Pamela L. Kustas

Boston-based John Hancock Advisers, Inc. (JHA) is the mutual fund affiliate of John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. and manages the John Hancock family of retail and institutional mutual funds, as well as separate equity portfolios for private accounts and retirement plans for individual and institutional investors. In 2003, Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX, NYSE: MFC) and John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE: JHF) announced that they would merge and would thus create a leading global insurance franchise. The combined company will market products and services under multiple brands including John Hancock in the US and Manulife in Canada and the US.

Founded in 2003 by Benjamin Howe and Maria Lewis Kussmaul, America's Growth Capital LLC (ACG) is an emerging growth-focused, research, broker/dealer and investment banking firm headquartered in Boston. The firm is a subsidiary of America's Growth Capital Holdings LLC. They seek to identify small-cap opportunities and bring new investment opportunities to growth-oriented institutional and private equity investors. AGC completes investment banking transactions for emerging growth companies in the following industries: (1) technology including communications, data center, financial technology, information security, semiconductors and software (2) clean technology, (3) digital media/Internet and (4) business services. They have participated in transactions ranging in size from $6 million to $1 billion. These transactions have included buyouts, buy-side and sell-side advisory assignments, private placements, PIPEs, IPOs, follow-ons and fairness opinions. The firm's Capital Markets group provides analysis on leading emerging growth sectors with a focus on identifying dynamic changes and trends in their focus industries. They present ideas through: (1) white papers, which provide topical and industry-wide analysis by highlighting the leading small-cap public and private companies of influence (2) thought pieces, which illustrate the impact of current events such as legislation, market swings and (3) capital market updates which present comprehensive statistics and data on one or more product areas including IPOs, M&A, private placements, etc. that have an impact on the emerging growth universe. AGC maintains relationships across multiple pools of capital including institutional, private equity, venture capital, hedge fund, sovereign wealth and debt. They leverage those relationships to provide clients with the best sources of financing for their particular needs.

Founded by Darren Caris in 2002, Caris & Co., Inc. is a broker/dealer headquartered in Del Mar, California. The firm is a subsidiary of B. Riley & Co. They offer research that is independent of their investment banking activities, as well as a full array of trading and execution services. Caris & Co.'s coverage includes large-, mid- and small-cap companies in the healthcare, technology, energy and consumer sectors. Their research is written for the longer-term investor with an investment horizon of at least 12 months. Caris & Co., Inc. is a member of the NASD and the SIPC.