Bob Ferry

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. (MLPFS) is the SEC-registered broker/dealer subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., ultimately held by Charlotte-based Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). The firm was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in New York City. In 2010, Banc of America Securities LLC merged with MLPFS and the firm uses the trade name Bank of America Merrill Lynch. MLPFS's global strategy and economics team serves institutional and individual investors using a wide range of macroeconomic disciplines. Their analysis of global issues provides clients with investment ideas, market forecasts, macro overviews and specific sector recommendations across asset classes, regions and disciplines. Their equity research team conducts fundamental analysis on companies globally and provides institutional and retail clients with industry-specific and in-depth research and analysis on numerous industries. The firm's global fixed-income and equity-linked research focuses on fixed-income and equity derivatives, fixed-income strategy, convertibles, commodities, high-yield, mortgages, municipals and global foreign exchange.

Founded in 2000, Transamerica Investment Management LLC is a registered investment advisor located in Los Angeles with additional offices in San Francisco and Dayton, Ohio. The firm is a of Transamerica Corp. and their ultimate parent is AEGON NV (NYSE: AEG), a multinational insurance organization headquartered in The Hague, The Netherlands. Transamerica Investment Management provides fee-based investment management to retail and institutional clients. Their institutional clients include corporations, foundations, endowments, hospitals, religious organizations, public funds and Taft-Hartley accounts. The firm also manages 22 mutual funds.

Founded by Jeffrey Hines in 1994, Sovereign Advisers LLC is a registered investment advisor located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm is a subsidiary of Titanium Asset Management Corp. and their ultimate parent is Tel Aviv-based Ganden Holdings Ltd