Committees of the Board As of December 2006
Audit Committee The Board has determined that all of the Audit Committee members are "financially literate" and that Mr. Smith qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") regulations under Sarbanes-Oxley and NYSE listing standards. The Committee operates under a written charter, a copy of which is attached at the end of this Proxy Statement as Appendix A. The Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention, and oversight of the Company's independent registered public accountant. The Committee reviews the appropriateness, quality, and acceptability of the Company's accounting policies, the integrity of financial statements reported to the public, significant internal audit and control matters and activities, the Company's policies and processes for risk assessment and management, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Committee discusses with the Company's internal auditor and independent registered public accountant the overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Committee meets with the internal auditor and the independent registered public accountant, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their audits, their evaluations of the Company's internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting. The Committee also reviews compliance with the Company's Code of Conduct for employees and officers and is responsible for establishing and administering the Company's procedures for confidential reporting by employees of questionable accounting practices and handling complaints regarding accounting, internal controls, and other audit matters.
Each year the Committee approves an annual agenda plan which specifies matters to be considered and acted upon by the Committee over the course of the year in fulfilling its responsibilities consistent with its charter. In fiscal year 2006, the Committee met five times in person and met three times via telephone to discuss the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. In addition, several telephone conferences were held with management, the independent registered public accounting firm, the Audit Committee Chair, and other available Committee members, to review quarterly earnings releases..
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Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee operates under a written charter. The Committee monitors and makes recommendations to the Board about corporate governance matters including the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, codes of conduct, Board structure and operation, Board policies on director compensation and tenure, the meeting schedules of the Board and the committees, the charters and composition of the committees, and the annual Board and committee performance assessment processes. The Committee has primary responsibility for identifying, recommending, and recruiting nominees for election to the Board. The Committee has adopted a policy regarding its consideration of director candidates recommended by shareholders and a procedure for submission of such candidates. The policy provides that candidates recommended by shareholders will be considered by the Committee; submissions of candidates must be made in writing; and, to be considered for nomination at an annual meeting of shareholders, submissions must be received not later than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the proxy statement for the prior annual meeting. The submission must also provide certain information concerning the candidate and the recommending shareholder(s), a statement of the shareholder(s) supporting their view that the candidate has the qualifications required, and consent of the candidate to be interviewed by the Committee and to serve if elected. A copy of the policy and procedure is available upon request.
Selection of Directors. The Board has established the following minimum qualifications for all directors: business experience, judgment, independence, integrity, ability to commit sufficient time and attention to the activities of the Board, absence of any potential conflicts with the Company’s interests, and an ability to represent the interests of all shareholders. The qualities and skills necessary for a specific director nominee are governed by the needs of the Board at the time the Committee determines to add a director to the Board. The specific requirements of the Board are determined by the Committee and are based on, among other things, the Company’s current business, market, geographic, and regulatory environments; the mix of perspectives, experience, and competencies represented by the current Board members; and the chief executive officer’s views as to areas in which management desires additional advice and counsel.
When the need to recruit a director arises, the Committee consults the other directors, the chief executive officer, and third party recruiting firms to identify potential candidates. Once a candidate is identified, the candidate screening process generally is conducted initially by a third party recruiting firm and will include inquiries as to the candidate’s reputation and background, examination of the candidate’s experiences and skills in relation to the Board’s requirements at the time, consideration of the candidate’s independence as measured by the Board’s independence standards, and other considerations the Committee deems appropriate at the time. Prior to formal consideration and recommendation by the Committee, any candidate who passes such screening would be interviewed by one or more members of the Committee and the chief executive officer. Candidates recommended by shareholders, whose names are submitted in accordance with the Committee’s procedures described above, will be screened and evaluated in the same manner as other candidates. Candidates standing for election at the Annual Meeting were identified as follows: Mr. Davis was recommended to the Company by a third party search firm and by an independent director who was a former colleague; Mr. Ford was recommended to the Company by an independent director who was a former colleague; Mr. Henkes was a member of the Company’s European Advisory Council and was known to management and recommended based on his service to the Company on the Council; and Ms. McGlynn was recommended to the Company by a third party search firm..
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Environmental, Safety and Public Policy Committee The Environmental, Safety and Public Policy Committee monitors and reports to the Board on issues and developments in areas such as environmental compliance, safety, corporate security and crisis management, diversity, community relations, and corporate and foundation philanthropic programs and charitable contributions.
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Executive Committee The Executive Committee, which met once in fiscal year 2006, has the authority of the Board to act on most matters during intervals between Board meetings. It is usually convened to approve capital expenditures where a commitment is required prior to the next Board meeting.
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Finance Committee The Finance Committee reviews the Company's financial policies; keeps informed of its operations and financial condition, including requirements for funds and access to liquidity; advises the Board about sources and uses of Company funds; reviews the Company's financial arrangements and methods of external financing; and oversees the funding and management of assets of the Company’s employee pension and savings plans worldwide.
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Management Development and Compensation Committee The Management Development and Compensation Committee operates under a written charter. The Committee has responsibility for selecting, evaluating, and compensating the Company’s chief executive officer; making recommendations to the Board and providing advice to management about the Company’s succession planning; overseeing development and evaluation of potential candidates for executive positions, establishing the Company’s executive compensation policies; overseeing the administration of the incentive compensation plans for executives and key employees and the administration of the Company’s pension and savings plans; and approving significant amendments to the incentive compensation, pension, and savings plans on behalf of the Board. The Committee has direct responsibility for reviewing and approving the annual goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of the chief executive officer, evaluating his performance in light of these goals and objectives, and setting his compensation level based on evaluation of his performance. The Committee also approves the individual salary, bonus, and incentive plan awards of other Executive Officers and certain other senior executives, and annually reviews with the Board the performance of the chief executive officer.
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