Disclosure of Hedging by Employees, Officers and Directors

We are adopting a rule to implement a provision of the Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The new rule requires a company to describe any practices or policies it has adopted regarding the ability of its employees (including officers) or directors to purchase financial instruments, or otherwise engage in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of equity securities granted as compensation, or held directly or indirectly by the employee or director. The new rule requires a company to describe the practices or policies and the categories of persons they affect. If a company does not have any such practices or policies, the company must disclose that fact or state that hedging transactions are generally permitted. The new disclosure is required in a proxy statement or information statement relating to an election of directors.