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2008 Annual Report Page 17

     The Company’s management, including its Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that the Company’s disclosure controls and internal controls will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control.

     The design of any system of controls is also based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions; over time, a control may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

     The Company maintains and evaluates a system of internal accounting controls, and a program of internal auditing designed to provide reasonable assurance that the Company’s assets are protected and that transactions are performed in accordance with proper authorization, and are properly recorded. This system of internal accounting controls is continually reviewed and modified in response to evolving business conditions and operations and to recommendations made by the independent registered public accounting firm and internal auditor. The Company has an established a code of conduct. The management of the Company believes that the accounting and internal control systems provide reasonable assurance that assets are safeguarded and financial information is reliable.

     The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors meets regularly with the Company’s financial management and counsel, and with the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Company. Internal accounting controls and the quality of financial reporting are discussed during these meetings. The Audit Committee has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm matters required to be discussed by Statement of Auditing Standards No. 61 (Communication with Audit Committees). In addition, the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence from the Company and its management, including the matters in the written disclosures required by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526 “Communicating with Audit Committees Concerning Independence”, has been discussed by the Committee and the independent registered public accounting firm.

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

     In order to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”), the Company has undertaken and continues a comprehensive effort, which includes the documentation and review of its internal controls. In order to comply with the Act, the Company is in the process of centralizing most accounting and many administrative functions at its corporate headquarters in an effort to control the cost of maintaining its control systems. On July 11, 2006, The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (“COSO”) issued guidance on how small companies should implement an effective internal control framework over financial reporting and other risks. This guidance is considered a key tool to help smaller public companies to confront the challenges of the Act. As a result, the Company may incur substantial additional expenses and diversion of management’s time. During the course of these activities, the Company may identify certain internal control issues which management believes should be improved. These improvements, if necessary, will likely include further formalization of policies and procedures, improved segregation of duties, additional information technology system controls and additional monitoring controls. Although management does not believe that any of these matters will result in material weaknesses being identified in the Company’s internal controls as defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard No. 5, no assurances can be given regarding the outcome of these efforts. Additionally, control weaknesses may not be identified in a timely enough manner to allow remediation prior to the issuance of the auditor’s report on internal controls over financial reporting. Any failure to adequately comply could result in sanctions or investigations by regulatory authorities, which could harm the Company’s business or investors’ confidence in the Company.

     The Securities and Exchange Commission, on December 15, 2006, adopted new measures to grant relief to smaller public companies by extending the date of compliance with Section 404 of the Act. Under these new measures, the Company will be required to comply with the Act in two phases. The first phase was completed by the Company for fiscal year ending October 31, 2008 and required the Company to issue a management report on internal control over financial reporting. The second phase will require the Company to provide an auditor’s attestation report on internal control over financial reporting beginning with the Company’s fiscal year ending October 30, 2010.

Item 9B. Other Information

     Not applicable.

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21-41
Exhibit: 21.1 23.1 31.1 31.2 32.1 32.2

 
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