M. Burke Koonce

Founded in 1986 by David R. Carr, Jr. and the late George W. Brumley III, Oak Value Capital Management, Inc. is a registered investment advisor located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The firm manages individual portfolios for institutions and high net-worth individuals and operates as a sub-adviser for several financial intermediaries. They also serve as the investment advisor for the Oak Value Fund.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. (MLPFS) is the SEC-registered broker/dealer subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., ultimately held by Charlotte-based Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). The firm was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in New York City. In 2010, Banc of America Securities LLC merged with MLPFS and the firm uses the trade name Bank of America Merrill Lynch. MLPFS's global strategy and economics team serves institutional and individual investors using a wide range of macroeconomic disciplines. Their analysis of global issues provides clients with investment ideas, market forecasts, macro overviews and specific sector recommendations across asset classes, regions and disciplines. Their equity research team conducts fundamental analysis on companies globally and provides institutional and retail clients with industry-specific and in-depth research and analysis on numerous industries. The firm's global fixed-income and equity-linked research focuses on fixed-income and equity derivatives, fixed-income strategy, convertibles, commodities, high-yield, mortgages, municipals and global foreign exchange.

Silverback Asset Management LLC (Silverback) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor and hedge fund manager headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The firm was founded by Elliot Bossen in 2002. Silverback offers investment solutions for qualified institutional investors which includes pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, fund of funds, family offices and others.