ex10-19.htm


Exhibit 10.19


 



TREY RESOURCES, INC.


AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER







This Audit Committee Charter was adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Trey Resources, Inc. (the “Company”) on March 30, 2006, and supersedes all prior delegation of authority to the Audit Committee.







I.      Purpose


The purpose of the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) is to assist the Board with its oversight responsibilities regarding: (i) the accounting and financial reporting process of the Company and the audits of the financial statements of the Company; (ii) the integrity of the Company’s financial statements; (iii) the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (iv) the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; and (v) the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditor. The Committee shall prepare the report required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.







In addition to the powers and responsibilities expressly delegated to the Committee in this Charter, the Committee may exercise any other powers and carry out any other responsibilities delegated to it by the Board from time to time or required by law and in all instances subject to the applicable provisions of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act (including, without limitation, Section 14A:6-1. thereof). The powers and responsibilities delegated by the Board to the Committee in this Charter or otherwise shall be exercised and carried out by the Committee as it deems appropriate without requirement of Board approval, and any decision made by the Committee (including any decision to exercise or refrain from exercising any of the powers delegated to the Committee hereunder) shall be at the Committee’s sole discretion. While acting within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it, the Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Committee shall have the power to determine which matters are within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee’s responsibilities are limited to oversight. Management of the Company is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements as well as the Company’s financial reporting process, accounting policies, internal audit function, internal accounting controls and disclosure controls and procedures. The independent auditor is responsible for performing an audit of the Company’s annual financial statements, expressing an opinion as to the conformity of such annual financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles and reviewing the Company’s quarterly financial statements. It is not the responsibility of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements and disclosure are complete and accurate and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable laws, rules and regulations. Each member of the Committee shall be entitled to rely on the integrity of those persons within the Company and of the professionals and experts (including the Company’s internal auditor (or others responsible for the internal audit function, including contracted non-employee or audit or accounting firms engaged to provide internal audit services) (the “internal auditor”) and the Company’s independent auditor) from which the Committee receives information and, absent actual knowledge to the contrary, the accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the Committee by such persons, professionals or experts.


 




  





  











  






 


Further, auditing literature, particularly Statement of Accounting Standards No. 71, defines the term “review” to include a particular set of required procedures to be undertaken by independent auditors. The members of the Committee are not independent auditors, and the term “review” as used in this Charter is not intended to have that meaning and should not be interpreted to suggest that the Committee members can or should follow the procedures required of auditors performing reviews of financial statements.







II.     Membership


The Committee shall consist of at least two members of the Board; provided, that if at any time there is a vacancy on the Committee and the remaining members meet all membership requirements, then the Committee may consist of those number of members until the earlier of the Company’s next annual stockholders meeting or one year from the occurrence of the vacancy. Each Committee member must be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. Members of the Committee are not required to be engaged in the accounting and auditing profession and, consequently, some members may not be expert in financial matters, or in matters involving auditing or accounting. However, at least one member of the Committee shall have past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or background which results in the individual’s financial sophistication, including being or having been a chief executive officer, chief financial officer or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities. In addition, either at least one member of the Committee shall be an “audit committee financial expert” within the definition adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or the Company shall disclose in its periodic reports required pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) the reasons why at least one member of the Committee is not an “audit committee financial expert.” Each Committee member shall satisfy the independence requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act; provided that if a member of the Committee ceases to be independent for reasons outside the member’s reasonable control, then the member may at the discretion of the Board remain on the Committee until the earlier of the Company’s next annual stockholders meeting or one year from the occurrence of the event that caused the member to cease to be independent.  The members of the Committee, including the Chair of the Committee, shall be appointed by the Board. Committee members may be removed from the Committee, with or without cause, by the Board.


 




  





  











  











III.   Meetings and Procedures


1.     The Chair, or in his or her absence, a member designated by the Chair, shall preside at each meeting of the Committee and set the agendas for Committee meetings. The Committee shall have the authority to establish its own rules and procedures for notice and conduct of its meetings so long as they are not inconsistent with any provisions of the Company’s bylaws that are applicable to the Committee.


2.     The Committee shall on a periodic basis meet separately with management, with the internal auditor and with the independent auditor.


3.     The Committee shall maintain written minutes of its proceedings which shall be submitted to the Board and retained by the Secretary for inclusion in the Company’s records.


4.     All non-management directors that are not members of the Committee may attend and observe meetings of the Committee, but shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation unless invited to do so by the Committee, and in any event shall not be entitled to vote. The Committee may, at its discretion, include in its meetings members of the Company’s management, representatives of the independent auditor, the internal auditor, any other financial personnel employed or retained by the Company or any other persons whose presence the Committee believes to be necessary or appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may also exclude from its meetings any persons it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, any non-management director that is not a member of the Committee.







5.     The Committee may retain any independent counsel, experts or advisors (accounting, financial or otherwise) that the Committee believes to be necessary or appropriate. The Committee may also utilize the services of the Company’s regular legal counsel or other advisors to the Company. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of compensation to the independent auditor for the purpose of rendering or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services, for payment of compensation to any advisors employed by the Committee and for ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.







6. The Committee may conduct or authorize investigations into any matters within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to the Committee.







IV.    Powers and Responsibilities


Interaction with the Independent Auditor


 


1.     Appointment and Oversight.   The Committee shall be directly responsible and have sole authority for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of any disagreements between Company management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company, and the independent auditor shall report directly to the Committee.


