Limitation on Public Company Board Service
To ensure that each director is able to devote sufficient time to performing his duties, the number of other public company boards on which a director may serve is subject to a case-by-case review by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. In addition, the Audit Committee’s Charter prohibits committee members from serving on the audit committee of more than two other public company boards unless our Board determines that such simultaneous service does not impair the ability of the director to effectively serve on the Audit Committee.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Our Board has determined that a leadership structure consisting of a combined role of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, together with a strong Lead Independent Director, is appropriate for our Company. As Mr. Goodrich bears the primary responsibility for managing our day-to-day business, the combination of the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ensures that key business issues and stockholder interests are brought to the attention of our Board. In addition, as a result of his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Goodrich has Company-specific experience that can benefit his role as Chairman of the Board in identifying strategic priorities, leading the discussion and execution of strategy, and facilitating the flow of information between management and the Board.
To give a significant voice to our independent, non-management directors and to reinforce effective, independent leadership on the Board, and in recognition of his demonstrated leadership skills, the Board has appointed Mr. Leuliette as Lead Independent Director. As Lead Independent Director, Mr. Leuliette serves as liaison between the Chairman and the independent directors; approves meeting agendas for the Board; approves meeting schedules to assure that there is sufficient time for discussion of all agenda items; has the authority to call meetings of the independent directors; and if requested by major stockholders, ensures that he is available for consultation and direct communication.
We believe that the above structure, when combined with the Company’s other governance policies and procedures, provide for appropriate oversight, discussion and evaluation of decisions and direction from the Board, and are in the best interest of our stockholders.
Our Board’s Role in Risk Oversight
Our Board generally administers its risk oversight function through the Board as a whole. Our Chief Executive Officer, who reports to the Board, and the other executives named in this proxy statement, who report to our Chief Executive Officer, have day-to-day risk management responsibilities. Each of these executives attends the meetings of our Board, where the Board routinely receives reports on our financial results, the status of our operations and our safety performance, and other aspects of implementation of our business strategy, with ample opportunity for specific inquiries of management. The Audit Committee provides additional risk oversight through its quarterly meetings, where it receives a report from our Chief Financial Officer, and reviews our contingencies, significant transactions and subsequent events, among other matters, with management and our independent auditors. In addition, our Hedging Committee assists management in establishing pricing and production guidelines to be used by management in entering into oil and gas hedging contracts in order to manage the commodity price risk for a portion of our oil and gas production.
Annual Board Evaluation
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for the Board evaluation process. In December of each fiscal year, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee requests that the Chairman of each committee report to the full Board about the committee’s annual evaluation of its performance and evaluation of its charter. In addition, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee receives comments from all directors and reports to the full Board with an assessment of the Board’s and management’s performance each fiscal year.
Director Orientation and Continuing Education
Our Board takes measures as it deems appropriate to ensure that its members may act on a fully informed basis. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee evaluates general education and orientation programs for our directors. Newly appointed directors are required to become knowledgeable (if not already) about the responsibilities of directors for publicly traded companies. In addition, we provide our directors with information regarding changes in our business and industry as well as the responsibilities of the directors in fulfilling their duties.