• Serving as an independent and objective party to monitor the Company’s financial reporting process and internal control system.
• Reviewing and appraising the audit efforts of the Company’s independent accountants and internal auditors and monitoring their independence.
• Maintaining free and open communication with and among the independent accountants, the internal auditors, financial and senior management of the Company and the Board.

A. Documents/Reports Review

1. Annually review and reassess this Charter.
   
   
2. Submit this Charter to the Board for approval and ensure disclosure of the Charter in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and applicable listing standards.
   
   
3. Review and discuss the Company’s audited financial statements for each fiscal year with management and the independent accountants; review the written disclaimer and the letter from the independent accountants required by Independence Standards Board No. 1, as it may be modified or supplemented; and discuss with the independent accountants their independent status. Based on the review and discussions in the preceding sentence, make a recommendation to the Board on inclusion of the audited financial statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for each fiscal year. The Audit Committee shall review any certification, report or opinion rendered by the independent accountants and discussions regarding the adequacy of disclosures and content, quality of earnings, reserves and accruals, suitability of accounting principles, reasonableness of estimates and other judgmental matters and such other matters that the Audit Committee deems appropriate.
   
   
4. Review and discuss, with management and the independent accountants, adjustments recorded as a result of the audit of the Company’s financial statements for each fiscal year, and the effects of audit findings that were not adjusted in the underlying accounting records of the Company.
   
   
5. Review, discuss and assess, with management and the independent accountants, the impact of new accounting pronouncements on the Company’s financial statements and related disclosures.
   
   
6. Review with management and the independent accountants the matters that the independent accountants are required to communicate to the Audit Committee as a result of their review of the Company’s interim financial information, Quarterly Reports and Annual Reports on forms to be filed with the SEC. For this purpose, the Chairman of the Audit Committee may act on behalf of the entire Audit Committee.
   
   
7. Discuss with management and the independent accountants significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the Company’s financial statements, including any significant changes in the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles, any major issues as to the adequacy of the Company’s internal controls and any special steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies.
   
   
8. Inquire of management and the independent accountants if any correspondence or published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements or accounting policies have been received from regulators or governmental agencies.
   
   
9. Confirm management has included a report on the Audit Committee in all proxies and information statements, as required by applicable laws or listing standards.

B. Independent Accountants

1. Exercise sole authority within the Company to appoint, determine the compensation and funding for, oversee and, where appropriate, discharge and replace the independent accountants. The independent accountants shall report directly to the Audit Committee and shall be evaluated by the Audit Committee.
   
   
2. Determine the independence of the independent accountants by: (i) reviewing and considering the written disclosures and the letter from the independent accountants required by Independence Standards Board No. 1, as it may be modified or supplemented, that they are independent; (ii) actively engaging in a discussion with the independent accountants with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the independent accountants; and (iii) taking, or recommending that the Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the independent accountants.
   
   
3. Approve, in advance, the nature, timing and scope of the proposed audit of the Company’s financial statements for each fiscal year and the procedures to be utilized in each such audit. The Audit Committee may delegate such preapproval authority to one or more members of the Audit Committee and any preapproval granted pursuant to such delegation shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
   
   
4. Approve, in advance, all requests by management for permissible non-audit services to be provided to the Company by the independent accountants. The Audit Committee may delegate such pre-approval authority to one or more members of the Audit Committee and any pre-approval granted pursuant to such delegation shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
   
   
5. On a timely basis, obtain from the independent accountants and review, in connection with each audit, a report to the Audit Committee setting forth (a) all critical accounting policies and practices to be used; (b) all alternative treatments of financial information within generally accepted accounting principles that have been discussed with management, ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent accountants; and (c) other material written communications between the independent accountants and management, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences.
   
   
6. The independent accountants will provide to the Audit Committee for their review and comment a report at least annually regarding:
   
   a. the independent accountant’s internal quality-control procedures;
   b. any material issues raised by the most recent internal 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 regarding one or more independent audits carried out by the firm;
   c. any steps taken to deal with any such issues and;
   d. all relationships between the independent accountants and the Company.
   
   
7. The independent accountant will provide a confirmation to the Audit Committee regarding the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by applicable law or listing standards.
   
   
8. Recommend to the Board policies for the Company’s hiring of employees or former employees of the independent accountants who participated in any capacity in the audit of the Company.
   
   
9. External auditors will provide to the Audit Committee a confirmation that the Company’s external auditors are registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
   
   
10. Review all reports issued by the independent accountants and provide the independent accountants with full access to the Audit Committee and the Board to report on any and all matters deemed appropriate by the independent accountants.
    
