The company maintains a comprehensive accounting system which includes controls designed to provide reasonable assurance as to the integrity and reliability of the financial records and the protection of assets. An internal audit staff is employed to regularly test and evaluate both internal accounting controls and operating procedures, including compliance with the company's statement of policy regarding ethical and lawful conduct. The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, composed of directors who are not members of management, meets regularly with management, the independent auditors and the internal auditors to ensure that their respective responsibilities are properly discharged. KPMG LLP and the Vice President of Internal Audit have full and free independent access to the Audit Committee. The role of KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, is to provide an objective examination of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the underlying transactions in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The report of KPMG LLP accompanies the Consolidated Financial Statements.