Audit Committee Charter

The Committee shall oversee the Company’s financial reporting process on behalf of the Board, shall have direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the Auditors and any other registered public accounting firm engaged for the purpose of performing other review or attest services for the Company.  The Auditors and each such other registered public accounting firm shall report directly and be accountable to the Committee.  The Committee’s functions and procedures should remain flexible to address changing circumstances most effectively.  To implement the Committee’s purpose, the Committee shall have the following responsibilities.  The Committee may supplement and, except as otherwise required by applicable laws or the requirements of Nasdaq, deviate from these activities as appropriate under the circumstances:

1. Evaluation and Retention of Auditors. To evaluate the performance of the Auditors, to assess their qualifications and to determine whether to retain, or to terminate, the engagement of the existing Auditors, or to appoint and engage a different independent registered public accounting firm, which retention shall be subject only to ratification by the Company's stockholders (if the Committee or Board elects to submit such retention for ratification by the stockholders).
2. Communication Prior to Engagement. Prior to engagement of any prospective Auditors, to review a written disclosure by the prospective Auditors of all relationships between the prospective Auditors, or their affiliates, and the Company, or persons in financial oversight roles at the Company, that may reasonably be thought to bear on independence, and to discuss with the prospective Auditors the potential effects of such relationships on the independence of the prospective Auditors, consistent with Ethics and Independence Rule 3526, Communication with Audit Committees Concerning Independence ("Rule 3526"), of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the "PCAOB").
3. Approval of Audit Engagements. To determine and approve engagements of the Auditors, prior to commencement of such engagements, to perform all proposed audit, review and attest services, including the scope of and plans for the audit, the adequacy of staffing, the compensation to be paid, at the Company's expense, to the Auditors and the negotiation and execution, on behalf of the Company, of the Auditors' engagement letters, which approval may be pursuant to preapproval policies and procedures established by the Committee consistent with applicable laws and rules, including the delegation of preapproval authority to one or more Committee members so long as any such preapproval decisions are presented to the full Committee at the next scheduled meeting.
4. Approval of Non-Audit Services. To determine and approve engagements of the Auditors, prior to commencement of such engagements (unless in compliance with exceptions available under applicable laws and rules related to immaterial aggregate amounts of services), to perform any proposed permissible non-audit services, including the scope of the service and the compensation to be paid therefor, at the Company's expense, which approval may be pursuant to preapproval policies and procedures established by the Committee consistent with applicable laws and rules, including the delegation of preapproval authority to one or more Committee members so long as any such preapproval decisions are presented to the full Committee at the next scheduled meeting.
5. Audit Partner Rotation. To monitor the rotation of the partners of the Auditors on the Company's audit engagement team as required by applicable laws and rules and to consider periodically and, if deemed appropriate, adopt a policy regarding rotation of auditing firms.
6. Auditor Independence. At least annually, consistent with Rule 3526, to receive and review written disclosures from the Auditors delineating all relationships between the Auditors, or their affiliates, and the Company, or persons in financial oversight roles at the Company, that may reasonably be thought to bear on independence and a letter from the Auditors affirming their independence, to consider and discuss with the Auditors any potential effects of any such relationships on the independence of the Auditors as well as any compensation or services that could affect the Auditors' objectivity and independence, and to assess and otherwise take appropriate action to oversee the independence of the Auditors.
7. Former Employees of Auditors. To consider and adopt policies regarding Committee preapproval of employment by the Company of individuals employed or formerly employed by the Company’s Auditors. To review and determine whether to concur with the Company’s hiring of individuals employed or previously employed by the Company’s Auditors.
8. Audited Financial Statement Review. To review, upon completion of the audit, the financial statements proposed to be included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed with the SEC and to recommend whether or not such financial statements should be so included.
9. Annual Audit Results. To review with management and the Auditors, the results of the annual audit, including the Auditors' assessment of the quality of the Company's accounting principles and practices, the Auditors' views about qualitative aspects of the Company's significant accounting practices, the reasonableness of significant judgments and estimates (including material changes in estimates), all known and likely misstatements identified during the audit (other than those the Auditors believe to be trivial), the adequacy of the disclosures in the financial statements and any other matters required to be communicated to the Committee by the Auditors under the standards of the PCAOB.
10. Auditor Communications. At least annually, to discuss with the Auditors the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended (AICPA, Professional Standards, vol. 12. AU section 380), as adopted by the PCAOB in Rule 3200T (including any successor rule adopted by the PCAOB).
11. Quarterly Results. To review with management and the Auditors, as appropriate, the results of the Auditors' review of the Company's quarterly financial statements, prior to public disclosure of quarterly financial information, if practicable, or filing with the SEC of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and any other matters required to be communicated to the Committee by the Auditors under standards of the PCAOB.
12. Management's Discussion and Analysis. To review with management and the Auditors, as appropriate, the Company's disclosures contained under the caption "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in its periodic reports to be filed with the SEC.
13. Accounting Principles and Policies. To review with management and the Auditors, as appropriate, significant issues that arise regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentation, including critical accounting policies and practices, alternative accounting policies available under generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") related to material items discussed with management, the potential impact on the Company's financial statements of off-balance sheet structures and any other significant reporting issues and judgments, significant regulatory, legal and accounting initiatives or developments that may have a material impact on the Company's financial statements, compliance programs and policies if, in the judgment of the Committee, such review is necessary or appropriate.
