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Article 7 - Shareholders

      (805 ILCS 5/Art. 7 heading)ARTICLE 7. SHAREHOLDERS

    (805 ILCS 5/7.05)(from Ch. 32, par. 7.05)
    Sec. 7.05. Meetings of shareholders. Meetings of shareholders may be held either within or without this State, as may be provided in the by‑laws or in a resolution of the board of directors pursuant to authority granted in the by‑laws. In the absence of any such provision, all meetings shall be held at the registered office of the corporation in this State.
    An annual meeting of the shareholders shall be held at such time as may be provided in the by‑laws or in a resolution of the board of directors pursuant to authority granted in the by‑laws. Failure to hold the annual meeting at the designated time shall not work a forfeiture or dissolution of the corporation nor affect the validity of corporate action. If an annual meeting has not been held within the earlier of six months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year or fifteen months after its last annual meeting and if, after a request in writing directed to the president of the corporation, a notice of meeting is not given within 60 days of such request, then any shareholder entitled to vote at an annual meeting may apply to the circuit court of the county in which the registered office or principal place of business of the corporation is located for an order directing that the meeting be held and fixing the time and place of the meeting. The court may issue such additional orders as may be necessary or appropriate for the holding of the meeting.
    Unless specifically prohibited by the articles of incorporation or by‑laws, a corporation may allow shareholders to participate in and act at any meeting of the shareholders through the use of a conference telephone or interactive technology, including but not limited to electronic transmission, Internet usage, or remote communication, by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. A shareholder entitled to vote at a meeting of the shareholders shall be permitted to attend the meeting where space permits, and subject to the corporation's by‑laws and rules governing the conduct of the meeting and the power of the chairman to regulate the orderly conduct of the meeting. Participation in such meeting shall constitute attendance and presence in person at the meeting of the person or persons so participating.
    Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the president, by the board of directors, by the holders of not less than one‑fifth of all the outstanding shares entitled to vote on the matter for which the meeting is called or by such other officers or persons as may be provided in the articles of incorporation or the by‑laws.
(Source: P.A. 94‑655, eff. 1‑1‑06.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.10) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.10)     Sec. 7.10. Informal action by shareholders. (a) Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or Section 12.10 of this Act, any action required by this Act to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders of a corporation, or any other action which may be taken at a meeting of the shareholders, may be taken without a meeting and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed (i) by the holders of outstanding shares 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 voting or (ii) by all of the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof. If such consent is signed by less than all of the shareholders entitled to vote, then such consent shall become effective only if at least 5 days prior to the execution of the consent a notice in writing is delivered to all the shareholders entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof and, after the effective date of the consent, prompt notice of the taking of the corporation action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be delivered in writing to those shareholders who have not consented in writing.     (b) In the event that the action which is consented to is such as would have required the filing of a certificate under any other Section of this Act if such action had been voted on by the shareholders at a meeting thereof, the certificate filed under such other Section shall state, in lieu of any statement required by such Section concerning any vote of shareholders, that written consent has been delivered in accordance with the provisions of this Section and that written notice has been delivered as provided in this Section. (Source: P.A. 84‑924.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.15) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.15)     Sec. 7.15. Notice of shareholders' meetings. Written notice stating the place, day, and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting, or in the case of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale, lease or exchange of assets not less than 20 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting, either personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the president, or the secretary, or the officer or persons calling the meeting, to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at his or her address as it appears on the records of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.20) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.20)     Sec. 7.20. Waiver of notice. Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under the provisions of this Act or under the provisions of the articles of incorporation or by‑laws of any corporation, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of notice thereof unless the person at the meeting objects to the holding of the meeting because proper notice was not given. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.25) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.25)     Sec. 7.25. Fixing record date. For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose, the board of directors of a corporation may fix in advance a date as the record date for any such determination of shareholders, such date in any case to be not more than 60 days and, for a meeting of shareholders, not less than 10 days, or in the case of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, dissolution or sale, lease or exchange of assets, not less than 20 days, immediately preceding such meeting. If no record date is fixed for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the board of directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of shareholders. When a determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been made as provided in this Section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof. In lieu of the board of directors from time to time establishing record dates, the by‑laws of the corporation may establish a mechanism for determining record dates in all or specified instances. (Source: P.A. 84‑924.