Tara Kriss

Fitch Ratings, Inc. is a global rating agency and investment research firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded by John Knowles in 1913 as Fitch Publishing Co. They are a subsidiary of Fitch Group, Inc., ultimately owned by The Hearst Family Trust. Fitch Ratings seeks to provide independent and prospective credit opinions, research and data to the world's credit markets. Their approach is based on a foundation of local market experience that covers capital markets in over 150 countries. The firm's ratings analysis and rating decisions are based on established criteria, methodologies and ratings definitions which they apply in a consistent manner. Fitch Ratings provides coverage of the following markets: Economics, Banks, Insurance, Sovereigns, Corporates, Structured Finance, Public Finance – International, Public Finance – US, Infrastructure & Project, and Finance.

BlackRock Advisors LLC is a SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1994 and is a subsidiary of BlackRock Capital Holdings, Inc., ultimately held by BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK). BlackRock Advisors manages assets for US-registered investment companies and 529 Plans.

Founded in 2001, MF Global, Inc., formerly Man Securities, Inc., is a broker/dealer located in Chicago with an additional office in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of MF Global Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: MF). MF Global Holdings Ltd. is an independent broker of exchange-traded futures and options and an intermediary in the markets for foreign exchange, securities and other major financial instruments around the world. MF Global Securities is a member of the NASD and the SIPC. The firm provides coverage for the following sectors: capital goods, automobiles, telecommunications, food manufacturing, retail food, industrials, insurance, construction, mining, media, general retail/luxury goods, communications equipment, banks and specialty financial companies, specialty sales, oil, construction and pharmaceuticals. In the US, MF Global Securities provides buy-side institutions, sell-side institutions and retail clients with voice and electronic access to major securities markets through execution and clearing services. Their clients include hedge funds, pension funds, asset management firms, bulge bracket investment banks and other broker dealers.

Leucadia Asset Management LLC (LAM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2002 as Jefferies Private Client Advisers LLC. They changed their name to Jefferies Investment Advisers LLC in 2006 and to Leucadia Asset Management LLC in 2021. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jefferies Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: JEF). LAM provides advisory services to high net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, foundations, charitable organizations, corporations and other business entities.

Founded in 1999, Credit Suisse Asset Management LLC (CSAM) is a registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS), a publicly owned foreign bank holding company based in Switzerland.

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.