Thomas Smith

William Blair & Co. LLC (William Blair) is a SEC-registered broker/dealer firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded by William McCormick Blair in 1935 and is a subsidiary of WBC Holdings LP. Until 1941, they were known as Blair, Bonner & Co. William Blair provides broking services to individual, institutional and issuing clients.

Northwestern University is a private institution founded in 1851 to serve the Northwest Territory, an area that now includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota. Northwestern has three campuses

Dearborn Partners LLC (Dearborn) is an independent, privately held boutique investment management firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded in 1997 by Jerome Hickey. The firm provides investment management services to investment advisors, high net-worth families, and institutional investor.

Founded by Len Zacks in 1978, Zacks Investment Research, Inc. is an SEC-registered broker/dealer and investment research firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois with an office in Irvine, California. The firm is principally owned by The Greenwood Trust. Zacks makes both short-term and long-term investment recommendations using the following investment styles: aggressive growth, growth/income, momentum, value, technicals and options. Zack Investment Research employs the Zacks Rank, a 100% a peerless stock rating system that is based on a quantitative model that includes the use of four factors including as earnings estimate revisions and earnings surprises. Stocks are classified into five groups, ranging from 'Strong Buy' to 'Strong Sell.' Zacks Rank is completely mathematical and focuses only on the math and whether the math predicts that a stock's price will rise. It is a short-term indicator of stock performance that is effective for 1 to 3 months. The Zacks Recommendation process begins with a new quantitative model that employs the Zacks Rank. The firm then utilizes qualitative insights to develop a unique recommendation based on a 6 month time horizon. Zacks Investment Research provides coverage primarily on the following sectors: (1) manufacturers of electrical components (2) photo optics/lasers (3) HPC computing platforms (4) manufacturers and distributors of textiles (5) information technology (6) independent oil and gas companies involved in the exploration, development and acquisition of crude oil and natural gas (6) providers of docking, manipulator and wafer probing interface products for semiconductor and ATE manufacturers (7) companies that design and manufacture oscilloscopes, serial data analyzers and protocol analyzers to test, measure and analyze electronic signals (8) manufacturers of branded toys, collectibles, hobby or infant products and (9) financial services companies.

BMO Asset Management Corp. (BMO AM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded in 2012 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMO Financial Corp. (BMO), which is in turn a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Montreal (TSX: BMO), a Canadian diversified financial services company. BMO AM provides discretionary investment advisory services for, or provides non-discretionary investment advice to, institutions, individuals, and third-party sponsors of and clients participating in wrap-fee programs, as well as common and collective portfolios for which BMO Harris Bank, an affiliate of BMO AM, acts as trustee. In addition, BMO AM provides investment advisory services to private pooled vehicles and to affiliates for the benefit of their clients.

Arthur Andersen LLP used to provide accounting services. It was also into consulting services for clients that operate businesses throughout the United States and around the world. Arthur Andersen was founded in 1913 and was headquartered in Chicago, IL.

American Bar Association provides legal services. It provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, legal information and other services to assist legal professionals. The firm has members which include judges, court administrators, law professors, and non-practicing attorneys. The company was founded on August 21, 1878 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

VU Venture Partners (VU Venture Partners) is a venture capital firm founded in 2018. The firm is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

UBS Asset Management (Americas) LLC (UBS AM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2000 as UBS Global Asset Management (Americas), Inc. They are a wholly owned subsidiary of UBS Americas, Inc., ultimately owned by UBS Group AG (SIX: UBSG; NYSE: UBS) in Switzerland. UBS AM provides investment products and services to corporate and public pension plans, financial institutions and advisors, central banks, charities, foundations and individual investors around the world.

Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc. (MFIM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was established in 1986 and their sole shareholder is Mesirow Financial Services, Inc., which is wholly-owned by Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., a Chicago-based financial services firm that was founded in 1937. MFIM provides advisory services to individuals, corporations or other businesses, pension and profit-sharing plans, non-qualified plans, state or municipal government entities, and charitable organizations.

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.

GREAT NORTH CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP (Great North Ventures) is a venture capital firm founded in 2017 by Ryan J Weber, Robert J Weber and James DonFrancesco. The firm is headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

Harris Associates LP (Harris) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded in 1976 and is a direct subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers LLC, which is ultimately owned by BCPE’s Natixis SA (Natixis) (PAR: KN), a French investment banking and financial services firm. Harris primarily provides discretionary investment advisory services to individuals and institutions, including registered investment companies. The firm also provides investment advisory services to wrap programs, mutual funds, private investment partnerships and other pooled investment vehicles.

