at the time proscribed by Section 4(b); and |
(3) | payment of a pro-rata portion of the amount of Executive’s Bonus for the year in which termination occurs that would have been payable based on actual performance determined under the terms of the Bonus as then in effect for such year, with such pro-rata portion calculated by multiplying the amount of such bonus for the year in which such termination occurs (as determined by the Board based on actual performance for such year) by a number: (x) the numerator of which is the number of days worked by Executive during the year of such termination, and (y) the denominator of which is three hundred sixty-five (365), with such payment to be made after the determination of the Bonus pursuant to Section 4(b). |
(ii) | If the Executive timely and properly elects health continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”), the Company shall reimburse the Executive for the monthly COBRA premium paid by the Executive for himself and his dependents. Such reimbursement shall be paid to the Executive on the 1st day of the month immediately following the month in which the Executive timely remits the premium payment. The Executive shall be eligible to receive such reimbursement until the earliest of: |
(1) | the first anniversary of the date of termination (provided, however, if the date of termination is after the first anniversary of the Effective Date, the period pursuant to this subsection (1) shall be six (6) months after the date of termination); |
(2) | the date the Executive is no longer eligible to receive COBRA continuation coverage; and |
(3) | the date on which the Executive receives substantially similar coverage from another employer or other source. |
(iii) | Any obligation of Company to Executive under this Section 5(d) (other than for the Final Compensation or for benefits required by law) is conditioned upon Executive’s execution and delivery to Company and the expiration of all applicable statutory revocation periods of a release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Executive Release”), provided, that the terms of such Executive Release shall be subject to modification to the extent necessary to comply with: (a) the fact that Company is simultaneously terminating more than one executive as part of a group termination decision or (b) changes in applicable law, if any, occurring after the date hereof, and prior to the date such Executive Release is executed. |
(e) | By Executive Other than for Good Reason. Executive may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder other than for Good Reason upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Company; provided, that Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, by written notice accelerate such date of termination. In the event of a termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 5(e), Executive will receive the Final Compensation. Company shall have no further obligation hereunder to Executive upon termination of Executive’s employment under this Section 5(e). |
(f) | Change in Control Severance. Except as otherwise set forth herein, if a Change in Control occurs, and on, or at any time during the 6 months following, the Change in Control, (i) the Company terminates Executive’s employment for any reason other than Cause or Disability, or (ii) Executive terminates Executive’s employment for Good Reason, Executive shall be entitled to the following benefits: |
(i) | The Company shall pay Executive, in a lump sum within 60 days following termination of Executive’s employment, severance equal to two times the sum of Executive’s Base Salary. |
(ii) | Executive also shall be entitled to receive any and all vested benefits accrued under any other incentive plans to the date of termination of employment, the amount, entitlement to, form, and time of payment of such benefits to be determined by the terms of such incentive plans. For purposes of calculating Executive’s benefits under the incentive plans, Executive’s employment shall be deemed to have terminated under circumstances that have the most favorable result for Executive under the applicable incentive plan. |
(iii) | If, upon the date of termination of Executive’s employment, Executive holds any awards with respect to securities of the Company, (i) all such awards that are restricted stock units/options shall immediately become vested and exercisable upon such date and shall be exercisable thereafter until the earlier of the third (3rd) year anniversary of Executive’s termination of employment or the expiration of the full term of the restricted stock units/options; (ii) all restrictions on any such awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units or other awards shall terminate or lapse, and all such awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units or other awards shall be vested and payable; and (iii) all performance goals applicable to any such performance-based awards that are “in cycle” (i.e., the performance period is not yet complete) shall be deemed satisfied at the “target” level (assuming 100% payout), and (iv) all such awards shall be paid in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreement. The provisions of this subsection shall be subject (and defer) to the provisions of any incentive plan, award agreement or other agreement as it relates to an individual award to the extent such provisions provide treatment that is more favorable to Executive than the treatment described in this subsection and such more favorable provisions in such incentive plan, award agreement or other agreement shall supersede any inconsistent or contrary provision of this subsection. All of Executive’s awards with respect to securities of the Company that are outstanding upon the date of termination of Executive’s employment shall continue to be subject to, and enjoy the benefits and protections under, the terms of the incentive plan, the award agreement and any other plan, agreement, policy or other arrangement to which such awards are subject as of the effective date of Executive’s participation, including any employment security agreement or other written compensation arrangement (even if the remaining terms thereof are waived), without application of this subsection. |
(iv) | Executive and Executive’s spouse and other qualified beneficiaries shall be eligible for continued coverage as follows: |
(A) | If the Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s other qualified beneficiaries are enrolled under a group health plan as defined by COBRA, on the date of termination of Executive’s employment, Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s qualified beneficiaries may elect to continue such coverage under COBRA, except that the maximum coverage period shall be extended to no less than the Severance Period (but no more than 1 year) for that Executive, unless, after electing COBRA, the individual attains age 65 and becomes eligible for Medicare, in which case COBRA shall end for that individual. If Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s other qualified beneficiaries elect COBRA coverage, the Company shall pay a portion of the COBRA costs for the Severance Period for that Executive (subject to any earlier termination of COBRA). The portion to be paid by the Company shall equal the amount necessary so that the total of the COBRA costs paid by Executive is equal to the costs that would have been paid by Executive for such coverage as an active employee immediately prior to termination of Executive’s employment or, if less, prior to the Change in Control. The cost of COBRA coverage paid by the Company may be taxable income to the Executive and reported on Executive’s Internal Revenue Service Form W-2. Executive, Executive’s spouse and/or Executive’s qualified beneficiaries may continue coverage under COBRA after the Severance Period for that Executive, provided they pay the full COBRA costs and COBRA otherwise remains available. |
(B) | The benefits and/or extended coverage provided under this subsection shall cease prior to the date such benefits and/or extended coverage would otherwise end under subsection if and when Executive (A) obtains employment with another employer during the Severance Period and becomes eligible for coverage under any substantially similar plan provided by his/her new employer or (B) fails to pay the required active employee portion of the cost of coverage provided under this subsection in the time and manner specified by the Company or its designee. |
(v) | Executive shall be entitled to payment for any accrued but unused vacation in accordance with the Company’s policy in effect at the time of termination of Executive’s employment, in a lump sum within 60 days following such termination. Executive shall not be entitled to receive any payments or other compensation attributable to vacation that would have been earned had Executive’s employment continued during the Severance Period, and Executive waives any right to receive any such compensation. |
