Audit Committee Charter
PURPOSES:
The purposes of the
Audit Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of Directors
(“Board”) of iStar Financial Inc. (the "Company")
are as follows:
A. To assist Board oversight of (1) the integrity of the Company’s
financial statements, (2) the Company’s compliance with legal and
regulatory requirements, (3) the independent auditor’s qualifications
and independence, and (4) the performance of the independent auditors
and the Company’s internal audit function.
B. To prepare the report of the Committee for inclusion in the Company’s
annual proxy statement, in accordance with applicable rules and regulations
of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
MEMBERSHIP:
The Committee shall be comprised of three (3) or more members of the Board.
The Committee shall be organized in compliance with standards established
by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (“NYSE”) from time to
time and applicable SEC rules. The Board shall appoint members of the
Committee for one-year terms and members shall serve at the pleasure of
the Board. The Board shall designate one of the Committee members to serve
as chairman of the Committee. No member of the Committee may receive any
compensation from the Company other than director’s fees. Committee
members shall have the following qualifications:
A. Each member of the Committee shall be “independent” as
determined by the Board in its business judgment in accordance with standards
established by the NYSE from time to time.
B. Each member of the Committee shall be “financially literate”
(or become so within a reasonable time after his or her appointment to
the Committee), as such qualification is interpreted by the Board in its
business judgment in accordance with standards established by the NYSE
from time to time.
C. At least one member of the Committee shall have “accounting or
related financial management expertise,” as such qualification is
interpreted by the Board in its business judgment in accordance with standards
established by the NYSE from time to time.
D. At least one member of the Committee shall have such other attributes
relating to financial expertise as the Board determines in its business
judgment satisfy standards set forth in rules and regulations established
by the SEC from time to time.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Committee has the following duties and responsibilities:
A. To retain and terminate the Company’s independent auditors (subject,
if applicable, to shareholder ratification).
B. At least annually, to obtain and review a report by the independent
auditors describing (1) the auditing firm’s internal quality-control
procedures, (2) any material issues raised by the most recent internal
quality-control review, or peer review, of the auditing firm, or by any
inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities,
within the preceding five years, respecting one or more independent audits
carried out by the auditing firm, and any steps taken to deal with any
such issues, and (3) all relationships between the independent auditor
and the Company.
C. To review and evaluate the qualifications, performance and independence
of the lead partner of the independent auditors and present the Committee’s
conclusions with respect to the independent auditors to the full Board
D. To ensure that the lead audit partner does not serve in that capacity
for more than five years and consider whether the audit firm itself should
be changed periodically.
E. To discuss the annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial
statements with management and the independent auditor, including the
Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
F. To receive reports from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Financial Officer of (i) 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 identify any material weakness in internal controls, and (ii)
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal
controls.
G. To review analyses prepared by management and/or the independent auditors
setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made
in connection with the preparation of the Company’s financial statements,
including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the Company’s
financial statements; the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives,
as well as off-balance sheet structures on the financial statements of
the Company; and earnings press releases (paying particular attention
to any use of “pro forma,” or “adjusted” non-GAAP,
information), as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided
to analysts and rating agencies.
H. To review any accounting adjustments that were noted or proposed by
the auditor but were “passed” (including similar adjustments
that were passed because individually they were not material); any communications
between the audit team and the audit firm’s national office respecting
auditing or accounting issues presented by the engagement; and any “management”
or “internal control” letter issued, or proposed to be issued,
by the auditing firm to the Company
I. To review and approve the Company’s hedging policy and execution
of hedging transactions.
J. To review and approve the Company’s credit loss reserve policy
and establishment of reserves on a quarterly basis.
K. On behalf of the Board of Directors, to authorize transactions in which
the Company or any subsidiary incurs indebtedness (for this purpose, a
guarantee by the Company or any subsidiary of the financial obligations
of another person shall be deemed to be an incurrence of indebtedness),
or refinances any indebtedness, in an amount greater than $30 million
but less than $50 million in any transaction or series of related transactions.
L. On behalf of the Board of Directors, to authorize such other capital
markets transactions or other transactions, and such other matters, as
the Board may request.
M. As appropriate, to obtain advice and assistance from outside legal,
accounting or other advisors.
N. To discuss policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management.
O. To review the adequacy of management information systems, internal
accounting and financial controls.
P. To meet separately, on a periodic basis, with Company personnel responsible
for the internal audit function and with independent auditors.
Q. To review with the independent auditor any audit problems or difficulties
and management’s response.
R. To establish policies regarding hiring employees or former employees
of the independent auditors.
S. To review annually internal and external audits, if any, of employees
benefit plans and pension plans of the Company (including subsidiaries).
T. To review annually adequacy of the Company's insurance.
U. To review annually adequacy of protection of technology, including
physical security, patent and trademark program and proprietary information.
V. To review annually the policies and procedures relating to compliance
with legal and regulatory requirements and the Company’s compliance
therewith.
W. To report regularly to the Board.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT:
The Committee will provide to the Board an annual performance evaluation
of the Committee, including an assessment of the performance of the Committee
based on the duties and responsibilities set forth in this charter and
such other matters as the Committee may determine. The evaluation to the
Board may take the form of an oral report by the Committee chairman or
any other member of the Committee designated by the Committee to make
the report.
DELEGATION TO SUBCOMMITTEE:
The Committee may, in its discretion, delegate all or a portion of its
duties and responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee.
RESOURCES AND AUTHORITY OF THE COMMITTEE:
The Committee will be given the resources and authority appropriate to
discharge its duties and responsibilities, including the authority to
retain counsel and other experts or consultants. The Committee has the
sole authority to approve all audit engagement fees and terms, as well
as significant non-audit engagements with the independent auditors. The
Company will provide appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee,
in its capacity as a committee of the Board, for payment of compensation
(a) to the public accounting firm employed to audit the Company’s
financial statements and (b) to any advisors employed by the Committee.
MINUTES:
Minutes will be kept of each meeting of the Committee and will be available
to each member of the Board. Any action of the Committee (other than actions
for which the Committee has sole authority as set forth herein) shall
be subject to revision, modification, rescission, or alteration by the
Board, provided that no rights of third parties shall be affected by any
such revision, modification, rescission, or alteration.
AMENDMENTS:
This Audit Committee Charter may be amended in whole or in part with the
approval of a majority of the Board.