Sean Ryan

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.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (Credit Suisse Securities USA) is the broker/dealer division of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, an investment banking company headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1998 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse (USA), Inc., ultimately owned by Credit Suisse Group AG (SWX: CSGN) in Switzerland. Credit Suisse Securities USA offers a suite of equities, solutions and credit products and services which includes global securities sales, trading and execution, prime brokerage and comprehensive investment research. Their clients include financial institutions, corporations, governments, institutional investors, such as pension funds and hedge funds, and private individuals around the world.

A subsidiary of Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., Lehman Brothers, Inc. is a broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. They provide global equity and fixed research. The equity research department covers more than 100 sectors. They use a fundamental, quantitative, strategic and tactical research approach. In addition to these Lehman has also developed special products, such as 10 uncommon values and 10 uncommon eurovalues.

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.

Founded in 2003, Soleil Securities Corp. is a broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of Ticonderoga Securities LLC and their ultimate parent is Cayman Islands-based GEROVA Financial Group Ltd. (NYSE: GFC). Soleil Securities Corp. is a member of FINRA and the SIPC. The firm offers in-depth company-specific equity research to institutional clients. They provide coverage across a variety of significant growth sectors of the economy. Soleil Securities Corp.'s research process integrates macroeconomic considerations with investment-relevant policy insights. They seek to produce alpha-generating, actionable information that can help their clients achieve their investment objectives. The firm covers the following industries: (1) basic materials including agricultural chemicals, specialty chemicals and paper/forest products (2) capital goods and industrials including autos and auto parts (3) consumer including gaming, lodging, eTravel, agribusiness, sustainable agriculture, specialty foods, specialty retail, homebuilders and retailing/automotive (4) financial institutions including financial services, property and casualty and regional banks (5) healthcare including pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology and medical devices (6) special situations (7) strategy and policy (8) technology including software/Internet, semiconductors and solar power (9) telecommunications and telecommunications equipment (10) transportation (11) airlines and (12) utilities

SaLaurMor Management LLC (SaLaurMor) is an independent hedge fund management firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2012 by Joel Salomon. SaLaurMor manages long/short equity and credit portfolios for high net-worth individuals and institutional clients.

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.

Founded in 1995 by Steve Stein and John Stein, FSI Capital LLC a broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. They are a subsidiary of FSI Group, Inc. The firm focuses their research on the financial services sector. The specialize in banks, thrifts, insurance companies, REITs, real estate operating companies, specialty finance firms, asset management firms, financial technology companies and brokerage firms.

Founded in 2008, Wisco Research LLC is a research firm located in Madison, Wisconsin. The firm focuses primarily on under-followed small- and- mid-cap U.S. common stocks.