David Kaplan

Mariner Investment Group LLC (MIG) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and alternative investment management firm headquartered in Harrison, New York. The firm was founded in 1992 by William Michaelcheck and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MIG Holdings LLC which acquired them in 2007. They are ultimately held by ORIX Corp. (NYSE: IX; TYO: 8591) in Japan. MIG discretionary portfolio management and advisory services to institutional clients which are primarily privately offered pooled investment vehicles and, to a lesser extent, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and plan sponsors via managed account agreements. The firm is a socially responsible investor and signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI).

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.