Brian L. VandenBrink

The Municipal Employees' Retirement System (MERS) of Michigan is a State-owned pension fund manager headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. The firm was founded by the Michigan Legislature in 1945, and by 1996, they were granted independence from the state. MERS administers the retirement plans for Michigan's local units of government on a not-for-profit basis.

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC (WFAFN) is a SEC-registered investment adviser headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 2001, the firm is a subsidiary of Wachovia Securities Financial Holdings LLC and is a non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC), a financial holding company and bank holding company created in 1852. WFAFN provides advisory services to individuals, pension or profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates or charitable organizations, corporations or other business entities, governmental entities and educational institutions, as well as banks or thrift institutions. The firm also sponsors several wrap fee advisory programs.