(vi) | The Company shall, at the Company’s expense, provide Executive with 12 months of executive outplacement services with a professional outplacement firm selected by the Company; provided that Executive must use the outplacement services by no later than the end of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the termination of Executive’s employment occurred and the total cost of such outplacement services must not exceed any per individual cap on such amounts in the Company’s agreement with the professional outplacement firm selected by the Company. |
(vii) | Executive shall not be entitled to reimbursement for any other fringe benefits or perquisite payments during the Severance Period, including but not limited to dues and expenses related to club memberships, automobile, cell phone, expenses for professional services, executive physicals, and other similar perquisites. |
(viii) | The Company shall pay as incurred (within ten calendar days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from Executive) Executive’s out-of-pocket expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by Executive at any time from the date of this Agreement through Executive’s remaining lifetime or, if longer, the statute of limitations for contract claims under applicable state law, in connection with any action taken to enforce the Executive’s rights under this Agreement or construe or determine the validity of this Agreement or otherwise in connection herewith, including any claim or legal action or proceeding, whether brought by Executive or the Company or another party; provided, Executive must be successful through judgment in his/her favor with respect to such action in order to recover fees under this Section 5(f)(viii); provided further, that Executive shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and expenses at least fifteen calendar days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred. The amount of such legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and Executive’s right to have the Company pay such legal fees and expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit. The Company’s obligation to pay Executive’s eligible legal fees and expenses under this Section 5(f)(viii) shall not be conditioned upon the termination of Executive’s employment. |
6. | Effect of Termination. |
(a) | Upon termination of Executive’s employment hereunder and subject to the provisions of Section 5 and Section 6(c), Company’s entire obligation to Executive shall be payment of Final Compensation. |
(b) | In connection with the cessation of Executive’s service as Chief Financial Officer of Company for any reason, except as may otherwise be requested by the Company in writing and agreed upon in writing by Executive, Executive shall be deemed to have resigned from any and all directorships, committee memberships, and any other positions Executive holds with the Company or any other member of the Company Group. Executive hereby agrees that no further action is required by Executive or any of the preceding to make the transitions and resignations provided for in this paragraph effective, but Executive nonetheless agrees to execute any documentation Company reasonably requests at the time to confirm it and to not reassume any such service or position without the written consent of Company. |
(c) | Except as otherwise required by Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or any similar federal or state law, benefits shall continue or terminate pursuant to the terms of the applicable benefit plan or agreement, without regard to any continuation of Base Salary or other payment to Executive following such date of termination. |
(d) | The provisions of this Section 6 shall apply to any termination of employment. Provisions of this Agreement will survive any termination if so provided herein or if necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of other surviving provisions, including, without limitation, the obligations of Executive under Section 7 through Section 9. |
(e) | Any termination of Executive’s employment with Company under this Agreement shall automatically be deemed to be simultaneous resignation of all other positions and titles (including any director positions) that Executive holds with Company and any Affiliate or subsidiary thereof. This Section 6(e) shall constitute a resignation notice for such purposes. |
(f) | Upon termination of the Executive’s employment or upon the Company’s request at any other time, the Executive will deliver to the Company all of the Company’s property, equipment, and documents, together with all copies thereof, and any other material containing or disclosing any Intellectual Property or Confidential Information and certify in writing that the Executive has fully complied with the foregoing obligation. The Executive agrees that the Executive will not copy, delete, or alter any Company computer equipment information before the Executive returns it to the Company. In addition, if the Executive has used any personal computer, server, or email system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company information, including but not limited to, Confidential Information, the Executive agrees to provide the Company with a computer-usable copy of all such Confidential Information and then permanently delete and expunge such Confidential Information from those systems; and the Executive agrees to provide the Company access to the Executive’s system as reasonably requested to verify that the necessary copying and/or deletion is completed. |
7. | Confidential Information. |
(a) | Executive acknowledges that Company continually develops Confidential Information, that Executive may develop Confidential Information for Company and that Executive may learn of Confidential Information during the course of employment with Company. Executive will comply with the policies and procedures of Company for protecting Confidential Information and shall not disclose to any Person or use, other than as required by applicable law, regulation or process or for the proper performance of Executive’s duties and responsibilities to Company, any Confidential Information obtained by Executive incidental to Executive’s employment or other association with Company. Executive understands that this restriction shall continue to apply after Executive’s employment terminates, regardless of the reason for such termination. |
(b) | Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 7 to the contrary, nothing contained herein shall prevent Executive from disclosing any Confidential Information required by law, subpoena, court order or other legal processes to be disclosed; provided, that, Executive shall give prompt written notice to Company of such requirement, disclose no more information than is so required and cooperate, at Company’s cost and expense, with any attempt by Company to obtain a protective order or similar treatment with respect to such information. |
(c) | Pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Executive understands that: |
(i) | Executive may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or is made in a complaint or other document that is filed under seal in a lawsuit or other proceeding; and |
(ii) | if Executive files a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, Executive may disclose the employer’s trade secrets to Executive’s attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding if Executive files any document containing the trade secret under seal and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. |
8. | Assignment of Rights to Intellectual Property. Executive shall promptly and fully disclose to Company all Intellectual Property developed for the benefit of Company in the course of Executive’s employment by Company. Executive hereby assigns and agrees to assign to Company (or as otherwise directed by Company) Executive’s full right, title, and interest in and to all such Intellectual Property. Executive agrees to execute any and all applications for domestic and foreign patents, copyrights or other proprietary rights and to do such other acts (including without limitation the execution and delivery of instruments of further assurance or confirmation) requested by Company (at Company’s expense) to assign to Company the Intellectual Property developed for the benefit of Company in the course of Executive’s employment by Company and to permit Company to enforce any patents, copyrights or other proprietary rights to the Intellectual Property. Executive will not charge Company for time spent in complying with these obligations. All copyrightable works that Executive creates developed for the benefit of Company in the course of Executive’s employment by Company shall be considered “work made for hire.” |
9. | Restricted Activities. Executive agrees that the restrictions on Executive’s activities during and after Executive’s employment set forth below are necessary to protect the goodwill, Confidential Information and other legitimate interests of Company and its successors and assigns: |