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.30) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.30)     Sec. 7.30. Voting lists. The officer or agent having charge of the transfer book for shares of a corporation shall make, within 20 days after the record date for a meeting of shareholders or 10 days before such meeting, whichever is earlier, a complete list of the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, with the address of and the number of shares held by each, which list, for a period of 10 days prior to such meeting, shall be kept on file at the registered office of the corporation and shall be subject to inspection by any shareholder, and to copying at the shareholder's expense, at any time during usual business hours. Such list shall also be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and shall be subject to the inspection of any shareholder during the whole time of the meeting. The original share ledger or transfer book, or a duplicate thereof kept in this State, shall be prima facie evidence as to who are the shareholders entitled to examine such list or share ledger or transfer book or to vote at any meeting of shareholders.     Failure to comply with the requirements of this Section shall not affect the validity of any action taken at such meeting.     An officer or agent having charge of the transfer books who shall fail to prepare the list of shareholders, or keep the same on file for a period of 10 days, or produce and keep the same open for inspection at the meeting, as provided in this Section, shall be liable to any shareholder suffering damage on account of such failure, to the extent of such damage. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.35) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.35)     Sec. 7.35. Inspectors. At any meeting of shareholders, the chairman of the meeting may, or upon the request of any shareholder shall, appoint one or more persons as inspectors for such meeting, unless an inspector or inspectors shall have been previously appointed for such meeting in the manner provided by the by‑laws of the corporation.     Such inspectors shall ascertain and report the number of shares represented at the meeting, based upon their determination of the validity and effect of proxies; count all votes and report the results; and do such other acts as are proper to conduct the election and voting with impartiality and fairness to all the shareholders.     Each report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by him or her or by a majority of them if there be more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.40) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.40)     Sec. 7.40. Voting of shares.     (a) Subject to subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this Section 7.40, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote in each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders, and except as specifically provided in Section 8.30, in all elections for directors, every shareholder shall have the right to vote the number of shares owned by such shareholder for as many persons as there are directors to be elected, or to cumulate such votes and give one candidate as many votes as shall equal the number of directors multiplied by the number of such shares or to distribute such cumulative votes in any proportion among any number of candidates. A shareholder may vote either in person or by proxy subject to the provisions of Section 7.50.     (b) The articles of incorporation of any corporation incorporated after December 31, 1981, may limit or eliminate cumulative voting rights in all or specified circumstances, or may limit or deny voting rights or may provide special voting rights as to any class or classes or series of shares of such corporation.     (c) A corporation may amend its articles of incorporation to limit or eliminate cumulative voting rights in all or specified circumstances, or to limit or deny voting rights or to provide special voting rights as to any class or classes or series of shares of such corporation.     (d) If the articles of incorporation provide for more or less than one vote for any share on any matter, every reference in this Act to a majority or other proportion greater than a majority of shares shall refer to that majority or other proportion greater than a majority of the votes of the shares. (Source: P.A. 89‑48, eff. 6‑23‑95.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.45) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.45)     Sec. 7.45. Voting of shares by certain holders. Shares of a corporation held by the corporation in a fiduciary capacity may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to vote at any given time.     Shares registered in the name of another corporation, domestic or foreign, may be voted by any officer agent, proxy or other legal representative authorized to vote such shares under the law of incorporation of such corporation. A corporation may treat the president or other person holding the position of chief executive officer of such other corporation as authorized to vote such shares, together with any other person indicated and any other holder of an office indicated by the corporate shareholder to the corporation as a person or an office authorized to vote such shares. Such persons and offices indicated shall be registered by the corporation on the transfer books for shares and included in any voting list prepared in accordance with Section 7.30 of this Act.     Shares registered in the name of a deceased person, a minor ward or a person under legal disability may be voted by his or her administrator, executor, or court appointed guardian, either in person or by proxy without a transfer of such shares into the name of such administrator, executor, or court appointed guardian. Shares registered in the name of a trustee may be voted by him or her, either in person or by proxy.     Shares registered in the name of a receiver may be voted by such receiver, and shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by such receiver without the transfer thereof into his or her name if authority so to do is contained in an appropriate order of the court by which such receiver was appointed.     A shareholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, and thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote the shares so transferred. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.50) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.50)     Sec. 7.50. Proxies.     (a) A shareholder may appoint a proxy to vote or otherwise act for him or her by delivering a valid appointment form to the person so appointed or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization, or like agent duly authorized by the person or persons to receive the transmission. Without limiting the manner in which a shareholder may appoint such a proxy pursuant to this Section 7.50, the following shall constitute valid means by which a shareholder may make such an appointment:         (1) A shareholder may sign a proxy appointment form.

