Jerome Michael Schneider

Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC (PIMCO) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Newport Beach, California. Founded in 1971, the firm is a subsidiary of Allianz Asset Management of America LP and their ultimate parent is Allianz SE (ETR: ALV), a German global insurance company. PIMCO provides discretionary investment management services to global client base. The firm is a socially responsible investor and signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) which integrates environmental, social, and governance considerations into their investment process.

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.