(a) | During the Term of this Agreement and during the Restricted Period following termination of employment, Executive will not, without the prior written consent of Company, directly or indirectly, and whether as principal or investor or as an Executive, officer, director, manager, partner, consultant, agent, or otherwise, alone or in association with any other Person, firm, corporation, or other business organization, engage or otherwise become involved in a Competing Business (as defined below) in any country in which the Company conducted business during the Term; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 9 shall apply solely to those activities of a Competing Business which are congruent with those activities with which Executive was personally involved or for which Executive was responsible while employed by the Company or its subsidiaries during the twelve (12) month period preceding termination of Executive’s employment. This Section 9 will not be violated, however, by Executive’s investment of up to $500,000 in the aggregate in one or more publicly-traded companies that engage in a Competing Business. “Competing Business” means a business or enterprise (other than Company or its subsidiaries) engaged in the commercial mortgage brokerage, commercial mortgage marketplace, and any other business directly competing with the business of the Company as currently conducted or otherwise conducted by the Company during the Term (the “Restricted Activities”). “Restricted Period” means twenty-four (24) months. |
(b) | During the Term of this Agreement and during the Restricted Period (as defined above), Executive will not engage in any Wrongful Solicitation. A “Wrongful Solicitation” shall be deemed to occur when Executive directly or indirectly (except in the course of Executive’s employment with Company), for the purpose of conducting or engaging in a Competing Business, calls upon, solicits, advises or otherwise does, or attempts to do, business with any Person who is, or was, during the then most recent 12-month period, a customer of Company or any of its subsidiaries, or takes away or interferes or attempts to take away or interfere with any custom, trade, business, patronage or affairs of Company or any of its subsidiaries, or hires or attempts to hire any Person who is, or was during the most recent 12-month period, an Executive, officer, representative or agent of Company or any of its subsidiaries, or solicits, induces, or attempts to solicit or induce any Person who is an Executive, officer, representative or agent of Company or any of its subsidiaries to leave the employ or agency of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or violate the terms of their contract, or any employment consulting or agent agreement, with it. |
(c) | It is expressly understood and agreed that although Executive and Company consider the restrictions contained in this Section 9 to be reasonable if a court makes a final judicial determination of competent jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction contained in this Agreement is an unenforceable restriction against Executive, the provisions of this Agreement shall not be rendered void but shall be deemed amended to apply as to such maximum time and territory and to such maximum extent as the court may judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable. Alternatively, if any court of competent jurisdiction finds that any restriction contained in this Agreement is unenforceable, and such restriction cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable, such finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the other restrictions contained herein. |
(d) | Executive expressly understands that in the event of a violation of any period specified in this Section 9, such period shall be extended by a period of time equal to that period beginning with the commencement of any such violation and ending when such violation shall have been finally terminated in good faith. |
10. | Enforcement of Covenants. Executive acknowledges that Executive has carefully read and considered all the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the restraints imposed upon Executive pursuant to Sections 7, 8 and 9, and Executive agrees that these restraints are necessary for the reasonable and proper protection of Company and its successors and assigns and that each and every one of the restraints is reasonable in respect to the subject matter, length of time and geographic area. Executive further acknowledges that, were Executive to breach any of the covenants in Section 7, Section 8 and/or Section 9 the damage to the Company would be irreparable. Executive therefore agrees that Company, in addition to any other remedies available to it, shall be entitled to preliminary and permanent injunctive relief against any breach or threatened breach by Executive of any of the covenants herein, without any requirement to post a bond or similar security. The Parties further agree that in the event that any provision of Section 7, Section 8 and/or Section 9 shall be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable by reason of its being extended over too great a time, too large a geographic area or too great a range of activities, such provision shall be deemed to be modified to permit its enforcement to the maximum extent permitted by law. |
11. | Definitions. Words or phrases that are initially capitalized or within quotation marks shall have the meanings provided in this Section 11 and as provided elsewhere. For purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions apply: |
(a) | “$” refers to U.S. Dollars. |
(b) | “Affiliate” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person (for the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to either: (i) direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise, or (ii) vote at least fifty percent (50%) or more of the securities having voting power for the election of a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar functions) of such Person. |
(c) | “Cause” means if Executive is discharged by Company on account of the occurrence of one or more of the following events: |
(i) | Executive’s continued refusal or failure to perform (other than by reason of Disability) Executive’s material duties and responsibilities to Company if such refusal or failure is not cured within thirty (30) days following written notice of such refusal or failure by Company to Executive, or Executive’s continued refusal or failure to follow any reasonable lawful direction of the Board if such refusal or failure is not cured within thirty (30) days following written notice of such refusal or failure by Company to Executive; |
(ii) | willful, grossly negligent or unlawful misconduct by Executive which causes material harm to Company or its reputation; |
(iii) | the Company is directed in writing by regulatory or governmental authorities to terminate the employment of Executive or Executive engages in activities that: (i) are not approved or authorized by the Board, and (ii) cause actions to be taken by regulatory or governmental authorities that have a material adverse effect on Company; or |
(iv) | a conviction, plea of guilty, or plea of nolo contendere by Executive, of or with respect to a criminal offense which is a felony or other crime involving dishonesty, disloyalty, fraud, embezzlement, theft, or similar action(s) (including, without limitation, acceptance of bribes, kickbacks or self-dealing), or the material breach of Executive’s fiduciary duties with respect to Company. |
(d) | “Change in Control” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events: |
(i) | A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of common stock to the general public through a registration statement filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “Person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, an Executive benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or a “Person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13(d)(3) under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; |
(ii) | The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination, or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions: |
(A) | which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the Person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such Person, the “Successor Entity”) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and |
(B) | after which no Person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no Person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 11(d) as beneficially owning fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction. |
A transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control if its sole purpose is to change the State of the Company’s incorporation or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction.
