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Director Qualification Standards
The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) is responsible for establishing criteria for selecting new directors and actively seeking individuals to become board members. This assessment will include members’ qualification as independent, as well as consideration of diversity, age, skills and experience in the context of the needs of the Board. Nominees for directorships will be recommended to the Board by the Nominating and Governance Committee. The invitation to join the Board should be extended by the Board itself.
The Board shall initially consist of seven members. The number of directors constituting the whole Board may be increased or decreased with the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of Trico Marine Services, Inc. (the “Company”). The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing, on an annual basis, the appropriateness of the composition and size of the Board.
The Board shall monitor the number of public company boards on which each of the directors serves and may establish limitations on such service as appropriate to ensure the ability of each Board member to fully fulfill his or her duties and as may be otherwise required or limited by applicable securities laws or Nasdaq regulations.
The Board does not believe it should establish term or age limits. While term limits could help insure that there are fresh ideas and viewpoints available to the Board, they hold the disadvantage of losing the contribution of directors who have been able to develop, over a period of time, increasing insight into the Company and its operations and, therefore, provide an increasing contribution to the Board as a whole. As an alternative to term limits, the Nominating and Governance Committee will review annually each director’s continuation on the Board.
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Director Responsibilities
The basic responsibility of the directors is to exercise their business judgment to act in what they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. In discharging that obligation, directors should be entitled to rely on the honesty and integrity of the Company's senior executives and its outside advisors and auditors. The directors shall also be entitled to (i) have the Company purchase reasonable directors' and officers' liability insurance on their behalf, (ii) the benefits of indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Company's certificate of incorporation, bylaws and any indemnification agreements, and (iii) exculpation as provided by state law and the Company's certificate of incorporation.
Directors are expected to attend Board meetings and meetings of committees on which they serve, and to spend the time needed and meet as frequently as necessary to properly discharge their responsibilities. Information and data that are important to the Board's understanding of the business to be conducted at a Board or committee meeting should be distributed in writing to the directors before the meeting, and directors are required to review these materials in advance of the meeting. Attendance at Board and committee meetings shall be considered by the Board in assessing each Board member's performance.
The Company's Bylaws provides that the Board may elect one of its members to serve as Chairman. The Board has no policy with respect to the separation of the offices of Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer (the "CEO"). The Board believes that this issue is part of the succession planning process and that it is in the best interests of the Company for the Board to make a determination regarding this issue each time it elects a new chief executive officer.
The Chairman will establish the agenda for each Board meeting. Each Board member is free to suggest the inclusion of items on the agenda. Each Board member is free to raise at any Board meeting subjects that are not on the agenda for that meeting. The Board will review the Company's long-term strategic plans and the principal issues that the Company will face in the future during at least one Board meeting each year.
The independent directors will meet in executive session at least quarterly. The Chairman will be responsible for preparing an agenda for the meeting of the independent directors in executive sessions.
The independent directors shall direct all matters relating to succession of the CEO and other key executives in executive session. The independent directors shall make a report to the Board on succession planning at least annually, and work with the Board to evaluate potential successors to the CEO and other key executives.
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Board Committees
The Board will have at all times an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Governance Committee and a Compensation Committee. All of the members of these committees will be independent directors under the standards established by The Nasdaq National Market ("NASDAQ") and applicable securities laws. Committee members will be appointed by the Board upon recommendation of the Nominating and Governance Committee.
Each committee will have its own charter. The charters will set forth the purposes, goals and responsibilities of the committees, committee structure and operations and committee reporting to the Board. The charters will also provide that each committee will annually evaluate its performance and/or charter.
The Chairman of each committee, in consultation with the committee members, will determine the frequency and length of the committee meetings consistent with any requirements set forth in the committee's charter. The Chairman of each committee, in consultation with the appropriate members of the committee and management, will develop the committee's agenda.
The Board may, from time to time, establish or maintain additional committees as necessary or appropriate.
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Director Access to Management and Independent Advisors
The Board and each committee have the power to hire independent legal, financial or other advisors, as applicable, as they may deem necessary, without consulting with or obtaining the approval of any officer of the Company in advance.
Directors have full and free access to officers and employees of the Company. Any meetings or contacts that a director wishes to initiate may be arranged through the CEO or the Secretary or directly by the director. The directors will use their judgment to ensure that any such contact is not disruptive to the business or operations of the Company and will, to the extent not inappropriate, copy the CEO on any written communications between a director and an officer or employee of the Company to the extent such communication relates to the business or affairs of the Company.
Director Compensation
The Compensation Committee will have the authority to generally review and monitor compensation for directors and make a recommendation to the Board regarding the form and amount of director compensation in accordance with the policies and principles set forth in its charter. The Compensation Committee will consider that directors' independence may be jeopardized if director compensation and perquisites exceed customary levels, if the Company makes substantial charitable contributions to organizations with which a director is affiliated, or if the Company enters into consulting contracts with (or provides other indirect forms of compensation to) a director or an organization with which the director is affiliated.
Director Orientation and Continuing Education
The Board will take such measures as it deems appropriate to ensure that its members may act on a fully informed basis, including making available to all members of the Board the opportunity to, from time-to-time, attend continuing educational courses on the duties, responsibilities and liabilities of serving on the board of a public company. Each new Board member shall be provided with information regarding and the opportunity to fully review the Company's business, personnel and operations in conjunction with accepting a seat on the Board of Directors. In addition, the officers of the Company as well as the Board shall take steps to ensure that Board members remain fully informed as to the operation of the Company as well as their duties and responsibilities as members of the Board. Additional steps with respect to director orientation and continuing education shall be taken as necessary to comply with securities laws and NASDAQ regulations.
Evaluation of the CEO’s Performance and Compensation
The Compensation Committee will review annually and approve corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of the CEO, evaluate the performance of the CEO in light of those goals and objectives, and set the compensation of the CEO based on this evaluation.
Annual Performance Evaluation of the Board
The Board of Directors will conduct an annual self-evaluation to determine whether it and its committees are functioning effectively. The assessment should focus on the Board’s contribution to the Company and specifically focus on areas in which the Board or management believes that the Board could improve.
Business Conduct and Ethics
All of the Company’s employees and each of its directors are expected to act in accordance with the principles set forth in the Company’s Proper Business Practices and Ethics Policy. This policy reflects the Company’s expectation that its business will be conducted with honesty and integrity and in accordance with the highest ethical and legal standards. Each of the Company’s CEO, Chief Financial Officer, Controller and other senior financial officers is expected to conduct themselves when carrying out their duties and responsibilities in accordance with the principles set forth in the Company’s Financial Code of Ethics.
Review of Corporate Governance Guidelines
At least annually, the Nominating and Governance Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of these Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Nominating and Governance Committee shall report the results of the review to the Board and, if necessary, make recommendations to the Board to amend these Corporate Governance Guidelines.
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COPYRIGHT
copyright 2008 © Trico Marine Services, Inc. All rights reserved
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CONTACT#
PH: (713) 780.9926
FX: (713) 780.0062 |
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2950
Houston, TX 77027 |
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