    
11. Annually, or more frequently to the extent necessary, consult with the independent accountants outside the presence of management regarding internal controls and the completeness and accuracy of the Company’s annual financial statements.
    
    
12. Direct the attention of independent accountants towards specific matters or areas deemed to be of special significance, and authorizing the independent accountants to perform supplemental reviews or audits that the Audit Committee may deem advisable.

C. Internal Auditing

1. Participate in the appointment, promotion, or dismissal of the Company’s head of internal audit.
   
   
2. Instruct the internal auditors that they are responsible to the Board through the Audit Committee.
   
   
3. Assist with the development and approval of the internal audit department’s mandate, goals and mission.
   
   
4. Annually review the internal audit department’s budget, plan, activities and organizational structure.
   
   
5. Review significant reports prepared by the internal audit department together with management’s response and follow-up to these reports.
   
   
6. Review with the internal auditors the results of the Internal Audit department’s monitoring of compliance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct.
   
   
7. Review the performance of the internal audit department.

D. Financial Reporting Processes

1. Prior to filing the Company’s Form 10Q or Form 10K, review and discuss the Company’s financial statements with management and the independent accountants.
   
   
2. Prior to disclosure, review and discuss with management the Company’s earnings press releases, as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies.
   
   
3. Review and discuss, with management and the independent accountants, any reports on the Company’s internal accounting controls rendered by the independent accountants. The review shall include discussions regarding the quality, adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s accounting and financial controls including computerized information system controls and security.
   
   
4. Obtain from the officers providing certifications required in connection with the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and review with management, disclosure of (a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and any material weaknesses in internal controls and (b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls.
   
   
5. For Form 10-K, annually review and comment on the independent auditor’s report on Management’s Annual Assessment of, and Report on, the Company’s Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, as required by section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or the Commission.
   
   
6. Review and comment on the integrity of the Company’s financial reporting processes, both internal and external, by consultation with the independent accountants at least once annually.
   
   
7. Review and comment on the independent accountants’ judgments regarding the quality and appropriateness of the Company’s accounting principles as applied in its financial reporting.
   
   
8. Consider and approve, if appropriate, significant changes to the Company’s accounting principles and practices as suggested by the independent accountants or management.
   
   
9. Make periodic inquires, but no less than annually, of management and the independent accountants with regard to significant risks and exposures facing the Company and assess the steps management has taken to minimize such risks.
   
   
10. Make inquiries, at least quarterly, of management and the independent accountants with regard to any off-balance-sheet transactions and assess the purpose, need and risks.

E. Process Improvement

1. No less than annually, the Audit Committee should independently address with management and the independent accountants any significant accounting policies, procedures and judgments made by management in the preparation of the annual financial statements.
   
   
2. Subsequent to the completion of the annual audit, review separately with management and the independent accountants any significant difficulties encountered during the course of the audit, significant changes in the audit plan or scope of work and any restrictions on the scope of work or access to required information.
   
   
3. Review and comment on any significant disagreement among management and the independent accountants in connection with the preparation of the financial statements.
   
   
4. Review and comment on significant findings during the year with management and the independent accountants, including status of previous audit recommendations.
   
   
5. Review, with the independent accountants and management, the extent to which changes or improvements in financial or accounting practices, as approved by the Audit Committee, have been implemented. These reviews should be conducted at appropriate times subsequent to implementation of changes or improvements, as decided by the Audit Committee.

F. Ethical and Legal Compliance

1. Annually review the Company’s Code of Business Conduct. Annually review and comment on the procedures that management has established to administer and enforce the Company’s Code of Business Conduct.
   
   
2. Along with management, ensure adequate procedures are in place and being adhered to for receiving and handling complaints regarding accounting, internal controls or auditing matters and the confidential, anonymous submission by employees regarding questionable accounting, internal controls or auditing matters.
   
   
3. Review and pre-approve conflicts of interest and related party transactions.
   
   
4. Review with corporate counsel any legal compliance matters, including corporate securities trading policies, as may be deemed appropriate by the Audit Committee.
   
   
5. Discuss with management and with corporate counsel the status of material matters such as pending litigation, taxation matters and other areas of oversight to the legal and compliance area as may be appropriate by the Audit Committee.
   
   
6. Perform any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company’s By-laws and governing law, as the Audit Committee or the Board deems necessary or appropriate.

G. Audit Committee Reporting

1. Provide periodic reports to the Board regarding the activities of the Audit Committee.
   
   
2. Issue such reports as may be required by the Commission for inclusion in the Company’s annual proxy statement.