Hal T. Wilson

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.

The Bank of New York Co., Inc. provides banking and other financial services to corporations and individuals worldwide. It also offers securities servicing and global payment services, corporate banking, BNY Asset Management and Private Client Services, Retail Banking and Global Market Services. Client base of the company include financial institutions, corporations, government entities, endowments and foundations. The company, founded in 1784 is headquartered in New York.

Northwood Ventures (Northwood Ventures) is a private equity and venture capital firm founded in 1983 by Peter G. Schiff. The firm is headquartered in Hobe Sound, Florida.