C. N. Ernst

Founded in 1998, Thomas Weisel Partners (TWP) is a broker/dealer headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York City, Boston, Denver, Colorado and Palo Alto, California. The firm is a subsidiary of Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWPG), a San Francisco-based investment banking firm. Their ultimate parent is Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF). TWP's investment banking, brokerage and equity research divisions serve emerging growth companies and institutional investors around the world. They are a member of the NYSE, the SIPC and FINRA. TWP specializes in the growth sectors of the economy with a particular focus on the consumer, energy, healthcare, Internet, media/telecommunications, metals/mining and technology sectors. Within the consumer sector, the firm focuses on: financial products, gaming/lodging, interactive market services, lifestyles/sports retailers, restaurants and hardlines and softlines retailing. TWP's global energy research is provided by analysts in three countries and covers the following trends: (1) fast-growing oil and natural gas producers in North America and worldwide (2) domestic and international energy service companies and (3) alternative energy technology and resource developers. Within the healthcare sector, TWP focuses on: biotechnology, diagnostics, healthcare information technology, pharmaceutical services, life science technology, medical devices and specialty pharmaceuticals. The firm's interest in the Internet, media and telecommunications sector include: Internet services, media, broadcasting and telecommunications services. Their focus within the metals and mining sector include: base metals, gold, precious metals and uranium. TWP's technology research focuses on: (1) applied technologies (2) communications components (3) core and wireless communications equipment (4) IP networking communications equipment (5) electronic supply chain (6) enterprise hardware (7) information and financial technology services (8) semiconductor capital equipment (9) broadline and specialty semiconductors (10) applications and communications software and (11) infrastructure software. TWP also provides value-added equities analysis across a variety of sectors including: industrials, financials, consumer, technology and healthcare.