CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
In the ordinary course of the Company’s business, the Company purchases products or services from, or engages in other transactions with, various third parties. Occasionally, these transactions may involve entities that are affiliated with one or more members of the Board.
Procedures for Approval of Related Party Transactions
We maintain a policy for approval of related party transactions. A “Related Party Transaction” is a transaction, arrangement or relationship in which we or any of our subsidiaries was, is or will be a participant, the amount of which involved exceeds $120,000, and in which any related person had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. A “Related Person” means:
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any person who is, or at any time during the applicable period was, one of our executive officers or one of our directors;
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any person who is known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock;
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any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons, which means any child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law of a director, executive officer or a beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock, and any person (other than a tenant or employee) sharing the household of such director, executive officer or beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock; and
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any firm, corporation or other entity in which any of the foregoing persons is a partner or principal or in a similar position or in which such person has a 10% or greater beneficial ownership interest.
The Audit Committee is charged with reviewing the material facts of all related person transactions and either approving or disapproving of the Company’s participation in such transactions under the Company’s written Related Persons Transaction Policy, which pre-approves or ratifies (as applicable) certain related person transactions, including:
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any employment by the Company of an executive officer if his or her compensation is required to be reported in the Company’s proxy statement under Item 402;
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director compensation that is required to be reported in the Company’s proxy statement under Item 402;
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any transaction with another company or which a Related Person’s relationship is an employee (other than an executive officer), director or beneficial owner of less than 10% of that company’s shares if the aggregate amount involved for any particular service does not exceed the greater of $500,000 or 25% of that company’s total annual revenues; and
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charitable contribution, grant or endowment by the Company to a charitable organization, foundation or university at which a Related Person’s only relationship is as an employee (other than an executive officer) or a director if the aggregate amount involved does not exceed the lesser of $200,000 or 10% of the charitable organization’s total annual receipts.
In determining whether to approve or disapprove entry into a Related Party Transaction, the Audit Committee shall take into account, among other factors, the following: (i) whether the Related Party Transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances, (ii) the extent of the Related Person’s interest in the transaction, (iii) whether the Related Party Transaction was undertaken in the ordinary course of business of the Company, (iv) the availability of other sources of comparable products or services, (v) whether the Related Party Transaction was initiated by the Company or the Related Person, (vi) the purpose of, and the potential benefits to the Company of the Related Party Transaction, (vii) the approximate dollar value of the amount involved in the Related Party Transaction particularly as it related to the Related Person and (viii) whether the Related Party Transaction is material to the Company. Further, the policy requires that all Related Party Transactions required to be disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC be so disclosed in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.