SkyWest Airlines 2008 Annual Report Download - page 137

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separate, executive sessions from time to time with representatives of E&Y, the Chief Financial Officer,
Protiviti and the Company’s legal counsel, at which meetings candid discussions of financial
management, accounting, internal controls and legal and compliance issues took place. Additionally, the
Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee had separate discussions regularly with representatives of
E&Y, the Chief Financial Officer, Protiviti and the Company’s legal counsel.
Does the Audit and Finance Committee review the periodic reports and other public financial
disclosures of the Company?
The Audit and Finance Committee reviews each of the Company’s quarterly and annual reports,
including Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. As
part of this review, the Audit and Finance Committee discusses the reports with the Company’s
management and independent registered public accounting firm and considers the audit and review
reports prepared by the independent registered public accounting firm about the Company’s quarterly
and annual reports, as well as related matters such as the quality (and not just the acceptability) of the
Company’s accounting practices, alternative methods of accounting under generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States (‘‘GAAP’’) and the preferences of the independent registered public
accounting firm in this regard, the Company’s critical accounting policies and the clarity and
completeness of the Company’s financial and other disclosures.
Did the Audit and Finance Committee play any role in connection with the Company’s report on
internal control?
The Audit and Finance Committee reviewed management’s report on internal control over
financial reporting, required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related rules. As
part of this review, the Audit and Finance Committee reviewed the bases for management’s conclusions
in that report, and also reviewed the report of the independent registered public accounting firm on
internal control over financial reporting. Throughout the year ended December 31, 2008, the Audit and
Finance Committee reviewed management’s plan for documenting and testing controls, the results of
their documentation and testing, any deficiencies discovered and the resulting remediation of any such
deficiencies.
What is the role of the Audit and Finance Committee in connection with the financial statements and
controls of the Company?
Management of the Company has primary responsibility for the Company’s financial statements
and internal control over the Company’s financial reporting. The independent registered public
accounting firm has responsibility for the integrated audit of the Company’s financial statements and
internal control over financial reporting. The responsibility of the Audit and Finance Committee is to
oversee financial and control matters, among other responsibilities fulfilled by the Audit and Finance
Committee under its charter. The Audit and Finance Committee meets regularly with the independent
registered public accounting firm, without the presence of management, to ensure candid and
constructive discussions about the Company’s compliance with accounting standards and best practices
among public companies comparable in size and scope to the Company. The Audit and Finance
Committee also regularly reviews with its outside advisors material developments in the law and
accounting literature that may be pertinent to the Company’s accounting financial reporting practices.
Does the Audit and Finance Committee have any policy-making responsibility?
From time to time, the Audit and Finance Committee establishes certain policies as required by
the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock
Market. For example, the Audit and Finance Committee has established a policy for the receipt and
retention (including on an anonymous basis) of complaints about financial and control matters. The
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