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CHARTER OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Role
The Audit Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors to oversee
(1) management in the performance of its responsibility for the
integrity of the Corporations accounting and financial reporting,
and its systems of internal controls, (2) the performance and qualifications
of the independent auditor (including the independent auditors
independence), (3) the performance of the Corporations internal
audit function, and (4) the Corporations compliance with legal
and regulatory requirements. Consistent with this oversight function,
the Audit Committee shall authorize investigations into any matters
within the Committees responsibilities and, in doing so, have
full access to the Corporations records, employees, and independent
auditor (with or without the presence of management).
The Audit Committee shall have the authority, to the extent it
deems necessary or appropriate, to retain legal, accounting or other
advisors for advice and assistance. The Corporation shall pay the
costs of retaining any advisors selected by the Committee.
The Audit Committee shall meet at least four times each year or
more frequently as circumstances dictate. The Committee shall meet,
separately, with each of the internal auditors and the independent
auditor at least quarterly.
The Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this
Charter at least annually. Any proposed changes shall be submitted
to the Board of Directors for its approval. The Audit Committee
shall annually evaluate the processes, activities and effectiveness
of the Audit Committee, including the composition, expertise, and
availability of the Audit Committee members.
Structure/Member Qualifications
The Audit Committee shall have at least three members and shall
consist solely of independent Directors, consistent with the listing
standards of the New York Stock Exchange and applicable legal requirements.
All members of the Audit Committee shall be financially literate.
In addition, the Audit Committee Chair must have accounting or related
financial management expertise, consistent with the listing standards
of the New York Stock Exchange. If the Board of Directors determines,
at least one member of the Committee shall be a financial expert,
as defined by Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
The Board of Directors will assess and determine the qualifications
of the Audit Committee members set forth in this Charter. The members
of the Audit Committee shall be annually appointed by the Board
of Directors, on the recommendation of the Corporate Governance
Committee, and may be replaced by the Board of Directors according
to the Corporations Bylaws.
The Board of Directors shall select the Audit Committee Chair.
If a Chair is not designated or present, a Chair may be designated
by a majority vote of the Audit Committee members present.
Directors compensation is the only compensation which members
of the Audit Committee may receive from the Corporation.
A Director who is serving on the audit committee of three or more
other public companies shall not be appointed to the Audit Committee
unless the Board of Directors determines that such simultaneous
service would not impair the Directors ability to serve effectively
on the Audit Committee.
Responsibilities and Duties
The Audit Committee recognizes that the Corporations management
is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the Corporations
financial statements and disclosures and for maintaining effective
internal controls. The Committee also recognizes that the independent
auditor is responsible for auditing the Corporations financial
statements. Accordingly, management and the independent auditor
have more knowledge and more detailed information about the Corporation
than do Audit Committee members and the Audit Committees primary
responsibility is oversight. In carrying out its oversight responsibilities,
the Audit Committee will be relying, in part, on the expertise of
management and the independent auditor.
The Internal Audit department shall report functionally to the
Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee shall be responsible for the appointment, compensation,
removal, and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (subject,
if applicable, to shareholder ratification of the appointment of
the auditor). The independent auditors shall report directly to
the Audit Committee and the Audit Committee shall oversee the resolution
of disagreements between management and the independent auditors
in the event that they arise.
To fulfill this oversight responsibility, the Audit Committee should
receive reports from management and the independent auditor, as
appropriate, to:
Risk Management and Controls
- Assess the Corporations business
risk management process and the adequacy of the overall control
environment, including controls in selected areas representing
financial reporting, disclosure, compliance, and significant financial
or business risk.
- Receive reports from the CEO and CFO
on any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a significant role in the Corporations
internal controls.
- Assess the annual scope and plans of
the independent and internal auditors.
- Report on the activities of the Corporations
Management Audit Committee.
Financial Reporting and Disclosure Matters
- Review and discuss with management
and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements,
related footnotes, disclosures made in Managements Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,
and the opinion of the independent auditor with respect to the
financial statements.
