Brett H. Kaufman

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.

Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in investment banking and research, institutional sales and trading, asset management services, wholesale life insurance brokerage, and trust services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Independent Advisory and Brokerage Services; Ladenburg; and Insurance Brokerage. The Independent Advisory and Brokerage segment includes the investment advisory and brokerage services provided by independent advisory and brokerage subsidiaries. The Ladenburg segment comprises investment banking, sales and trading and asset management services, and investment activities. The Insurance Brokerage segment focuses in the wholesale insurance brokerage activities. The company was founded in February 1996 and is headquartered in Miami, FL.