 




  





  











  






 


2.     Pre-Approval of Services.   Before the independent auditor is engaged by the Company or its subsidiaries to render audit or non-audit services, the Committee shall pre-approve the engagement in accordance with all applicable legal requirements. Committee pre-approval of audit and non-audit services will not be required if the engagement for the services is entered into pursuant to pre-approval policies and procedures established by the Committee regarding the Company’s engagement of the independent auditor and the Committee shall be empowered to adopt any and all such policies and procedures as it deems appropriate and in accordance with all applicable legal requirements. The Committee may if it elects delegate to one or more designated members of the Committee the authority to grant pre-approvals as the Committee shall determine appropriate and in accordance with applicable legal requirements.


 


3.     Independence of Independent Auditor.   The Committee shall, at least annually, review the independence and quality control procedures of the independent auditor and the experience and qualifications of the independent auditor’s senior personnel that are providing audit services to the Company. In conducting its review:


·   The Committee shall ensure that the independent auditor prepare and deliver, at least annually, a written statement delineating all relationships between the independent auditor and the Company, consistent with Independence Standards Board Standard 1. The Committee shall actively engage in a dialogue with the independent auditor with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that, in the view of the Committee, may impact the objectivity and independence of the independent auditor. If the Committee determines that further inquiry is advisable, the Committee shall take appropriate action in response to the independent auditor’s report to satisfy itself of the auditor’s independence.


·   The Committee shall confirm with the independent auditor that the independent auditor is in compliance with the partner rotation requirements established by the SEC.


·   The Committee shall, if applicable, consider whether the independent auditor’s provision of other non-audit services to the Company is compatible with maintaining the independence of the independent auditor.


·   Without limiting the independence requirements generally applicable, procedures shall be implemented to ensure that the independent auditor does not audit his or her own work, does not perform management functions and does not act as an advocate for the Company.


Annual Financial Statements and Annual Audit







4.     Meetings with Management, the Independent Auditor and the Internal Auditor.


·   The Committee shall meet with management, the independent auditor and the internal auditor in connection with each annual audit to discuss the scope of the audit, the procedures to be followed and the staffing of the audit.


 




  





  











  






 


·   The Committee shall review and discuss with management and the independent auditor any material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations) and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities of which the Committee is made aware that do not appear on the financial statements of the Company and that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources or significant components of revenues or expenses.


·   The Committee shall review and discuss the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditor in advance of the issuance of such statements.







5.     Separate Meetings with the Independent Auditor.


·   The Committee shall review with the independent auditor any “management” or “internal control” letter issued, or proposed to be issued, by the independent auditor to the Company.


·   The Committee shall discuss with the independent auditor the report that such auditor is required to make to the Committee regarding: (i) all accounting policies and practices to be used that the independent auditor identifies as critical; (ii) all alternative treatments within GAAP for policies and practices related to material items that have been discussed among management and the independent auditor, including the ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent auditor; and (iii) all other material written communications between the independent auditor and management of the Company, such as any management letter, reports on observations and recommendations on internal controls, independent auditor’s engagement letter, independent auditor’s independence letter, schedule of unadjusted audit differences and a listing of adjustments and reclassifications not recorded, if any. The Committee shall discuss with the independent auditor any disagreements between the independent auditor and management on financial reporting.


·   The Committee shall discuss with the independent auditor the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, “Communication with Audit Committees,” as then in effect.







6.     Recommendation to Include Financial Statements in Annual Report.   The Committee shall, based on the review and discussions in paragraphs 4 and 5 above, and based on the disclosures received from the independent auditor regarding its independence and discussions with the auditor regarding such independence pursuant to subparagraph 3 above, determine whether to recommend to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year subject to the audit.


 




  





  











  











Quarterly Financial Statements


7.     Meetings with Management, the Independent Auditor and the Internal Auditor.   The Committee shall review and discuss the quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor in advance of the issuance of such statements.


Internal Audit







8.     Appointment.   The Committee shall review the appointment and replacement of the internal auditor.







9.     Separate Meetings with the Internal Auditor.   The Committee shall meet periodically with the Company’s internal auditor to discuss the responsibilities, budget and staffing of the Company’s internal audit function and any issues that the internal auditor believes warrant audit committee attention. The Committee shall discuss with the internal auditor any significant reports to management prepared by the internal auditor and any responses from management.


Other Powers and Responsibilities







10.   Related Party Transactions.   The Committee shall review related party transactions on an ongoing basis.







11.   Correspondence with Regulators.   The Committee shall discuss with management and the independent auditor any correspondence from or with regulators or governmental agencies, any employee complaints or any published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements, financial reporting process, accounting policies or internal audit function.







12.   Legal Matters.   The Committee shall discuss with the Company’s General Counsel or outside counsel any legal matters brought to the Committee’s attention that could reasonably be expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.







13.   Foreign Operations.   The Committee shall request assurances from management, the independent auditor and the Company’s internal auditors that the Company’s foreign subsidiaries and foreign affiliated entities, if any, are in conformity with applicable legal requirements, including disclosure of affiliated party transactions.







14.   Complaints.   The Committee shall establish procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters. The Committee shall also establish procedures for the confidential and anonymous submission by employees regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.


 




  





  











  











15.   Reports on Financial Statements.   The Committee shall provide the Company with the report of the Committee with respect to the audited financial statements required by Item 306 of Regulation S-B, for inclusion in each of the Company’s annual proxy statements.







16.   Board Reports.   The Committee, through its Chair, shall report regularly to, and review with, the Board any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence of the Company’s independent auditor, the performance of the Company’s internal audit function or any other matter the Committee determines is necessary or advisable to report to the Board.







17.   Future Amendments to Charter.    The Committee shall review and reassess this Charter periodically as it deems appropriate and submit any recommended changes to the Board for its consideration.