Information Relating to Proposal 2: Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Principal Accountant Fees and Services
During 2024, the Company retained RSM to audit the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended 2024. In addition, the Company also retained RSM to provide services relating to Management’s Assessment of Internal Controls as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as for other audit and non-audit related services. During the period covering the fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, RSM performed the following professional services:
| | | | | | | | |
| Audit fees(1) | | | $1,342,431 | | | $1,274,671 | |
| Audit-related fees(2) | | | $40,950 | | | $229,970 | |
| Tax fees(3) | | | - | | | $8,400 | |
| All other fees(4) | | | $66,000 | | | - | |
| Total fees | | | $1,449,381 | | | $1,513,041 | |
| | | | | | | | |
(1)
| Audit fees relate to audit of the annual consolidated financial statements and quarterly reviews, including out of pocket disbursements and administrative charges, and fees related to foreign statutory audits. 2023 also includes fees related to S-8 filing. |
(2)
| Audit-related fees for 2024 consist of fees paid for the employee benefit plan audit. Audit-related fees for 2023 consist of fees paid for the employee benefit plan audit and fees paid for unconsummated acquisition financial due diligence procedures. |
(3)
| Tax fees for 2023 consist of unconsummated acquisition tax due diligence procedures. |
(4)
| All other fees for 2024 relate to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) pre-assurance advisory services. |
Audit Committee Financial Experts
The Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Knutson, the Chair of the Audit Committee, Mr. Rigaud and Ms. Vicente, both members of the Audit Committee, are “audit committee financial experts” as defined under SEC rules.
Policy on Pre-Approval of Audit and Non-Audit Services
All audit and non-audit services provided to the Company by the independent accountants are pre-approved by the Audit Committee or in certain instances by one or more of its members pursuant to delegated authority. At the beginning of each year, the Audit Committee reviews and approves all known audit and non-audit services and fees to be provided by and paid to the independent accountants. During the year, specific audit and non-audit services or fees not previously approved by the Audit Committee are approved in advance by the Audit Committee or in certain instances by one or more of its members pursuant to delegated authority. In addition, during the year the Chief Financial Officer and the Audit Committee monitor actual fees to the independent accountants for audit and non-audit services, as appropriate.
The Audit Committee reviewed all audit and non-audit services provided by RSM with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and concluded that the provision of such services was compatible with maintaining independence in the conduct of its auditing functions. All audit and non-audit services provided by RSM described in the table above were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
The Board of Directors has appointed an Audit Committee consisting of three directors. Each member of the Audit Committee is independent as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC and SEC independence requirements applicable to audit committee members. The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter with respect to the Audit Committee’s responsibilities. The Audit Committee oversees the Company’s internal and independent auditors and assists the Board of Directors in overseeing matters relating to the Company’s financial reporting process and risk exposure.