The shareholder's signature may be affixed by any reasonable means, including, but not limited to, by facsimile signature.

(2) A shareholder may transmit or authorize the

transmission of a telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission; provided that any such transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram, or other electronic transmission was authorized by the shareholder. If it is determined that the telegram, cablegram, or other electronic transmission is valid, the inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information upon which they relied.

Any copy, facsimile telecommunication, or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that the copy, facsimile telecommunication, or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.     (b) No proxy shall be valid after the expiration of 11 months from the date thereof unless otherwise provided in the proxy. Every proxy continues in full force and effect until revoked by the person executing it prior to the vote pursuant thereto, except as otherwise provided in this Section. Such revocation may be effected by a writing delivered to the corporation stating that the proxy is revoked or by a subsequent proxy executed by, or by attendance at the meeting and voting in person by, the person executing the proxy. The dates contained on the forms of proxy presumptively determine the order of execution, regardless of the postmark dates on the envelopes in which they are mailed.     (c) An appointment of a proxy is revocable by the shareholder unless the appointment form conspicuously states that it is irrevocable and the appointment is coupled with an interest in the shares or in the corporation generally. By way of example and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a proxy is coupled with an interest when the proxy appointed is one of the following:         (1) a pledgee;         (2) a person who has purchased or has agreed to

purchase the shares;

(3) a creditor of the corporation who has extended

it credit under terms requiring the appointment, if the appointment states the purpose for which it was given, the name of the creditor, and the amount of credit extended;

(4) an employee of the corporation whose employment

contract requires the appointment, if the appointment states the purpose for which it was given, the name of the employee, and the period of employment; or

(5) a party to a voting agreement created under

Section 7.70.

