Audit Committee Charter

Purpose

The purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors’ oversight of:

• the integrity of the Company’s financial statements;
• the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
• the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; and
• the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditors.

Structure and Membership Number

The Audit Committee shall consist of at least three members of the Board of Directors. 

Financial Literacy. Each member of the Audit Committee shall be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including the Company’s balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement, at the time of his or her appointment to the Audit Committee. At least one member of the Audit Committee shall be a “financial expert” (as defined by applicable SEC rules).

Chair. Unless the Board of Directors elects a Chair of the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee shall elect a Chair by majority vote.

Compensation. The compensation of Audit Committee members shall be as determined by the Board of Directors. No member of the Audit Committee may receive any compensation from the Company other than director’s fees.

Selection and Removal

Members of the Audit Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may remove members of the Audit Committee from such committee, with or without cause.

Authority and Responsibilities

General.  The Audit Committee shall discharge its responsibilities, and shall assess the information provided by the Company's management and the independent auditor, in accordance with its business judgment.

Oversight of Independent Auditors. The Audit Committee shall have the sole authority to appoint, determine funding for, and oversee the independent auditors as set forth in Section 301 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (and the applicable rules thereunder).

Independence. The Audit Committee shall take, or recommend that the full Board of Directors take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the independent auditor. In connection with this responsibility, the Audit Committee shall obtain and review a formal written statement from the independent auditor describing all relationships between the independent auditor and the Company, including the disclosures required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1. The Audit Committee shall engage in an active dialogue with the independent auditor concerning any disclosed relationships or services that might impact the objectivity and independence of the auditor.

Compensation. The Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for setting the compensation of the independent auditor. The Audit Committee is empowered, without further action by the Board of Directors, to cause the Company to pay the compensation of the independent auditor established by the Audit Committee.

Pre-approval of Services. The Audit Committee shall pre-approve all auditing services, which may entail providing comfort letters in connection with securities underwritings, and non-audit services (other than de minimus non-audit services as defined by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (and the applicable rules thereunder)) to be provided to the Company by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee shall cause the Company to disclose in its SEC periodic reports the approval by the Audit Committee of any non-audit services to be performed by the independent auditor.

Oversight. The independent auditor shall report directly to the Audit Committee and the Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for oversight of the work of the independent auditor, including resolution of disagreements between Company management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting. In connection with its oversight role, the Audit Committee shall, from time to time as appropriate:

Obtain and review the reports required to be made by the independent auditor pursuant to paragraph (k) of Section 10A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 regarding:

• critical accounting policies and practices;
• alternative treatments of financial information within generally accepted accounting principles that have been discussed with Company management, ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent auditor; and
• other material written communications between the independent auditor and Company management.

Review of Audited Financial Statements

Discussion of Audited Financial Statements. The Audit Committee shall review and discuss with the Company's management and independent auditor the Company's audited financial statements, including the matters about which Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 (Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, AU §380) requires discussion.

Recommendation to Board Regarding Financial Statements. The Audit Committee shall consider whether it will recommend to the Board of Directors that the Company's audited financial statements be included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Audit Committee Report. The Audit Committee shall prepare for inclusion where necessary in a proxy or information statement of the Company relating to an annual meeting of security holders at which directors are to be elected (or special meeting or written consents in lieu of such meeting), the report described in Item 306 of Regulation S-K.

Review of Other Financial Disclosures

Independent Auditor Review of Interim Financial Statements. The Audit Committee shall direct the independent auditor to use its best efforts to perform all reviews of interim financial information prior to disclosure by the Company of such information and to discuss promptly with the Audit Committee and the Chief Financial Officer any matters identified in connection with the auditor's review of interim financial information which are required. The Audit Committee shall direct management to advise the Audit Committee in the event that the Company proposes to disclose interim financial information prior to completion of the independent auditor’s review of interim financial information.

Controls and Procedures

Oversight. The Audit Committee shall coordinate the Board of Director’s oversight of the Company’s internal accounting controls, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and the Company’s code of conduct. The Audit Committee shall receive and review the reports of the CEO and CFO required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (and the applicable rules thereunder) and Rule 13a-14 of the Exchange Act.

Procedures for Complaints. The Audit Committee shall establish procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.

Related-Party Transactions. The Audit Committee shall review and, prior to the Company’s engaging in such transaction, must approve all related-party transactions.

Procedures and Administration

Meetings. The Audit Committee shall meet as often as it deems necessary in order to perform its responsibilities. The Audit Committee shall keep such records of its meetings as it shall deem appropriate.

Subcommittees. The Audit Committee may form and delegate authority to one or more subcommittees (including a subcommittee consisting of a single member), as it deems appropriate from time to time under the circumstances. Any decision of a subcommittee to preapprove audit or non-audit services shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

Charter. At least annually, the Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.