Brian Wright

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.

Jefferies LLC is a global investment bank and institutional securities firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1962 and is a subsidiary of Jefferies Group LLC, ultimately held by Jefferies Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: JEF). Jefferies provides corporate clients with research and execution services in equity, fixed income, and foreign exchange markets, as well as a full range of investment banking services such as underwriting, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and recapitalization, and other advisory services, with all businesses operating in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Banc of America Securities (BAS) is the investment banking subsidiary of Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC). The firm provides both the domestic and international equity and investment banking markets, and pursues a strategy pioneered by Citigroup that combines corporate lending with investment banking advice and services. They provide high-yield debt underwriting and leveraged finance, in addition to industry coverage groups such as healthcare, media and telecom, financial institutions, real estate and gaming. BAS also does a significant amount of work for Financial Sponsors, or private equity firms, often financing leveraged transactions. Following the strategy of Goldman Sachs, the firm lacks a standalone mergers and acquisitions department, instead employing mergers and acquisitions senior bankers throughout the industry coverage groups. The firm is registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC, is a member of the NYSE, and the NASD. The use of Banc in the BAS's name is indicative of the fact that the company is not a bank, and their deposits and other holdings are not insured by the FDIC.

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 1991, Collins Stewart LLC is a broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of UK-based Collins Stewart Plc. Their research focuses on the aerospace and defense, technology, telecommunications, biotechnology, Internet/software and semiconductors sectors

Monness Crespi Hardt & Co., Inc. is an independent equity research firm and full-service broker/dealer located in New York City. Founded in 1996, the firm's origins can be traced to the establishment of their predecessor firm in 1964. Monness Crespi Hardt & Co. clears all trading activity through Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing LLC. The firm's research team produces proprietary, fundamental research that seek to identify undervalued or undercover special situations without regard to size. They focus on the following industries: automotive services, chemicals, defense, pharmaceuticals, gaming, healthcare, home builders, industrials, medical instruments, oil & gas, retail, semiconductors and special situations. Monness Crespi Hardt & Co. is a member of FINRA and the SPIC

Founded in 1964, Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. is a full service investment firm and registered broker/dealer headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm's expertise includes retail and institutional brokerage services, investment banking and underwriting, secondary trading of corporate, municipal, and government securities and market making in over-the-counter stocks. The firm is a member of the NYSE and FINRA.

Citadel Securities LLC is a registered market maker headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded by Kenneth Griffin in 2001 and is a subsidiary of GFH HFEVA LLC. Citadel Securities provides execution services to meet the liquidity needs of asset managers, banks, broker-dealers, hedge funds, government agencies, and public pension programs. They offer services across a broad array of fixed income and equity products.

Founded in 1989, CRT Capital Group LLC is an institutional securities research and brokerage firm located in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm focuses on high-yield and convertible debt, capital structure arbitrage, mergers and acquisitions, special situations and distressed securities. CRT trades senior and subordinated bonds, bank debt, trade claims, convertible bonds, equities, real estate loans, tax exempt securities and private placements.