John M. Tobin

HSBC Global Asset Management (USA), Inc. (AMUS) is the US-based wholly-owned investment advisory and fund management subsidiary of HSBC USA, Inc., and is indirectly owned by HSBC Holdings Plc (LON: HSBA, NYSE: HBC) in Great Britain. The firm was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York City. AMUS provides discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services to clients in several major markets and is a multi-product provider of investment and fund management services. For institutions, the firm provides active and tailored portfolio management on a global, regional, asset-class and country specific basis. They also serve as investment adviser to US registered investment companies. AMUS is a signatory to the UN-supported Principles of responsible Investment (UNPRI).

Founded in 1999, Credit Suisse Asset Management LLC (CSAM) is a registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS), a publicly owned foreign bank holding company based in Switzerland.

Bankers Trust Co. is an asset management headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. The firm was founded in 1917 and is a subsidiary of BTC Financial Corp. The firm serves as a trusted partner for individuals’ comprehensive financial planning, trust and fiduciary needs.

Integrated Resources, Inc. provides staffing services. It recruits professionals in the areas of network engineers, database administrators, quality assurance, testers, respiratory therapists, web developers and business analysts. The firm also conducts career development and personal growth programs. The company is headquartered in Edison, NJ.

Epoch Investment Partners, Inc. (Epoch) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded by Bill Priest and David Pearl in 2004. They are a subsidiary of TD Bank US Holding Co., ultimately owned by The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE: TD) in Canada. Epoch provides investment advisory services to primarily institutional clients.

Established in 2005, Halbis Capital Management (USA), Inc., formerly HSBC Halbis Partners (USA), Inc., is a specialist investment subsidiary of HSBC Investments, itself a subsidiary of HSBC Bank USA. The firm's ultimate parent is HSBC Holdings Plc (LSE: HSBA). They manage the HSBC Gem Opportunities Ltd. fund, the HSBC Gem Opportunities LLC, the Halbis Global Opportunistic Alpha Fund Ltd., the Halbis US Credit Alpha Offshore Fund Ltd. the HSBC Distressed Opportunities Fund and the Halbis Commodities Alpha Fund. The firm is headquartered in New York City with additional offices in London, Paris and Hong Kong.

American Institute of Biological Sciences, Inc. is a non-profit organization which engages in the development of research programs and educational resources. Its activities include scientific peer advisory and review services for research proposals and programs sponsored by funding organizations, including the federal government, state agencies, private research foundations, and other non-government organizations. The company was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Reston, VA.