ARTICLE VII: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
[Effective dates of amendments: February 10, 1983; November 27, 1984; February 7, 1986; January 22, 1988; July 19, 1988; January 1, 1990; August 2, 1990; September 8, 1992; October 16, 1992; August 16, 1993; January 21, 1994; October 24, 1994; July 23, 1996; May 1, 1998; January 22, 2001; October 15, 2001; October 9, 2007; May 18, 2009; November 16, 2009.]
Section 1: General.
The duties of the Board of Directors shall include the management of NFA's business, the adoption of NFA's Bylaws, and the fulfillment of NFA's fundamental purposes.
Section 2: Composition of Board.
The Board of Directors shall be comprised as follows:
(a) Contract Market Representatives.
(i) In the event that there are four (4) or less contract market Members having annual transaction volume during the prior calendar year of more than 1,000,000, then one representative of each such contract market Member.
(ii) In the event that there are more than four (4) contract market Members with annual transaction volume during the prior calendar year of more than 1,000,000:
(a) One representative of each contract market Member ranked in the top three (3) contract market Members based on annual transaction volume during the prior calendar year.
(b) One (1) elected representative of contract market Members with annual transaction volume during the prior calendar year of more than 1,000,000 that are not included in Section 2(a)(ii)(a) above. Only contract market Members not represented in accordance with Section 2(a)(ii)(a) shall be eligible to vote for the representatives elected in accordance with this Section 2(a)(ii)(b).
(iii) A specific contract market's annual transaction volume shall be the number of commodity futures contracts entered into on the contract market during the calendar year. The number of contracts entered into on a contract market shall be adjusted where necessary because of differences in sizes of contracts (e.g., one 5,000 oz. contract for a particular commodity would equal five 1,000 oz. contracts for that commodity for purposes of the computation).
(iv) A contract market Member and all contract market Members with which it is affiliated shall have no more than one representative on the Board at any one time. For the purposes of this limitation, a contract market Member shall be deemed to be affiliated with another contract market Member if it directly or indirectly owns 100 percent of or is owned 100 percent by or has 100 percent ownership in common with such other contract market Member.
(b) Futures Commission Merchant, Leverage Transaction Merchant and Introducing Broker Representatives.
(i) Ten (10) elected representatives of registered Futures Commission Merchant (hereinafter "FCM") Members, registered Leverage Transaction Merchant (hereinafter "LTM") Members, and registered Introducing Broker (hereinafter "IB") Members, divided as follows:
(A) Eight (8) representatives of FCMs, including at least two (2) representatives of FCMs ranked in the top ten FCMs and at least two (2) representatives of FCMs and LTMs not ranked in the top ten FCMS based on the total of segregated funds and secured amounts, as those terms are defined in the applicable Commission regulations, held as of June 30 of the prior calendar year.
(B) One representative of IBs required to maintain minimum adjusted net capital.
(C) One representative of IBs not required to maintain minimum adjusted net capital.
(ii) No FCM, LTM or IB shall have more than one representative on the Board at any one time. For purposes of this limitation, a person shall be deemed a representative of an FCM, LTM or IB Member if the person is an officer, director, partner, employee or beneficial owner of more than 10 percent of the equity stock of the FCM, LTM or IB, and the person is not a contract market representative.
(c) Commodity Pool Operator and Commodity Trading Advisor Representatives.
(i) Four (4) elected representatives of registered commodity pool operators (hereinafter "CPOs") and registered commodity trading advisors (hereinafter "CTAs") that are NFA Members, including at least two (2) representatives of CPOs or CTAs that rank within the top 20 percent of CPOs or CTAs with funds under management allocated to futures (as defined in Article XVIII(k)).
(ii) No CPO or CTA may have more than one representative on the Board at any one time. For purposes of this limitation, a person shall be deemed a representative of an CPO or CTA if the person is an officer, director, partner, employee or beneficial owner of more than 10 percent of the equity stock of the CPO or CTA, and the person is not a contract market representative.
Section 3: Nominations; Election.
The elected Directors shall be chosen as follows:
(a) Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee (see Article X) shall nominate at least one candidate for each elected FCM and LTM, IB, and CPO and CTA Director position to be filled. These nominations shall be made in accordance with the eligibility requirements contained in this Article. The Nominating Committee shall nominate candidates whose election shall result in diverse segments of each category being represented on the Board based upon the size of the Member, the type of business conducted by the Member and the type of customer serviced by the Member.
