Change of Auditors

ATLAS AIR ENGAGES PWCAtlas Air Worldwide Holdings, the Purchase, N.Y.-based parent of cargo carriers Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, has retained Big Four firm PricewaterhouseCoopers as its new independent accountant.

PwC succeeds Ernst & Young as Atlas Air's auditor. The firm was dismissed in February. E&Y had served as the company's auditor since 2002. E&Y's audit reports on Atlas Air's consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended Dec. 31, 2004 and 2005, did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

In a filing, Atlas Air said that the decision to change independent accountants was approved by its audit committee.

MCD'S TAPS CROWE CHIZEK

McDonald's Corp. Ventures 401(k) Plan and its profit-sharing and savings plan named Crowe Chizek as its new outside auditor.

Crowe replaces Big Four firm Ernst & Young as auditor to those divisions of the Oak Brook, Ill.-based global quick-service concern. No reason was given for the switch in auditors.

Ernst & Young did not have any disagreements with the McDonald's plans during the two most recent fiscal years or the subsequent interim period before the termination.

KPMG EXITS AS EDEN BIOSCIENCE AUDITOR

Big Four firm KPMG said that it would terminate its relationship as auditor to Eden Bioscience Corp. upon completion of the company's 2006 annual report.

Eden Bioscience, a Bothell, Wash.-based provider of agriculture technology services, said that it had no disagreements with its auditor on any matters of accounting practices or principles.

At press time, a successor to KPMG had not been named.

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