- Review and discuss with management
and the independent auditor the quarterly financial statements,
related footnotes, disclosures made in Managements Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,
and the results of the independent auditors quarterly review
of the financial statements.
- Review and discuss with management
and the independent auditor any significant events, transactions,
changes in accounting estimates, changes in important accounting
principles and their application, and any major issues as to the
adequacy of internal controls affecting the quality of the Corporations
financial reporting. The Audit Committee Chair may represent the
entire Audit Committee for this purpose.
- Review, in conjunction with the Audit
Committees review of the quarterly and annual reports, the
process for the CEO and CFO certifications with respect to the
financial statements and the Corporations disclosure and
internal controls.
- Receive reports from the CEO and CFO
on all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect the Corporations
ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data.
- Review and discuss with management
any proposed public release of earnings or guidance information,
as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided
to analysts and rating agencies and delegate to the Audit Committee
Chair the authority, at the Chairs discretion, to review
any such release, information and guidance.
Internal Audit Oversight Responsibilities
- Receive reports on the proposed scope
of the audit plan and the process to develop the plan, as well
as the program for integration of the independent and internal
audit efforts.
- Receive reports on the status of significant
findings, recommendations, and managements responses.
- Review the charter, reporting relationship,
activities, organizational structure, and credentials of the Internal
Audit department.
Independent Auditor Oversight Responsibilities
- Based upon a report from the independent
auditor at least annually, review (a) the auditors internal
quality-control procedures, (b) any material issues raised by
the most recent quality-control review, or peer review, of the
firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional
authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or
more independent audits carried out by the firm and (c) any steps
taken to address any such issues.
- Ensure that the independent auditor
submits, on a periodic basis, a formal written statement delineating
all relationships between the independent auditor and the Corporation,
as required by the Independence Standards Board, Standard Number
One; discuss the statement with the independent auditor and evaluate
the relationships and services that may affect the auditors
objectivity and independence; take appropriate action to satisfy
itself of the auditors independence.
- Ensure that the independent auditor
has established a procedure for the rotation, no less frequently
than every five years, of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner
and of the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit.
- Consider, periodically, the rotation
of the independent auditor itself.
- Review matters related to the conduct
of the annual audit, which are required to be communicated by
AICPA Statement of Auditing Standards 61 and other generally accepted
auditing standards.
- Conduct the annual discussion with
the independent auditor on the quality and acceptability of the
Corporations accounting principles and all alternative treatments
of financial information within generally accepted accounting
principles that have been discussed with management, the potential
impact of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments,
and the treatment preferred by the independent auditor.
- Review the independent auditors
management letter.
- Review with the independent auditor
any audit problems or difficulties and managements response.
- Preapprove all audit and non-audit
services to be provided by, and all fees to be paid to, the independent
auditor or devise policies delegating pre-approval authority to
one or more members of the Committee.
- Recommend to the Board policies for
the Corporations hiring of employees or former employees
of the independent auditor who were engaged on the Corporations
account.
Ethical, Legal and Regulatory Compliance Matters
- Assess the Corporations processes
regarding compliance with applicable laws, regulations and its
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, including those matters that
could have a significant impact on the financial statements, compliance
with policies, reports from regulators and the provisions of the
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to the CEO and
the Corporations senior financial officers as defined by
the Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
- Assess the Corporations policies
and procedures with respect to Executive Officers expense
accounts and perquisites, including their use of corporate assets
(consider the results of any review of these areas by the internal
auditors).
- Assess the Committees procedures
for (a) the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received
by the Corporation regarding accounting, internal accounting controls
or auditing matters, and (b) the confidential, anonymous submission
by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or
auditing matters.
- Review reports and disclosures of significant
conflicts of interest and related-party transactions.
Reports
The Audit Committee shall report to the Board with respect to its
activities as promptly as practicable following each meeting of
the Committee. The Committee shall report to shareholders in the
Corporations proxy statement for its annual meeting, whether
the Committee has satisfied its responsibilities under this Charter. |