Gary B. Appel

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.

Castle Harlan Inc (Castle Harlan) is a private equity firm is founded in 1987 by John k castle. The firm is headquartered in New York.

Essex International, Inc. used to develop, manufacture and distribute electrical wire, cable and insulation products. The company's products included building wire, magnet wire, insulation materials, copper voice, datacom wire, industrial wire, automotive wire and specialty wiring assemblies. Essex had manufacturing facilities in Indiana, California, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, South Carolina, Alabama, Arizona and Vermont.

aPriori Capital Partners LP (aPriori Capital Partners) is a private equity firm founded in 1985 by Susan C. Schnabel and Colin Taylor. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Glencoe Capital LLC (Glencoe Capital) is a private equity subsidiary of Glencoe Ltd LLC founded in 1994 by David Evans. The firm is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Associated Packaging Technologies, Inc. (APT) manufactures thermoformed crystallized polyethylene terephthalate containers. It is the world's largest vertically integrated manufacturer of CPET dual-ovenable containers for the food industry, the leading source for plastic food trays in the North American frozen food industry, and a major source for plastic food trays in other markets, including case ready meats, institutional, prepared foods, and bakery. The company has thermoforming plants in: Cambridge, Ontario; Waynesville, North Carolina; Chillicothe, Missouri; and Carrickmacross, Ireland. APT is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and the National Association of PET Container Resources. The company was founded in Chadds Ford, PA.

totes isotoner Corp. manufactures and distributes umbrellas, gloves, raincoats, and other weather-related accessories. It offers galoshes, overshoes, winter boots and toasties, snow boots, gloves, slippers, hats and scarves, sandals, and accessories for men, women, and kids. The firm offers its products through stores and online worldwide. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH.