Audit Committee

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Audit Committee

CHARTER FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OF

LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Luna Innovations Incorporated (the “Company”) shall be to:

  • Oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and audits of the financial statements of the Company;
  • Assist the Board in oversight and monitoring of (i) the integrity of the Company’s financial statements, (ii) the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (iii) the independent auditor’s qualifications, independence and performance, (iv) the Company’s internal accounting and financial controls, and (v) the Company’s internal audit function, if applicable;
  • Prepare the Audit Committee report that the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) require be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement;
  • Provide the Company’s Board with the results of its monitoring and recommendations derived therefrom; and
  • Provide to the Board such additional information and materials as it may deem necessary to make the Board aware of significant financial matters that require the attention of the Board.

In addition, the Audit Committee will undertake those specific duties and responsibilities listed below and such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe, or as may be required by law from time to time.

The Board and management shall ensure that the Audit Committee has adequate funding and other resources and authority to discharge its responsibilities as determined by the Audit Committee.

MEMBERSHIP:

The Audit Committee members will be appointed by, and will serve at the discretion of, the Board of Directors. The Audit Committee will consist of at least three members of the Board of Directors, all of whom in the judgment of the Board of Directors shall be independent in accordance with the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, except as otherwise permitted by the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, and the regulations of the SEC. Each member shall in the judgment of the Board of Directors have the ability to read and understand the Company’s financial statements. At least one member of the Audit Committee shall in the judgment of the Board of Directors be an audit committee financial expert in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and at least one member (who may also serve as the audit committee financial expert) shall in the judgment of the Board of Directors have accounting or related financial management expertise in accordance with the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market. In addition, Audit Committee members will satisfy any additional requirements mandated by rules and regulations of the SEC or the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market. The Audit Committee will review its membership annually for compliance with the above requirements.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The responsibilities of the Audit Committee shall include:

  • Reviewing on a continuing basis the adequacy of the Company’s system of internal controls, including meeting periodically with the Company’s management and the independent auditors to review the adequacy of such controls and to review before release the disclosure regarding such system of internal controls required under SEC rules to be contained in the Company’s periodic filings and, if applicable, the attestations or reports by the independent auditors relating to such disclosure;
  • Appointing, compensating and overseeing the work of the independent auditors (including resolving disagreements between management and the independent auditors regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work;
  • Evaluating the performance of the independent auditors to assess their qualifications (including their internal quality control procedures and any material issues raised by that firm’s most recent internal quality control review or any investigations by regulatory authorities) and to determine whether to retain, or to terminate, the engagement of the existing independent auditors, or to appoint and engage a different independent registered public accounting firm, which retention shall be subject only to ratification by the Company’s stockholders (if the Audit Committee or the Board elects to submit such retention for ratification by the stockholders.
  • Pre-approving all audit services provided to the Company by the independent auditors; in this regard, the Audit Committee shall have the sole authority to approve the hiring and firing of the independent auditors, all audit engagement fees and terms and all non-audit engagements, as may be permitted under applicable SEC rules or applicable laws, with the independent auditors;
  • Pre-approving non-audit services provided to the Company by the independent auditors (or subsequently approving non-audit services in those circumstances where a subsequent approval is necessary and permissible); in this regard the Audit Committee shall have the authority to appoint a subcommittee of one or more members of the Audit Committee and/or to pre-approve non-audit services by establishing detailed pre-approval policies as to the particular service, provided that the Audit Committee is informed of each service pre-approved (no less frequently than at each meeting of the Audit Committee) and that no pre-approval shall be delegated to management of the Company except as permitted by applicable law and regulation. In considering whether to pre-approve any non-audit services, the Audit Committee or its delegees shall consider whether the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining the independence of the Company’s independent auditors;
  • Monitoring the rotation of the partners of the independent auditors on the Company’s audit engagement team as required by applicable laws and rules and to consider periodically rotation of auditing firms.
  • Considering and, if deemed appropriate, adopting policies regarding Audit Committee preapproval of employment by the Company of individuals employed or formerly employed by the independent auditors and engaged on the Company’s account.
  • Reviewing and providing guidance with respect to the external audit and the Company’s relationship with its independent auditors by (i) reviewing the independent auditors’ proposed audit scope, approach and independence; (ii) obtaining on a periodic basis a statement from the independent auditors regarding relationships and services with the Company which may impact independence, and to the extent there are relationships, monitoring and investigating them, including actively engaging in a dialogue with the independent auditors with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the independent auditors, and presenting such information to the Board of Directors; (iii) receiving and reviewing a report by the independent auditors describing any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality control review, or peer review, of the independent auditing firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities and any steps taken to deal with any such issues; (iv) discussing with the Company’s independent auditors the financial statements and audit findings, including any significant adjustments, management judgments and accounting estimates, significant new accounting policies and disagreements with management and any other matters described by Auditing Standard 1301, Communications with Audit Committees, as adopted by the PCAOB (including any successor rule adopted by the PCAOB); and (v) reviewing reports submitted to the Audit Committee by the independent auditors in accordance with the applicable SEC requirements;
  • Recommending to the Board as to whether the Company’s audited financial statements should be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K based on the Audit Committee’s review and discussions (1) with management of the audited financial statements, (2) with the independent auditor of the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard 1301, and (3) with the independent auditor concerning the independent auditor’s independence;
  • Reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditors the annual audited financial statements and quarterly unaudited financial statements, including the Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” prior to filing the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, respectively, with the SEC;
  • Directing the Company’s independent auditors to review before filing with the SEC the Company’s interim financial statements included in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, using professional standards and procedures for conducting such reviews;
  • Conducting a post-audit review of the financial statements and audit findings, including any significant suggestions for improvements provided to management by the independent auditors;
  • Reviewing before release the Company’s earnings releases, as well as the substance of financial information and earnings guidance that may be disclosed on earnings calls or disclosed to analysts; the Chairman of the Committee may represent the entire Committee for purposes of this review;
  • Reviewing and discussing with management and the Company’s independent auditors the preparation and content of any officer certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or the SEC to be filed with the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Annual Report on Form 10-K or any other periodic report;
  • Discussing with management and, if applicable, internal audit representatives the activities, organizational structure and qualifications of the Company’s internal audit function;
  • Reviewing any reports by management or internal auditors regarding the effectiveness of, or any deficiencies in, the design or operation of internal controls and any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls and reviewing before release the disclosure regarding the Company’s system of internal controls required under SEC rules to be contained in the Company’s periodic filings and the attestations or reports by the independent auditors relating to such disclosure;
  • Reviewing with the independent auditors and, if appropriate, management, any “management” or “internal control” letter issued or, to the extent practicable, proposed to be issued by the independent auditors and management’s response, if any, to such letter, as well as any additional material written communications between the independent auditors and management.
  • Reviewing with the independent auditors, as appropriate, communications between the audit team and the independent auditor’s national office with respect to accounting, independence issues or auditing issues presented by the engagement.
  • Overseeing compliance with legal requirements for disclosure of auditor’s services and Audit Committee members, member qualifications and activities;
  • Reviewing management’s monitoring of compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;
  • Reviewing, approving and monitoring the Company’s code of business conduct and ethics;
  • Reviewing, in conjunction with counsel, any legal matters that could have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statements;
  • Reviewing and discussing with management the Company’s financial risk exposures (including credit and counterparty risks, market risk, asset and liability risk, liquidity risk, foreign currency risk, and investment policy risk), the steps the Company has taken to detect, monitor and actively manage such exposures, and the Company’s risk assessment and risk management policies relating to such risks and periodically receiving a report from the Risk Committee of the Board of any financial risk exposures identified by the Risk Committee;
  • If necessary, instituting special investigations with full access to all books, records, facilities and personnel of the Company;
  • Reviewing and approving in advance any proposed related party transactions, including, without limitation, approving all transactions required to be disclosed pursuant to SEC Regulation S-K, Item 404;
  • Reviewing its own charter, structure, processes and membership requirements on an annual basis;
  • Providing a report in the Company’s proxy statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC;
  • Overseeing any Company officers or employees tasked with overseeing any Company plans that are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and periodically reviewing the books and records of the Company related to such plans subject to ERISA.
  • Establishing procedures for receiving, retaining and treating complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and procedures for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters; and
  • Reviewing off-balance sheet transactions and structures.