(b) Petition Procedure.
Nominations may be made for elected FCM and LTM, IB, and CPO and CTA Director positions by:
(i) Petition signed by 50 or more NFA Members in the category for which the nomination is made (i.e., FCM and LTM, IB, and CPO and CTA); or
(ii) Petition submitted by any organization or association recognized by NFA as fairly representing the category (See (b)(i) above) for which the nomination is made.
Petitions shall be submitted in the manner specified in the Bylaws. No petition may nominate more than one candidate for the same position.
(c) Election.
If there is a contested election in any category (See (b)(i) above) of NFA Members, the Members in that category shall thereafter elect by plurality vote from such nominees the Directors that are to represent that category. The election shall be conducted in the manner provided in the Bylaws, which shall provide for an Annual Election.
(d) Public Representatives.
The Public Representatives shall be chosen as follows: Before the Annual Election, the Board shall solicit from the Members the nomination of individuals to serve on the Board in the Public Representative category. At the Board's regular annual meeting, the Board shall, by majority vote, select from among such nominees the Public Representatives to serve on the Board.
(e) Contract Markets
In the event of an election as described in Article VII, Section 2(a)(ii)(b), the contract market representatives shall be elected as follows: Before the Annual Election, the Board shall solicit from contract market Members eligible to have representatives pursuant to Article VII, Section 2(a)(ii)(b) the nomination of individuals to serve on the Board as representatives of such contract market Members. If there is a contested election of such contract market Members, the contract market Members eligible to vote pursuant to Article VII, Section 2(a)(ii)(b) shall thereafter elect by plurality vote from such nominees the Directors that will represent them. The election shall be conducted in the manner provided in the Bylaws, which shall provide for an Annual Election.
Section 4: Terms of Directors.
(a) Contract Market Directors.
Directors representing contract market Members shall serve for one-year terms, from the date of the Board's regular annual meeting as set forth in Bylaw 506 until the date of the Board's regular annual meeting one year hence.
(b) Other Directors.
Directors other than contract market Member Directors shall serve for two-year terms, from the date of the Board's regular annual meeting following the Annual Election at which they are elected until the date of the Board's regular annual meeting two years hence: Provided, however, the terms of the Directors elected at the Annual Election in 2002 shall be staggered. Except for Public Representatives, half of the Directors in each category elected at the Annual Election in 2002 shall serve two-year terms, and half shall serve one-year terms. The Directors who receive the highest number of votes in each category shall serve the two-year terms. Ties shall be resolved by random draw. Three of the Public Representatives elected at the Board's regular annual meeting held in 2002 shall serve two-year terms and two shall serve one-year terms. The Public Representatives who serve two-year terms shall be determined by random draw.
Section 5: Voting; Quorum.
Each Director shall have one vote upon any matter coming before the Board for official action, and, except as otherwise provided in these Articles or NFA's Bylaws, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors present and voting at a meeting of the Board shall be NFA's official act if a quorum is present. A quorum of the Board shall consist of one-half of the Directors, except where NFA Bylaws specify a lesser number in emergency situations.
Section 6: Establishment of Major Plans and Priorities.
The Board shall establish for observance by the Executive Committee (See Article VIII) and NFA staff major plans and priorities, including those regarding the commitment and expenditure of NFA funds.
Section 7: Chairman and Vice Chairman.
There shall be a Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board. They shall serve for one-year terms and shall be elected by the Board at its regular annual meeting, by majority vote. The Chairman shall be elected from among the Directors in office and the Vice Chairman shall be elected from among Directors elected to serve on the Executive Committee.
Section 8: Vacancies.
A vacancy that occurs on the Board before the expiration of a Director's term shall be filled (for the unexpired term) by an eligible individual elected by majority vote of the remaining Directors who represent the category of Members in which the vacancy occurred, except that if the vacancy involves a representative of a contract market Member, that contract market Member shall designate the successor. In the event there are no Directors remaining who represent the category of Members in which the vacancy occurred, the vacancy shall be filled by an eligible individual elected by the Board.