Brett James Novosel

Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. is a global investment banking, securities trading and brokerage firm located in New York City with additional offices in Dallas, Boston and San Francisco. The firm is a subsidiary Bear Sterns Cos., Inc. (NYSE: BSC). Their equity research team consists of senior analysts located throughout the world. In addition to domestic coverage, they have research teams focusing on Latin America, Asia and Europe. The analysts use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. The Bear Stearns fixed-income research department provides coverage of every sector of the fixed-income universe. The financial analytics and structured transactions group (F.A.S.T) provides investment research, fixed-income portfolio management and analytical systems, trading technology and general financial expertise. The group also provides a broad range of services to financial institutions including asset-liability management, balance sheet restructuring, receivables-based financing analysis, security and portfolio analysis, peer analysis, and historical and real-time market-based information.

Accenture LLC operates as a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. The company is headquartered in Reston, VA.

Nuveen Securities LLC, formerly known as the John Nuveen & Co., Inc., is the brokerage subsidiary of Nuveen Investments, Inc., ultimately held by TIAA Board of Overseers in the US. Headquartered in Chicago, the firm engages in the asset management and related research, as well as the development, marketing, and distribution of investment products and services for the institutional market segments. Investment products and services include closed-end exchange-traded funds, mutual funds and individually managed accounts.