(e) | “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. |
(f) | “Company” has the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble of this Agreement. |
(g) | “Company Group” shall mean the Company together with any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries. |
(h) | “Compensation Committee” shall mean the committee of the Board designated to make compensation decisions relating to senior executive officers of the Company. |
(i) | “Confidential Information” means any and all nonpublic information of the Company. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, such information relating to (i) the development, research, testing, manufacturing, marketing, and financial activities of the Company, (ii) the Services, (iii) the costs, sources of supply, financial performance, and strategic and/or business plans of Company, (iv) the identity and special needs of the customers and prospective customers of Company, and (v) the people and organizations with whom Company has business relationships and those relationships. Confidential Information also includes any information that Company has received, or may receive hereafter, belonging to customers or others with any understanding, express or implied, that the information would not be disclosed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Confidential Information” does not include (x) any information that is or becomes generally known to the industry or the public through no wrongful act of Executive or any representative of Executive and (y) any information that is made legitimately available to Executive by a third Party without breach of any confidentiality obligation. |
(j) | “Disability” means Executive’s inability, due to any illness, injury, accident or condition of either a physical or psychological nature, to substantially perform Executive’s duties and responsibilities hereunder for a period of one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days, or for any one hundred and eighty (180) days during any period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) consecutive calendar days, exclusive of any leave Executive may take under the Family and Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (“FMLA”) or as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq. (“ADA”). |
(k) | “Final Compensation” means the amount equal to the sum of: (i) the Base Salary earned but not paid through the date of termination of employment, payable not later than the next scheduled payroll date, (ii) any business and related expenses and allowances incurred by Executive or to which Executive is entitled under Section 4(g) but unreimbursed on the date of termination of employment; provided that with respect to business expenses unreimbursed under Section 4(g), such expenses and required substantiation and documentation are submitted within one hundred eighty (180) days of termination in the case of termination on account of Executive’s death, or thirty (30) days on account of termination for any reason other than death, and that such expenses are reimbursable under Company’s applicable reimbursement policy, and (iii) any other supplemental compensation, insurance, retirement or other benefits due and payable or otherwise required to be provided under Section 4 in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plan or agreement. |
(l) | “Good Reason” means, without Executive’s express written consent: (i) a material reduction in the Base Salary, then in effect, except a material diminution generally affecting all of the members of the Company’s management, (ii) a material reduction in job title, position or responsibility, or (iii) a material breach of any term or condition contained in this Agreement. However, none of the foregoing events or conditions will constitute “Good Reason” unless (i) Executive provides Company with written notice of the existence of Good Reason within ninety (90) days following the occurrence thereof, (ii) Company does not reverse or otherwise cure the event or condition within thirty (30) days of receiving that written notice, and (iii) Executive resigns Executive’s employment within thirty (30) days following the expiration of that cure period. |
(m) | “Intellectual Property” means inventions, discoveries, developments, methods, processes, compositions, works, concepts and ideas (whether or not patentable or copyrightable or constituting trade secrets) conceived, made, created, developed or reduced to practice by Executive (whether alone or with others, whether or not during normal business hours or on or off Company premises) during Executive’s employment that relate to either the Services or any prospective activity of Company or that make use of Confidential Information or any of the equipment or facilities of Company. |
(n) | “Person” means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a partnership, an estate, a trust, and any other entity or organization other than Company. |
(o) | “Sale of Company” means the sale of Company to an independent third Party or group of independent third Parties pursuant to which such Party or Parties acquire: (i) equity interests possessing the voting power under normal circumstances to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or similar governing body of Company (whether by merger, consolidation or sale or transfer of such equity interests), or (ii) all or substantially all of Company’s assets determined on a consolidated basis. |
(p) | “Services” means all services planned, researched, developed, tested, manufactured, sold, licensed, leased or otherwise distributed or put into use by Company, together with all products provided or planned by Company, during Executive’s employment. |
(q) | “Severance Period” shall mean that number of years or partial years following termination of Executive’s employment equal to the number of years or partial years of Base Salary that the Executive receives under Section 5(f). |
(r) | “Term End Date” shall mean the last day of the Term of this Employment Agreement. |
12. | Withholding. All payments made by Company under this Agreement may be reduced by any tax or other amounts required to be withheld by Company under applicable law or by any amounts authorized in writing by Executive. |
13. | Assignment. Neither Company nor Executive may make any assignment of this Agreement or any interest herein, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other; provided, however, that Company may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement without the consent of Executive in the event of a Sale of Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon Company and Executive, their respective successors, executors, administrators, heirs and permitted assigns. |
14. | Compliance with Code Section 409A. |
(a) | Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, Executive’s employment will be deemed to have terminated on the date of Executive “separation from service” (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(h)) with Company. |
