Mary Ellen Garrett

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. (MLPFS) is a global investment banking firm, SEC-registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, and futures commission merchant headquartered in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of BAC North America Holding Co., ultimately held by Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). MLPFS provide investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, banks, insurance companies, thrift institutions, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations and other types of business.

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.

Merrill Lynch Private Client Group is a subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK). The firm is headquartered in Pennington, New Jersey.