Jim Diran Balakian

In 1915 Charles Edward Merrill founded Merrill Lynch & Co. (NYSE: MER) with Edmund C. Lynch in Baltimore, Maryland. The modern Merrill Lynch was formed in 1940 through mergers with E.A. Pierce & Cassatt and, soon after, Fenner & Beane. In 1973, Merrill Lynch adopted a holding company format, with Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. as the parent and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith as the operating subsidiary. Merrill Lynch Asset Management, Inc. (MLAM) was created as an integral business unit in the Merrill Lynch family in 1976. Fund Asset Management, doing business as Mercury Asset Management, was acquired in December 1997. In 2000, MLAM and Mercury were combined under the name Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. MLAM manages the Merrill Lynch family of mutual funds, as and acts as sub-advisor to other mutual funds.

Voya Investment Management Co. LLC (Voya IM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in New York City. Formerly known as ING Investment Management Co. LLC, the firm was founded in 1972 under the name of Aetna Capital Management, Inc. They are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Voya Investment Management LLC, ultimately held by Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA). Voya IM provides investment management services to a wide range of clients and investment vehicles.

Founded in 2001 by William Collins, Brencourt Advisors LLC is a registered investment advisor located in New York City.