(b) | It is intended that this Agreement will comply with Section 409A of the Code, and any regulations and guideline issued thereunder (“Section 409A”) to the extent that any compensation and benefits provided hereunder constitute deferred compensation subject to Section 409A. This Agreement shall be interpreted on a basis consistent with this intent. The Parties will negotiate in good faith to amend this Agreement as necessary to comply with Section 409A in a manner that preserves the original intent of the Parties to the extent reasonably possible. No action or failure to act, pursuant to this Section 14 shall subject Company to any claim, liability, or expense, and Company shall not have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise protect Executive from the obligation to pay any taxes pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. |
(c) | For purposes of the application of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4)(or any successor provision), each payment in a series of payments will be deemed a separate payment. |
(d) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any amount or benefit that would constitute non-exempt “deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code would otherwise be payable or distributable under this Agreement by reason of Executive’s separation from service during a period in which Executive is a “specified Executive” (as defined under Code Section 409A and the final regulations thereunder), then, subject to any permissible acceleration of payment by Company under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ii) (domestic relations order), (j)(4)(iii) (conflicts of interest), or (j)(4)(vi) (payment of employment taxes): |
(i) | if the payment or distribution is payable in a lump sum, the Executive’s right to receive payment or distribution of such non-exempt deferred compensation will be delayed until the earlier of Executive’s death or the first day of the seventh month following Executive’s separation from service; and |
(ii) | if the payment or distribution is payable over time, the amount of such non-exempt deferred compensation that would otherwise be payable during the six months immediately following Executive’s separation from service will be accumulated, and the Executive’s right to receive payment or distribution of such accumulated amount will be delayed until the earlier of Executive’s death or the first day of the seventh month following Executive’s separation from service, whereupon the accumulated amount will be paid or distributed to Executive and the normal payment or distribution schedule for any remaining payments or distributions will resume. |
This Section 14(d) should not be construed to prevent the application of Treas. Reg § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii)(or any successor provision) to amounts payable hereunder (or any portion thereof).
15. | Golden Parachute Limitation. Notwithstanding anything in this Section or elsewhere in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event the payments and benefits payable hereunder to or on behalf of Executive (which the Parties agree will not include any portion of payments allocated to the non-competition and non-solicitation provisions of Section 9) that are classified as payments of reasonable compensation for purposes of Section 280G of the Code, when added to all other amounts and benefits payable to or on behalf of Executive, would result in the loss of a deduction under Code Section 280G, or the imposition of an excise tax under Code Section 4999, the amounts and benefits payable hereunder shall be reduced to such extent as may be necessary to avoid such loss of deduction or imposition of excise tax. In applying this principle, the reduction shall be made in a manner consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A and where two or more economically equivalent amounts are subject to reduction, but payable at different times, such amounts shall be reduced on a pro-rata basis. All calculations required to be made under this subsection will be made by the Company’s independent public accountants, subject to the right of Executive’s professional advisors to review the same. The Parties recognize that the actual implementation of the provisions of this subsection are complex and agree to deal with each other in good faith to resolve any questions or disagreements arising hereunder. |
16. | Successors. |
(a) | Company’s Successors. Subject to Section 5(f), any successor to the Company (whether direct or indirect and whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, liquidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the Company’s business and/or assets shall assume the obligations under this Agreement and agree expressly to perform the obligations under this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent as the Company would be required to perform such obligations in the absence of a succession. For all purposes under this Agreement, the term “Company” shall include any successor to the Company’s business and/or assets which executes and delivers the assumption agreement described in this Section 16 or which becomes bound by the terms of this Agreement by operation of law. |
(b) | Executive’s Successors. The terms of this Agreement and all rights of Executive hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, Executive’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees |
17. | Clawback Provisions. Any amounts payable under this Agreement are subject to any policy (whether in existence as of the Effective Date or later adopted) established by the Company providing for clawback or recovery of amounts that were paid to the Executive. The Company will make any determination for clawback or recovery in its sole discretion and in accordance with any applicable law or regulation. |
18. | Indemnification. Company will indemnify Executive to the fullest extent permitted by law, for all amounts (including, without limitation, judgments, fines, settlement payments, expenses and reasonable out-of-pocket attorneys’ fees) incurred or paid by Executive in connection with any action, suit, investigation or proceeding, or threatened action, suit, investigation or proceeding, arising out of or relating to the performance by Executive of services for, or the acting by Executive as a director, officer or Executive of, Company, or any subsidiary of Company. Any fees or other necessary expenses incurred by Executive in defending any such action, suit, investigation or proceeding shall be paid by Company in advance, subject to Company’s right to seek repayment from Executive if a determination is made that Executive was not entitled to indemnification. |
