PROPOSAL 2
RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Audit Committee has selected OUM & Co. LLP (“OUM”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018. The Board of Directors has directed that management submit the selection of our independent registered public accounting firm for ratification by the stockholders at the Annual Meeting. OUM has audited our financial statements beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006. Representatives of OUM are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting, will have an opportunity to make a statement if they so desire, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Stockholder ratification of the selection of OUM as our independent registered public accounting firm is not required by our Bylaws or otherwise; however, the Board is submitting the selection of OUM to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. If the stockholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit Committee will reconsider whether or not to retain that firm. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in our best interests and those of our stockholders.
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will be required to ratify the selection of OUM. Abstentions will be counted toward the tabulation of votes cast on proposals presented to the stockholders and will have the same effect as “Against” votes. Broker non-votes are counted towards a quorum, but are not counted for any purpose in determining whether this matter has been approved; however, Proposal 2 is considered a routine matter, and therefore no broker non-votes are expected to exist in connection with Proposal 2.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The following presents aggregate fees billed to us by OUM, our principal accountant for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. All fees described were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
Audit Fees. Audit fees billed were $215,707 for the year ended December 31, 2017 and $233,189 for the year ended December 31, 2016. The fees were for professional services rendered for the audit of our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2017, and the audit of our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2016, reviews of the financial statements included in our quarterly reports, consultations on matters that arose during our audit and reviews of SEC registration statements.
Audit-Related Fees. No audit-related fees were billed in the years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.
Tax Fees. No tax fees were billed for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.
Other Fees. There were no other fees billed in the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.
The Audit Committee has determined that the rendering of certain services other than audit services by OUM is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence, although no such services were provided in the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.
PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Audit Committee has adopted a policy and procedures for the pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by our independent registered public accounting firm. The policy generally pre-approves specified services in the defined categories of audit services, audit-related services, and tax services up to specified amounts. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit Committee’s approval of the scope of the engagement of our independent registered public accounting firm or on an individual explicit case-by-case basis before the independent registered public accounting firm is engaged to provide each service. The pre-approval of services may be delegated to one or more of the Audit Committee’s members, but the decision must be reported to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. All of the fees for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 set forth above were preapproved by the Audit Committee.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 2.