Philip D. Martin

HSBC Bank USA NA engages in the provision of banking services. Its lines of business are Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Private Bank. The company is headquartered in McLean, VA.

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.

Fairport Asset Management LLC is a registered investment advisor located in Cleveland, Ohio. The firm is a subsidiary of Wealthtrust Holdings LLC. They manage assets for individuals and institutions and serve as the advisor of the Fairport family of mutual funds.