19. | Severability. If any portion or provision of this Agreement shall to any extent be declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such portion or provision in the circumstances other than those as to which it is so declared illegal or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each portion and provision of this Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. |
20. | Waiver. No waiver of any provision hereof shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by the waiving Party. The failure of either Party to require the performance of any term or obligation of this Agreement, or the waiver by either Party of any breach of this Agreement, shall not prevent any subsequent enforcement of such term or obligation or be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach. |
21. | Survival. Section 6 through and including Section 32 shall survive and continue in full force in accordance with their terms notwithstanding the termination of Executive’s employment (and hence the Term of this Agreement) for any reason. |
22. | Notices. Any and all notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be effective when delivered in Person, with respect to notices delivered personally, or upon confirmed receipt when delivered by facsimile or deposited with a reputable, nationally recognized overnight courier service and addressed or faxed to Executive at Executive’s last known address on the books of Company or, in the case of Company, at its principal place of business, attention: Secretary, Board of Directors. |
23. | Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties (including with respect to Company, its successors and assigns) with respect to Executive’s employment and supersedes all prior communications, agreements and understandings, written or oral, with respect to the terms and conditions of Executive’s employment. |
24. | Amendment. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written instrument signed by Executive and by an expressly authorized representative of Company. |
25. | Headings. The headings and captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and in no way define or describe the scope or content of any provision of this Agreement. |
26. | Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Furthermore, the delivery of a copy of such signature by facsimile transmission or other electronic exchange methodology shall constitute a valid and binding execution and delivery of this Agreement by such Party, and such electronic copy shall constitute an enforceable original document. Counterpart signatures need not be on the same page and shall be deemed effective upon receipt. |
27. | Additional Obligations. Without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, Executive’s obligations under Section 7, Section 8 and Section 9 are in addition to, and not in limitation of, any obligations that Executive may have under applicable law (including any law regarding trade secrets, duty of loyalty, fiduciary duty, unfair competition, unjust enrichment, slander, libel, conversion, misappropriation and fraud). |
28. | Attorneys’ Fees. In any action or proceeding brought to enforce any provision of this Agreement, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses from the other Party to the action or proceeding. For purposes of this Agreement, the “prevailing Party” shall be deemed to be that Party who obtains substantially the result sought, whether by settlement, mediation, judgment or otherwise, and “attorneys’ fees” shall include, without limitation, the reasonable out-of-pocket attorneys’ fees incurred in retaining counsel for advice, negotiations, suit, appeal or other legal proceeding, including mediation and arbitration. |
29. | Confidentiality. The Parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement and each of its provisions are and shall be treated strictly confidential. During the Term and thereafter, Executive shall not disclose any terms of this Agreement to any Person or entity without the prior written consent of Company, with the exception of Executive’s tax, legal or accounting advisors or for legitimate business purposes of Executive, or as otherwise required by law. |
30. | No Rule of Construction. This Agreement shall be construed to be neither against nor in favor of any Party hereto based upon any Party’s role in drafting this Agreement, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning hereof. |
31. | Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of Florida. |
32. | WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY EXPRESSLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT EITHER MAY HAVE TO A JURY TRIAL CONCERNING ANY CIVIL ACTION THAT MAY ARISE FROM THIS AGREEMENT OR THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES HERETO. |
33. | Conditions. This Agreement and the Executive’s continued employment hereunder is conditional on the Company’s satisfaction (determined in the Company’s sole discretion) that the Executive has met the legal requirements to perform the Executive’s role, including but not limited to satisfactory results of a background and/or credit search or any other applicable security clearance checks and criminal record checks and other reference checks that the Company performs. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that in signing this Agreement, and providing the Company with the necessary documentation to perform the checks required for the Executive’s role and with references, the Executive is providing consent to the Company or its agent, to performs such checks and contact the references the Executive provided to the Company. |
34. | Prior Restrictions. By signing below, the Executive represents that the Executive is not bound by the terms of any agreement with any Person which restricts in any way the Executive’s hiring by the Company and the performance of the Executive’s expected job duties; the Executive also represents that, during the Executive’s employment with the Company, the Executive shall not disclose or make use of any confidential information of any other persons or entities in violation of any of their applicable policies or agreements and/or applicable law. |
35. | Independent Legal Counsel. By signing below, the Executive hereby acknowledges that the Executive has been encouraged to obtain independent legal advice regarding the execution of this Agreement, and that the Executive has either obtained such advice or voluntarily chosen not to do so, and hereby waives any objections or claims the Executive may make resulting from any failure on the Executive’s part to obtain such advice. |
36. | Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original when executed, but all of which taken together shall constitute the same Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by electronic transmission, including in portable document format (.pdf), shall be deemed as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement. |
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed by Company (by its duly authorized representative) and by Executive, as of the date first above written.