Rothschild Investment Corp. (Rothschild) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm, originally known as Rothschild & Company, was founded in 1908 by Monroe Rothschild and his brother-in-law Samuel Karger. Rothschild provides highly personalized asset management services to their clients such as individuals, families, trusts and estates; high-net worth individuals; pension and profit-sharing plans, IRAs; charitable organizations and foundations; and corporations or other businesses.

KPMG LLP engages in the provision of audit, tax, and advisory services. It serves the banking and capital markets, building, construction and real estate, consumer and retail, energy, natural resources and chemicals, financial services, government and public sector, healthcare and life sciences, industrial manufacturing, insurance, media and entertainment, private equity, technology, telecommunications, and venture capital industries. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Calamos Advisors LLC is a registered investment advisor headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. The firm was founded by John Calamos, Sr. in 1977 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Calamos Investments LLC, ultimately held by Calamos Family Partners, Inc. Calamos Advisors provides investment management services to institutional clients such as corporations and financial institutions, registered investment companies or mutual funds, closed-end funds, charitable institutions, foundations and endowments, corporate pensions, profit sharing and other retirement plans, municipalities, individuals, Taft-Hartley plans, and pooled investment vehicles.

General Electric Capital Corp. provides financial products and services. Its services include commercial loans and leases, fleet management, financial programs, credit cards, personal loans, and other financial services. The firm’s solutions include energy finance and aviation finance. The company was founded in 1943 and is headquartered in Norwalk, CT.

Calamos Investments LLC is a global investment firm headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. The firm was founded by John P. Calamos in 1977 and is a subsidiary of Calamos Partners LLC. Calamos Investments offers a range of global investment solutions through separately managed portfolios, mutual funds, closed-end funds, private funds, and UCITS funds. Their clients include major corporations, pension funds, endowments, foundations and individuals, as well as the financial advisors and consultants who serve them.

Great Lakes Advisors LLC (GLA) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1981, the firm is a subsidiary of Whamco Holding Co. and their ultimate parent is Wintrust Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: WTFC), which acquired the firm in 2011. GLA offers customized investment advisory services to individual and institutional clients. In addition, the firm serves as adviser to mutual funds and is the General Partner to a Private Fund. GLA is a socially responsible investor and signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) which integrates environmental, social, and governance considerations into their investment process.

Wintrust Investments LLC (WTI) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded in 1931 and formerly known as Wayne Hummer Investments LLC and changed their name to Wintrust Investments LLC in 2018. They are a subsidiary of Wintrust Bank, NA, which is owned by Wintrust Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: WTFC). WTI provides portfolio management services to individuals, high-net worth individuals, banking or thrift institutions, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, foundations, endowments, trust programs, and other US institutions.

The Risk Management Association was founded in 1990 and promotes an enterprise approach to risk management, with a focus on credit risk, market risk, and operational risk. The non-profit company is based in Philadelphia, PA and has subsidiaries in the United States. RMA has 1,700 institutional members, including banks of all sizes and nonbank financial institutions, represented by 18,500 individuals located throughout the country and the Pacific. The company offers the largest offering of risk-focused resources for the financial services industry and maintains a strong community of risk professionals through events and courses that advance the understanding of risk management in financial services.

The League of Women Voters is a political grassroots network and membership organization that promotes social and economic justice, defends democracy, and empowers voters. The private company is based in Washington. The American company believes that the freedom to vote is a nonpartisan issue and fight to increase voters' access to the polls. The CEO of the company is Virginia Kase.

QuesTek Innovations LLC provides system design solutions. It offers materials for breakthrough products across diverse industries, dramatically increasing efficiency in development while significantly improving product quality, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Evanston, IL.

Ladas & Parry LLP is a legal service provider. Its practice include intellectual property (IP), patent, trademark, and copyright laws, advice on entertainment law, domain names, security interests in intellectual property, licensing, franchising and related aspects of commercial law and other legal areas dealing with technology. The company was founded by Lawrence Langner in 1912 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery LLP engages in intellectual property and technology-related law. Its services include copyrights, entertainment and media, parent post-issuance proceedings and trade secrets. The company was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

The International Legal Technology Association operates as a volunteer-led and staff-managed association. The non-profit company is based in Austin, TX.