AUTHORITY:

The Audit Committee shall have the sole authority and responsibility to appoint, determine funding for, oversee and, where appropriate, replace the Company’s independent auditor. The Audit Committee shall also have all authority necessary to fulfill the duties and responsibilities assigned to it in this Charter or otherwise assigned to it by the Board of Directors.

In discharging its oversight role, the Audit Committee is empowered to investigate any matter brought to its attention with full access to all books, records, facilities and personnel of the Company. The Audit Committee has the authority to engage independent counsel and other advisors as it determines necessary to carry out its duties without seeking Board of Director approval with respect to the selection, fees or terms of engagement of any such counsel or advisors. The Audit Committee shall have available appropriate funding from the Company as determined by the Audit Committee for payment of compensation to any accounting firm, counsel or advisor and ordinary expenses of the Audit Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.

The Audit Committee when appropriate may form and delegate authority to subcommittees and may delegate authority to one or more designated members of the Audit Committee.

MEETINGS:

The Audit Committee will meet at least four times each year. The Audit Committee may establish its own schedule, which it will provide to the Board of Directors in advance.

The Audit Committee will periodically meet separately with management, the Company’s internal auditor, if applicable, and other personnel it deems necessary at such times as are appropriate to review the financial affairs of the Company. The Audit Committee will meet separately with the independent auditors of the Company, at such times as it deems appropriate, but not less than quarterly, to fulfill the responsibilities of the Audit Committee under this charter.

MINUTES:

The Audit Committee will maintain written minutes of its meetings, which minutes will be filed with the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors.

REPORTS:

In addition to preparing the report in the Company’s proxy statement in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Audit Committee will summarize its examinations and recommendations to the Board of Directors as may be appropriate, consistent with the Committee’s charter, and otherwise make regular reports to the Board of Directors.

COMPENSATION:

Members of the Audit Committee shall receive such fees, if any, for their service as Audit Committee members as may be determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion. Such fees may include retainers or per meeting fees. Fees may be paid in such form of consideration as is determined by the Board of Directors.

Members of the Audit Committee may not receive any compensation from the Company except the fees that they receive for service as a member of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof.

LIMITATIONS INHERENT IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE’S ROLE:

It is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements are complete and accurate and are in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principals (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations. This is the responsibility of management and the independent auditor.

 

N. Leigh Anderson Ph.D. Barry Phelps Mary Beth Vitale Pam Coe
  • Member
  • Chair
  • Financial Expert
  • Independent Director

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