JANOVER INC. | |||
By: | |||
Name: | Joseph Onorati | ||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
EXECUTIVE: | |
FEI (JOHN) HAN |
EXHIBIT A
Release of Claims
FOR AND IN CONSIDERATION OF the benefits to be provided me in connection with the termination of my employment, as set forth in that certain Employment Agreement, dated as of April 14, 2025 (the “Agreement”), between me and Janover Inc. (the “Company”), or under any severance pay plan applicable to me, which benefits are conditioned on my signing this Release of Claims and to which I am not otherwise entitled, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, I, on my own behalf and on behalf of my heirs, executors, administrators, beneficiaries, representatives and assigns, and all others connected with me, hereby release and forever discharge Company and any of its subsidiaries and Affiliates (as that term is defined in Section 11(b) of the Agreement) and all of their respective past, present and future officers, directors, trustees, equity holders, executives, agents, managers, joint venturers, representatives, successors and assigns, and all others connected with any of them (collectively, the “Released Parties”), both individually and in their official capacities, from any and all causes of action, rights and claims of any type or description, known or unknown, which I have had in the past, now have, or might now have, through the date of my signing of this Release of Claims, in any way resulting from, arising out of or connected with my employment by the Company or any of its Affiliates or the termination of that employment, including, but not limited to, any allegation, claim or violation arising under: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (including the Older Worker Benefit Protection Act); the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act; Executive Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; the Fair Labor Standards Act; any applicable Executive Orders; or their state or local counterparts; or under any other federal, state or local civil or human rights law, or under any other federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance; or under any public policy, contract or tort, or under common law; or arising under any policies, practices or procedures of the Company; or any claim for wrongful discharge, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress or defamation; or any claim for costs, fees or other expenses, including attorneys’ fees incurred in these matters (all of the foregoing collectively referred to herein as “Claims”), other than (i) the right to payment of any vested or accrued benefits under any supplemental compensation, insurance, retirement and/or other benefit plan or agreement applicable to Executive, (ii) the right to payment of any amounts owed to me by Company pursuant to Section 5 of the Agreement, (iii) any rights under applicable workers compensation or unemployment compensation laws, (iv) any rights that survive termination of my employment pursuant to an restricted stock units/options grant agreement or certificate to purchase the Company’s (or an Affiliate’s) capital stock, (v) any rights with respect to the Company’s (or an Affiliate’s) capital stock owned by Executive, or (vi) any rights to indemnification under the Agreement, the Company’s by-laws or any other applicable law.
In signing this Release of Claims, I acknowledge my understanding that I may not sign it prior to the termination of my employment, but that I may consider the terms of this Release of Claims for up to twenty-one (21) days (or such longer period as the Company may specify) from the later of the date my employment with the Company terminates or the date I receive this Release of Claims. I also acknowledge that I am advised by the Company and its Affiliates to seek the advice of an attorney prior to signing this Release of Claims; that I have had sufficient time to consider this Release of Claims and to consult with an attorney, if I wished to do so, or to consult with any other Person of my choosing before signing; and that I am signing this Release of Claims voluntarily and with a full understanding of its terms.
I represent that I have not filed against the Released Parties any complaints, charges, or lawsuits arising out of my employment, or any other matter arising on or prior to the date of this Release of Claims, and covenant and agree that I will never individually or with any Person file, or commence the filing of, any charges, lawsuits, complaints or proceedings with any governmental agency, or against the Released Parties with respect to any of the matters released by me pursuant to this Release of Claims.
I further acknowledge that, in signing this Release of Claims, I have not relied on any promises or representations, express or implied, that are not set forth expressly in the Agreement. I understand that I may revoke this Release of Claims at any time within seven (7) days of the date of my signing by written notice to the Secretary, Board of Directors of the Company (or such other Person as the Company may specify by notice to me given in accordance with the Agreement) and that this Release of Claims will take effect only upon the expiration of such seven-day revocation period and only if I have not timely revoked it.
Intending to be legally bound, I have signed this Release of Claims as of the date written below.
Signature: | ||
Name: | ||
Date Signed: |
A-1
Exhibit 99.1
April 22, 2025
Janover Inc. Announces Corporate Name Change to DeFi Development Corporation
BOCA RATON, FL — April 22, 2025 — Janover Inc. (Nasdaq: JNVR) today announced that it has officially changed its corporate name to DeFi Development Corporation, reflecting its evolution into a crypto treasury vehicle designed for public market investors.
In connection with the name change, the Company will change its ticker to the symbol “DFDV” on the Nasdaq at a future date.
“This marks the beginning of a new chapter for the business,” said Joseph Onorati, Chief Executive Officer of DeFi Development Corporation. “Our mission is to bring transparent, crypto-native capital allocation into the public markets — and this name change reflects that commitment.”
To accompany the transition, the Company will also be launching a new website — www.defidevcorp.com — which will feature key treasury disclosures, including current Solana (SOL) balances, SOL per share (“SPS”), and other key metrics that provide public market investors with clear visibility into treasury positioning.
The name and future ticker change do not affect the Company’s legal structure, business operations, or existing financial reporting obligations. Shareholders are not required to take any action in connection with the change.
Further updates will be provided via regular press releases and regulatory filings.
About DeFi Development Corporation
DeFi Development Corporation, formerly Janover Inc. (Nasdaq: JNVR), has adopted a treasury policy under which the principal holding in its treasury reserve on the balance sheet will be allocated to Solana (SOL). In adopting its new treasury policy, the Company intends to provide investors a way to access the Solana ecosystem. The Company’s treasury policy is expected to provide investors economic exposure to SOL investment.
We are an AI-powered online platform that connects the commercial real estate industry by providing data and software subscriptions as well as value-add services to multifamily and commercial property professionals as we connect the increasingly complex ecosystem that stakeholders have to manage.
We currently serve more than one million web users annually, including multifamily and commercial property owners and developers applying for billions of dollars of debt financing per year, professional service providers, and thousands of multifamily and commercial property lenders including more than 10% of the banks in America, credit unions, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), debt funds, Fannie Mae® and Freddie Mac® multifamily lenders, FHA multifamily lenders, commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) lenders, Small Business Administration (“SBA”) lenders, and more. Our data and software offerings are generally offered on a subscription basis as software as a service (“SaaS”).