14. Management Cooperation with Audit. To evaluate the cooperation received by the Auditors during their audit examination, including any significant difficulties encountered during the audit or any restrictions on the scope of their activities or access to required records, data and information and, whether or not resolved, significant disagreements with management and management's response, if any.
15. Management Letters. To review with the Auditors and, if appropriate, management, any "management" or "internal control" letter issued or, to the extent practicable, proposed to be issued by the Auditors and management's response, if any, to such letter, as well as any additional material written communications between the Auditors and management.
16. Disagreements Between Auditors and Management. To review with management and the Auditors, or any other registered public accounting firm engaged to perform review or attest services, any conflicts or disagreements between management and the Auditors, or such other accounting firm, whether or not resolved, regarding financial reporting, accounting practices or policies or other matters, that individually or in the aggregate could be significant to the Company's financial statements or the Auditors' report, and to resolve any conflicts or disagreements regarding financial reporting.
17. Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. To confer with management and the Auditors, as appropriate, regarding the scope, adequacy and effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting including any special audit steps taken in the event of material control deficiencies, responsibilities, budget and staff of the internal audit function and review of the appointment or replacement of the senior internal audit executive or manager.
18. Separate Sessions. Periodically, to meet in separate sessions with the Auditors, any internal auditors or other personnel responsible for the internal audit function, as appropriate, and management to discuss any matters that the Committee, the Auditors, any internal auditors or other personnel responsible for the internal audit function, or management believe should be discussed privately with the Committee.
19. Internal Auditors. Review the audit plan of the Company's Internal Audit Department to the extent established (the "Internal Auditors"), discuss scope, staffing, compensation, locations, reliance upon management and general audit approach and any significant reports prepared by the Internal Auditors as well as management's responses, approve the hiring and dismissal of the Director of Internal Audit, approve and review periodically the Internal Auditors' Charter to ensure that the function has guidelines that allow it to operate effectively, and ensure that the Director of Internal Audit (and those reporting to the Director of Internal Audit on internal audit matters) has access to the Company's records as necessary to permit the function to operate effectively.
20. Correspondence with Regulators. To consider and review with management, the Auditors, outside counsel, as appropriate, and any special counsel, separate accounting firm or other consultants and advisors as the Committee deems appropriate, any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company's financial statements or accounting policies.
21. Complaint Procedures. To establish procedures, when and as required by applicable laws and rules or for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and the confidential and anonymous submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
22. Engagement of Other Registered Public Accounting Firms. To determine and approve engagements of any registered public accounting firm (in addition to the Auditors), prior to commencement of such engagements, to perform any other review or attest service, including the compensation to be paid, at the Company's expense, to such firm and the negotiation and execution, on behalf of the Company, of such firm's engagement letter, which approval may be pursuant to preapproval policies and procedures, including the delegation of preapproval authority to one or more Committee members, so long as any such preapproval decisions are presented to the full Committee at the next scheduled meeting.
23. Investigations. To investigate any matter brought to the attention of the Committee within the scope of its duties if, in the judgment of the Committee, such investigation is necessary or appropriate.
24. Related Party Transactions. Consider and approve or disapprove any related party transaction as defined under SEC Regulation Item 404, to the extent required by SEC regulations.
25. Proxy Report. To oversee the preparation of the report required by the rules of the SEC to be included in the Company's annual proxy statement.
26. Report to Board. To report to the Board of Directors with respect to material issues that arise regarding the quality or integrity of the Company's financial statements, the Company's compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance or independence of the Auditors, the performance of any internal audit function or such other matters as the Committee deems appropriate from time to time or whenever it shall be called upon to do so.
27. Press Releases. To review and discuss with management and the Auditors, as appropriate, earnings press releases, as well as the substance of financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies, which discussions may be general discussions of the type of information to be disclosed and the type of presentation to be made.
28. Internal Control Report. At least annually to obtain and review a report by the Auditors describing that firm's internal quality-control review or peer review or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, with respect to one or more independent audits performed by the firm, as well as any steps taken to address the issues raised.
29. National Communications. To review with the Auditor, as appropriate, any communications between the audit team and the Auditors' national office with respect to auditing or accounting issues presented by the engagement.
30. Risk Assessment and Management. To review and discuss with management and, as appropriate, the Auditors, the Company's guidelines and policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including the Company's major financial risk exposures and the steps taken by management to monitor and control these exposures.
31. Committee Self-Assessment; Charter. To conduct an annual assessment of the performance of the Committee. The Committee shall also review and assess the adequacy of this charter annually and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.
32. General Authority. To perform such other functions and to have such powers as may be necessary or appropriate in the discharge of the foregoing.

It shall be the responsibility of management to prepare the Company's financial statements and periodic reports and the responsibility of the Auditors to audit those financial statements. These functions shall not be the responsibility of the Committee, nor shall it be the Committee's responsibility to ensure that the financial statements or periodic reports are complete and accurate, conform to GAAP or otherwise comply with applicable laws.