(d) The death or incapacity of the shareholder appointing a proxy does not revoke the proxy's authority unless notice of the death or incapacity is received by the officer or agent who maintains the corporation's share transfer book before the proxy exercises his or her authority under the appointment.     (e) An appointment made irrevocable under subsection (c) becomes revocable when the interest in the proxy terminates such as when the pledge is redeemed, the shares are registered in the purchaser's name, the creditor's debt is paid, the employment contract ends, or the voting agreement expires.     (f) A transferee for value of shares subject to an irrevocable appointment may revoke the appointment if the transferee was ignorant of its existence when the shares were acquired and both the existence of the appointment and its irrevocability were not noted conspicuously on the certificate (or information statement for shares without certificates) representing the shares.     (g) Unless the appointment of a proxy contains an express limitation on the proxy's authority, a corporation may accept the proxy's vote or other action as that of the shareholder making the appointment. If the proxy appointed fails to vote or otherwise act in accordance with the appointment, the shareholder is entitled to such legal or equitable relief as is appropriate in the circumstances. (Source: P.A. 90‑666, eff. 7‑30‑98.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.55) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.55)     Sec. 7.55. Proxy solicitation. No proxy shall be solicited by means of any communication containing a statement which, at the time and in the light of the circumstances under which it is made, is false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or which omits to state any material fact necessary in order that the statements made not be false or misleading. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.60) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.60)     Sec. 7.60. Quorum of shareholders. Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation, a majority of votes of the shares, entitled to vote on a matter, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for consideration of such matter at a meeting of shareholders, but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one‑third of the votes of the shares entitled so to vote. If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes of the shares represented at the meeting and entitled to vote on a matter shall be the act of the shareholders, unless a greater number of votes or voting by classes is required by this Act or the articles of incorporation. The articles of incorporation may require any number or percent greater than a majority of votes up to and including a requirement of unanimity to constitute a quorum. (Source: P.A. 89‑48, eff. 6‑23‑95.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.65) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.65)     Sec. 7.65. Voting trust.     (a) One or more shareholders may create a voting trust for the purpose of conferring upon a trustee or trustees the right to vote or otherwise represent their shares for a stated duration, which may be perpetual or for a fixed period or may be determined by the occurrence of a stated condition or conditions, by entering into a written voting trust agreement specifying the terms and conditions of the voting trust, and by transferring the subject shares to such trustee or trustees pursuant to the agreement. If the agreement or any amendment thereto does not contain a stated duration, the trust shall terminate 10 years after the agreement first became effective.     (b) No voting trust agreement shall be effective until a counterpart of the agreement is deposited at the corporation's registered office. The counterpart of the voting trust agreement so deposited shall be subject to examination as provided in Section 7.75 by any holder of a beneficial interest in the voting trust as if that holder were a shareholder.     (c) The rule against perpetuities does not apply to any voting trust created in accordance with this Section.     (d) Every voting trust agreement entered into pursuant to this Section is specifically enforceable in accordance with the principles of equity.     (e) The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly apply only to voting trust agreements that are:         (1) entered into after the effective date of this

amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly; or

(2) amended after the effective date of this

amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly to include a stated duration in accordance with subsection (a).

(Source: P.A. 91‑527, eff. 1‑1‑00.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.70) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.70)     Sec. 7.70. Voting agreements. (a) Shareholders may provide for the voting of their shares by signing an agreement for that purpose. A voting agreement created under this Section is not subject to the provisions of Section 7.65.     (b) A voting agreement created under this Section is specifically enforceable in accordance with the principles of equity. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.71) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.71)     Sec. 7.71. Shareholder agreements.     (a) Shareholders may unanimously agree in writing as to matters concerning the management of a corporation provided no fraud or apparent injury to the public or creditors is present, and no clearly prohibitory statutory language is violated.     (b) An agreement created pursuant to this Section is ineffective against any shareholder not a party to the agreement unless:         (1) such shareholder had actual knowledge of the

agreement at the time of becoming a shareholder; or

(2) the existence of the agreement is conspicuously

referred to (i) on the certificate representing the security; or (ii) on the notice sent pursuant to Section 6.35 in the case of any uncertificated security.

(c) No agreement created pursuant to this Section shall be invalid as between the parties thereto, or shall subject employees, officers, directors or shareholders to personal liability for corporation liabilities, on the basis that the agreement:         (1) is an attempt to treat the corporation as if it

were a partnership or to arrange the shareholders' relationship in a manner that would be appropriate only between partners; or

(2) so relates to the conduct of the affairs of the

corporation as to interfere with the discretion of the board of directors.

