The McKinney Ice Hockey Club (the “Club”) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in all its operations, particularly concerning financial matters. This Whistleblower Policy is designed to encourage and enable board members, officers, employees, volunteers, and other stakeholders to report concerns about unethical, illegal, or fraudulent activities without fear of retaliation.

This policy applies to all board members, officers, employees, volunteers, vendors, and agents of the Club.

All individuals covered by this policy are responsible for reporting suspected violations of law, regulations, or Club policies, especially those related to financial misconduct. Reports should be made in good faith and based on reasonable grounds.

Concerns can be reported through the following channels:

• Board Chair: Address concerns with the Board Chair.
• Compliance Officer: If the issue is not resolved through the above channel, contact the Club’s
• Compliance Officers: Virgil Renz & Dodi Whaley
• Anonymous Reporting: Reports can be made anonymously through contact@mckinneyicehockey.org

All reports will be investigated promptly and thoroughly. The Compliance Officer(s) is responsible for overseeing investigations, which may involve internal or external resources as deemed necessary. Confidentiality will be maintained to the greatest possible extent during the investigation process. The Club recognizes that financial misconduct, such as embezzlement or misappropriation of funds, can severely impact its operations and reputation. Therefore, all allegations of financial misconduct will be taken seriously and addressed with the utmost diligence.

The Club prohibits retaliation against individuals who report concerns in good faith. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, dismissal, demotion, suspension, harassment, or any other form of discrimination. Any individual found to have engaged in retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or removal from the Board.

Deliberately false or malicious reports are not protected under this policy and may result in disciplinary action.

This policy is intended to comply with all applicable federal and state laws, including the Texas Whistleblower Act, which protects public employees who report violations of law by their employing governmental entity or another public employee to an appropriate law enforcement authority. While the Club is a private entity, it upholds the principles of transparency and accountability as outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which encourages organizations to adopt whistleblower policies to prevent fraudulent financial reporting.

The Club’s Board of Directors will review this policy annually to ensure its effectiveness and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

All board members, officers, employees, and volunteers of Organization Name – e.g., McKinney Ice Hockey Club are required to read and acknowledge this Whistleblower Policy. By volunteering in the organization, individuals confirm their understanding of the policy and agree to adhere to its provisions.

Important Notice:

Lack of knowledge of this policy does not exempt any individual from the responsibility to comply.

Ignorance of the policy or of any law or ethical standard will not be considered a valid defense for failure to report, prevent, or respond appropriately to misconduct or unethical behavior.

The organization is committed to fostering ethical conduct and a safe reporting environment, and it expects every individual affiliated with the organization to fulfill their duty in upholding these standards.