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2. |
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
The Audit Committee is required by law and applicable NASDAQ Rules,
as well as the Audit Committee Charter, to be directly responsible
for the appointment, compensation and retention of the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee
has appointed DHG as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. As
disclosed previously, on September 13, 2018, the Audit Committee
determined to appoint DHG as the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm, commencing with the quarter ended September
30, 2018 and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and to
end the engagement of BDO USA, LLP (“BDO”) as the Company’s
independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit
Committee’s decision to change its independent registered public
accounting firm during 2018 was not the result of any disagreement
with BDO.
The audit reports of BDO on the Company’s consolidated financial
statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017
did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion and
were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or
accounting principles. During the fiscal years ended December 31,
2016 and 2017, and through September 17, 2018, there were no
disagreements, within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of
Regulation S-K, with BDO on any matter of accounting principles or
practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or
procedures which, if not resolved to BDO’s satisfaction, would have
caused BDO to make reference to the subject matter in connection
with its reports; and there were no reportable events as defined in
Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
While shareholder ratification of the selection of DHG as the
Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is not
required by the Company’s Bylaws or otherwise, the Board of
Directors is submitting the selection of DHG to the shareholders
for ratification as a matter of good corporate governance. If the
shareholders fail to ratify the selection, the Audit Committee may,
but is not required to, reconsider whether to retain that firm.
Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its
discretion may direct the appointment of a different independent
registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it
determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the
Company.
A representative from DHG is expected to be present at the Meeting
and will have the opportunity to make any statement if such
representative desires to do so, and, if present, will be available
to respond to appropriate questions.
Amounts paid to, or billed by, the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firms, during the two most recent fiscal years by
category were as follows:
Audit Fees
The Company has paid or expects to pay DHG approximately $380,000,
in the aggregate, for professional services it rendered for the
audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements and audits
of subsidiary company statutory reports for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2019 and the reviews of the interim financial
statements included in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. The Company paid
DHG approximately $355,000, in the aggregate, for professional
services it rendered for the audit of the Company’s consolidated
financial statements and audits of subsidiary company statutory
reports for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and the reviews
of the interim financial statements included in the Company’s
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended
September 30, 2018.
The Company paid BDO approximately $122,000 in the aggregate, for
professional services it rendered for the reviews of the interim
financial statements included in the Company’s quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q filed for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2018 and
June 30, 2018.
Audit - Related Fees
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the Company engaged
DHG to audit the December 31, 2018 financial statements of The
Atlantic American Corporation 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (the
“Plan”). Audit-related fees paid to DHG for the Plan audit were
approximately $25,000. During the fiscal year ended December 31,
2018, the Company paid BDO approximately $34,000 in audit-related
fees for the audit of the December 31, 2017 financial statements of
the Plan.
Tax Fees
There were no tax fees paid to either DHG or BDO in 2019 or
2018.