(d) Any agreement created pursuant to this Section is specifically enforceable in accordance with the principles of equity.     (e) This Section is cumulative and does not limit any statute or rule of common law that is otherwise applicable to any corporation, whenever formed. (Source: P.A. 86‑1328.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.75) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.75)     Sec. 7.75. Corporate records ‑ Examination by shareholders. (a) Each corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of its shareholders and board of directors and committees thereof; and shall keep at its registered office or principal place of business in this State, or at the office of a transfer agent or registrar in this State, a record of its shareholders, giving the names and addresses of all shareholders and the number and class of the shares held by each. A record of shareholders certified by an officer or transfer agent shall be competent evidence in all courts of this State.     (b) Any person who is a shareholder of record shall have the right to examine, in person or by agent, at any reasonable time or times, the corporation's books and records of account, minutes, voting trust agreements filed with the corporation and record of shareholders, and to make extracts therefrom, but only for a proper purpose. In order to exercise this right, a shareholder must make written demand upon the corporation, stating with particularity the records sought to be examined and the purpose therefor.     (c) If the corporation refuses examination, the shareholder may file suit in the circuit court of the county in which either the registered agent or principal office of the corporation is located to compel by mandamus or otherwise such examination as may be proper. If a shareholder seeks to examine books or records of account the burden of proof is upon the shareholder to establish a proper purpose. If the purpose is to examine minutes or the record of shareholders or a voting trust agreement, the burden of proof is upon the corporation to establish that the shareholder does not have a proper purpose.     (d) Any officer, or agent, or a corporation which shall refuse to allow any shareholder or his or her agent so to examine and make extracts from its books and records of accounts, minutes and records of shareholders, for any proper purpose, shall be liable to such shareholder, in a penalty of up to ten per cent of the value of the shares owned by such shareholder, in addition to any other damages or remedy afforded him or her by law. It shall be a defense to any action for penalties under this Section that the person suing therefor has within two years sold or offered for sale any list of shareholders of such corporation or any other corporation or has aided or abetted any person in procuring any list of shareholders for any such purpose, or has improperly used any information secured through any prior examination of the books and records of account, or minutes, or records of shareholders of such corporation or any other corporation.     (e) Upon the written request of any shareholder of a corporation, the corporation shall mail to such shareholder within 14 days after receipt of such request a balance sheet as of the close of its latest fiscal year and a profit and loss statement for such fiscal year; provided that if such request is received by the corporation before such financial statements are available, the corporation shall mail such financial statements within 14 days after they become available, but in any event within 120 days after the close of its latest fiscal year. (Source: P.A. 84‑924.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.80) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.80)     Sec. 7.80. Provisions relating to actions by shareholders. (a) No action shall be brought in this State by a shareholder in the right of a domestic or foreign corporation unless the plaintiff was a shareholder of record at the time of the transaction of which he or she complains, or his or her shares or voting trust certificates thereafter devolved upon him or her by operation of law from a person who was a holder at such time; provided, however, that a shareholder who does not meet such requirement may nevertheless be allowed in the discretion of the court to bring such action on a preliminary showing to and determination by the court, upon motion and after a hearing at which the court may consider such evidence by affidavit or testimony as it deems material, that plaintiff acquired the shares before there was disclosure to the public or to the plaintiff of the wrongdoing of which plaintiff complains.     (b) A complaint in a proceeding brought in the right of a corporation must allege with particularity the demand made, if any, to obtain action by the directors and either why the complainant could not obtain the action or why he or she did not make the demand. If a demand for action was made and the corporation's investigation of the demand is in progress when the proceeding is filed, the court may stay the suit for thirty days or until the investigation is completed, whichever is less.     (c) A proceeding commenced under this Section may not be discontinued or settled without the court's approval. If the court determines that a proposed discontinuance or settlement will substantially affect the interest of the corporation's shareholders or a class of shareholders, the court may direct that notice be given the shareholders affected. (Source: P.A. 83‑1025.)

(805 ILCS 5/7.85) (from Ch. 32, par. 7.85)     Sec. 7.85. Vote required for certain business combinations.     A. This Section shall apply to any domestic corporation that (i) has any equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or is subject to Section 15(d) of that Act (a "reporting company") and (ii) any domestic corporation other than one described in (i) that either specifically adopts this Section 7.85 in its original articles of incorporation or amends its articles of incorporation to specifically adopt this Section 7.85, however, the restrictions contained in this Section shall not apply in the event of any of the following:         (1) In case of a reporting company, the

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