Streamline your language, round 2

Before

The Audit Committee has appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, to serve as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015.

Representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting to answer questions. They also will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so.

We are asking our shareholders to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors. Although ratification is not required by our By-Laws or otherwise, our Board is submitting the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP to our shareholders for ratification because we value our shareholders’ views on our independent auditors and as a matter of good corporate practice. In the event that our shareholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will consider it as a direction to consider the appointment of a different firm. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a different independent auditor at any time during the fiscal year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.

(195 words)

Before, with commentary

The Audit Committee has appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, to serve as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015.

Representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting to answer questions. They also will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so [more words than necessary].

We are asking our shareholders to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors. Although ratification is not required by our By-Laws or otherwise, our Board is submitting the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP to our shareholders for ratification because [mostly superfluous words] we value our shareholders’ views on our independent auditors and as a matter of good corporate practice. In the event that [can usually be replaced by “if”] our shareholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will consider it as a direction to consider [“consider it direction to consider” is awkward, if nothing else] the appointment of a different firm. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a different independent auditor at any time during the fiscal year [superfluous; “at any time” pretty much covers the territory] if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.

After

The Audit Committee has appointed Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, to serve as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015. Representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP will attend the Annual Meeting to answer questions. They may choose to make a statement.

We are asking shareholders to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent auditors. Although ratification is not required, we value our shareholders’ views and believe seeking ratification of this appointment is a matter of good corporate practice. If shareholders fail to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Audit Committee will treat that as a direction to consider appointing a different firm. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a different independent auditor at any time if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.

(158 words)