Purpose
The purpose of the Corporate Governance Committee (the “Committee”) is
to (i) identify individuals qualified to become directors and nominate to the
Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Swift Energy Company (“Swift Energy”
or the “Company”) the candidates for directorships, including director
nominees for election or re-election at each annual meeting of shareholders;
(ii) develop, monitor and recommend to the Board corporate governance
principles and practices applicable to Swift Energy; (iii) recommend to the
Board the membership of each committee of the Board, and (iv) assist
management of Swift Energy in identifying, screening and recommending to the
Board individuals qualified to become senior executive officers of Swift
Energy.
Membership, Structure and Operations
The Committee shall be comprised of three or more non-employee directors
appointed by the Board, each of whom is determined by the Board to be “independent”
under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the rules
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, all as may be amended from time to time. The members of
the Committee shall be appointed by the Board for one year terms or until
their successors are duly appointed and qualified.
The Board shall designate the Chairman of the Committee, provided
that if the Board does not designate a Chairman, the members of the Committee,
by majority vote, may designate one of the members of the Committee to serve
as Chairman until such time as the Board designates a Chairman. All actions of
the Committee will require the vote of a majority of its members present at a
meeting of the Committee at which a quorum is present. The presence in person
or by telephone of a majority of the Committee’s members shall constitute a
quorum for any meeting of the Committee. The Board may remove any Committee
member at any time.
The Committee shall meet at least two times annually or more frequently as
it deems necessary, advisable or as circumstances dictate. Meetings may be
called by the Chairman of the Committee, Chairman of the Board or Chief
Executive Officer (the “CEO”) of the Company. The Committee may delegate
its authority to subcommittees constituted by a member or members of the
Committee, provided that a report on any activities or actions is presented to
the full committee at its next scheduled meeting.
Responsibilities and Duties
The following functions shall be the key responsibilities and duties of the
Committee. These functions should serve as a guideline with the understanding
that the Committee may carry out additional functions and adopt additional
policies and procedures as may be appropriate in light of changing business,
legislative, regulatory, legal or other conditions.
Board Selection and Composition
1. Develop and recommend to the Board guidelines and criteria for the
selection of candidates for directors. The Committee shall take into account
all factors it considers appropriate, including reputation, mature judgment,
career specialization, relevant technical skills, diversity and the extent to
which the candidate would fill a present need on the Board.
2. Identify, screen and personally interview, in consultation with the
Chairman of the Board, potential director nominees believed to be qualified as
candidates to serve on the Board.
3. Nominate to the Board candidates for directorships to be filled at an
annual or special meeting, including re-election of existing Board members.
4. Review and make recommendations regarding the composition and size of
the Board, including directors’ terms and tenure.
5. Consider matters relating to the resignation and retirement of
directors.
Committee Selection and Composition
6. Establish, monitor and recommend the purpose, structure and operations
of the various committees of the Board, along with qualifications and criteria
for membership on each committee of the Board.
7. Review and make recommendations regarding who should serve as chairmen
for each of the Board’s committees.
8. Based upon recommendations from each of the Board’s other committees,
review and reassess the adequacy of all charters of the Board’s committees,
including its own, at least annually and recommend any proposed changes to the
Board for approval as well as periodically review actions taken by the
committees so as to comply with the NYSE listing standards or other applicable
listing standards and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or other applicable laws
or regulations.
Corporate Governance
9. Develop and recommend to the Board corporate governance principles or
guidelines and, if the Committee shall deem appropriate, establish changes to
these principles or guidelines.
10. Consider questions of independence and possible conflicts of interest
of members of the Board and executive officers.
11. Identify and bring to the attention of the Board current and emerging
corporate governance trends and issues that may affect the business
operations, performance or public image of the Company;
12. Oversee the orientation and continuing education for directors.
13. Develop and recommend to the Board for its approval an annual
self-evaluation process of the Board and its committees. The Committee shall
develop and make such recommendations to the Board regarding self-evaluation
and other Board processes and other items deemed appropriate to improve or
ensure the effective functioning of the Board and its committees as the
Committee shall from time to time deem advisable or appropriate.
14. Review any requests for waivers of the Company’s Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics, and make its recommendations to the Board as to whether
such waivers should be granted or denied.
Executive Officers and Succession Planning
15. Review management’s recommended slate of officers for election by the
Board, and refer such recommendations to the Board for approval.
16. Oversee and approve plans for management continuity and succession.
Review and evaluate the succession plans relating to the CEO and other
executive officer positions and make recommendations to the Board with respect
to the selection of individuals to occupy these positions.
17. If the CEO becomes unable to carry out his or her responsibilities for
whatever reason, the Committee will recommend to the Board an interim CEO
pending selection of a new CEO by the Board.
18. Review and approve, prior to acceptance, the CEO or any other officer
or director serving on the board of any other public company.
Reports
19. Report regularly to the Board (i) following meetings of the Committee,
and (ii) with respect to such other matters as are relevant to the Committee’s
discharge of its responsibilities.
20. Based in part upon the self-evaluations by the Board’s other
committees, assess the performance of each of the committees of the Board and
the full Board at least annually and report the findings to the Board.
21. Maintain minutes or other records of meetings and activities of the
Committee.
The Committee is empowered to study or investigate any matter of concern
that the Committee deems appropriate and shall have the sole authority to
retain outside legal, accounting, or other advisors for this purpose,
including search firms to identify director candidates, to assist it in the
performance of the Committee’s duties should it in its sole discretion deem
necessary or advisable. The Committee shall also have the authority to approve
the fees payable to such advisors or search firms. The Committee shall advise
management of appropriate funding levels required for payment of compensation
to any advisors retained by the Committee.
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