James Leo Kochan

Allspring Funds Management LLC (AFM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm was founded as Wells Fargo Funds Management LLC (WFFM) in 2001 to succeed the former mutual fund advisory responsibilities of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. In November 2021, Wells Fargo & Co. sells its asset management business, which includes WFFM and certain affiliates, to a third-party purchaser. As part of the sale, WFFM has changed its name to Allspring Funds Management LLC. AFM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC, ultimately held by Allspring Group Holdings LLC. The firm serves as investment adviser for the portfolios of the Allspring Funds. The firm also participates as an investment adviser in several managed account programs offered by other financial institutions to their respective clients.

Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc. operates as a wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm. It offers equity research, corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, public financing and fixed income services. The firm serves individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients. The company was founded by Robert Wilson Baird in 1919 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI.

The Chase Manhattan Bank NA operates a commercial banking. It provides financial products, services, and advice, planning and treasury management services. The company is located in New York, NY.

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. provided wealth management, securities trading and sales, corporate finance and investment banking services. Merrill Lynch was a global trader and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a range of asset classes and serve as a strategic advisor to governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. The company was founded in 1913 and was headquartered in Charlotte, NC.