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,”, “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: (i) fluctuations in the market price of SOL and any associated impairment charges that the Company may incur as a result of a decrease in the market price of SOL below the value at which the Company’s SOL are carried on its balance sheet; (ii) the effect of and uncertainties related the ongoing volatility in interest rates; (iii) our ability to achieve and maintain profitability in the future; (iv) the impact on our business of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment including changes in securities laws or other laws or regulations; (v) changes in the accounting treatment relating to the Company’s SOL holdings; (vi) our ability to respond to general economic conditions; (vii) our ability to manage our growth effectively and our expectations regarding the development and expansion of our business; (viii) our ability to access sources of capital, including debt financing and other sources of capital to finance operations and growth and (ix) other risks and uncertainties more fully in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports we file with the SEC. As a result of these matters, changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from the expected results discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.
Investor Contact:
ir@defidevcorp.com
Media Contact:
Prosek Partners
pro-ddc@prosek.com
Exhibit 99.2
April 23, 2025
DeFi Development Corporation Appoints John Han as Chief Financial Officer
BOCA RATON, FL — April 23, 2025 — DeFi Development Corporation (Nasdaq: JNVR) (the “Company”) today announced the appointment of Fei “John” Han as Chief Financial Officer, as well as Dan Kang (“DK”) as Head of Investor Relations. The new appointments underscore the Company’s commitment to building a world-class financial and investor relations function as it scales its crypto-forward treasury strategy.
Han brings over 15 years of experience across traditional finance and crypto, with a track record of leadership at some of the crypto industry’s most recognized institutions. Most recently, he served as CFO at blockchain-company Provable, and prior to that, held multiple senior roles at Binance including Vice President of Finance and Head of Finance for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, LATAM, and Canada. Earlier in his career, he led Strategic Finance at Kraken, where he worked closely with Parker White and Joseph Onorati and played a key role in scaling the business during a period of rapid growth. Han began his career in equity research at Goldman Sachs and later served as an investor at Nezu Asia Capital and Driehaus Capital.
“John brings a rare combination of traditional financial rigor and deep crypto expertise,” said Joseph Onorati, CEO of DeFi Development Corporation. “We’re building a new kind of capital markets structure, and he’s exactly the person we want steering our financial strategy. Having worked closely with him in the past, I’m thrilled to be partnering again on this next chapter.”
Kang, who joins as Head of Investor Relations, brings more than a decade of experience across strategy, institutional investing, and capital markets. He was most recently Head of Strategy at Kraken, where he spent three years on the corporate strategy team and worked alongside White and Onorati. Prior to Kraken, he spent nearly a decade in long/short equity investing, covering TMT stocks, with additional experience at Snap Inc. in Strategy & Corporate Development, and as a credit risk analyst at Morgan Stanley.
Former CFO Bruce Rosenbloom will remain with the Company as EVP of Finance to leverage his 25 years of public market experience and assist with the Company’s transition. “I’m excited for our next chapter and for the opportunity to work along-side such an impressive team,” said Bruce Rosenbloom, EVP of Finance.
“Bruce has been instrumental in guiding us through our public company journey and helping lay the groundwork for our evolution,” said Blake Janover, Chief Commercial Officer. “He’s been a steady hand through major milestones, and we’re deeply grateful for his past and future contributions.”
The Company’s financial leadership also continues to benefit from the guidance of Audit Committee Chair Bill Caragol, who brings decades of public company experience and remains an active member of the Company’s Board. A longtime executive and former public company CEO and CFO, Caragol plays an important role in supporting the Company’s governance, controls, and financial oversight.
These additions reflect DeFi Development Corporation’s deep bench of expertise in both digital assets and public markets. The Company’s finance and investor relations team brings together institutional experience from leading crypto firms, global investment banks, and high-growth public companies — a key differentiator that strengthens the Company’s position as a trusted, transparent, and execution-oriented player in the space.
About DeFi Development Corporation
DeFi Development Corporation (Nasdaq: JNVR) has adopted a treasury policy under which the principal holding in its treasury reserve on the balance sheet will be allocated to Solana (SOL). In adopting its new treasury policy, the Company intends to provide investors a way to access the Solana ecosystem. The Company’s treasury policy is expected to provide investors economic exposure to SOL investment.
We are an AI-powered online platform that connects the commercial real estate industry by providing data and software subscriptions as well as value-add services to multifamily and commercial property professionals as we connect the increasingly complex ecosystem that stakeholders have to manage.
We currently serve more than one million web users annually, including multifamily and commercial property owners and developers applying for billions of dollars of debt financing per year, professional service providers, and thousands of multifamily and commercial property lenders including more than 10% of the banks in America, credit unions, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), debt funds, Fannie Mae® and Freddie Mac® multifamily lenders, FHA multifamily lenders, commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) lenders, Small Business Administration (“SBA”) lenders, and more. Our data and software offerings are generally offered on a subscription basis as software as a service (“SaaS”).
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,”, “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: (i) fluctuations in the market price of SOL and any associated impairment charges that the Company may incur as a result of a decrease in the market price of SOL below the value at which the Company’s SOL are carried on its balance sheet; (ii) the effect of and uncertainties related the ongoing volatility in interest rates; (iii) our ability to achieve and maintain profitability in the future; (iv) the impact on our business of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment including changes in securities laws or other laws or regulations; (v) changes in the accounting treatment relating to the Company’s SOL holdings; (vi) our ability to respond to general economic conditions; (vii) our ability to manage our growth effectively and our expectations regarding the development and expansion of our business; (viii) our ability to access sources of capital, including debt financing and other sources of capital to finance operations and growth and (ix) other risks and uncertainties more fully in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports we file with the SEC. As a result of these matters, changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from the expected results discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.
Investor Contact:
ir@defidevcorp.com
Media Contact:
Prosek Partners
pro-ddc@prosek.com