Dan Hanson

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.

BlackRock Advisors LLC is a SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1994 and is a subsidiary of BlackRock Capital Holdings, Inc., ultimately held by BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK). BlackRock Advisors manages assets for US-registered investment companies and 529 Plans.

Part of The Bank of Nova Scotia, Jarislowsky, Fraser U.S.A., Inc. is a financial company founded in 1955. The company is based in New York, NY. The company's description discusses how good economic news can sometimes have negative effects on the markets, as seen in the past quarter where both bond and equity markets declined despite the economy showing resilience and strength.

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board is a non-profit organization, which engages in the development and maintaining of robust reporting standards that enable businesses around the world to identify, manage, and communicate financially material sustainability information to their investors. Its market use include supporters, perspectives and case studies, SASB resources, SASB reporters, firm licensing SASB. The company was founded by Jean Rogers in 2011 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. provides investment advisory, investment management, investment product underwriting, distribution and administrative services. It operates through distinct distribution business channels: Unaffiliated channel, Wealth Management channel and Institutional channel. The company was founded by Chauncey Waddell and Cameron Reed in 1937 and is headquartered in Overland Park, KS.

Ivy Investment Management Co. (dba Ivy Investments) is a SEC-registered investment adviser and mutual fund manager headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. The firm was founded in 1937 and is a wholly-owned, direct subsidiary of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (NYSE: WDR). Ivy Investments acts as investment adviser for a variety of clients, including registered investment companies (distributed through affiliated and unaffiliated distribution channels), institutional and other private investors and provides sub-advisory services to unaffiliated US mutual funds.

CFA Institute operates as non-profit organization, which engages in the provision of chartered financial analyst programs. It offers certificate in investment performance measurement program, investment foundations, and scholarship. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA.

Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers, Inc. (NBIA) is a registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2002 as Neuberger Berman Fixed Income LLC and adopted its present name on January 2016. They are a subsidiary of Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers Holdings LLC, ultimately owned by NBSH Acquisition LLC. NBIA provides a wide range of discretionary investment management services to a variety of clients, which includes individuals, institutions, registered investment companies, non-US registered funds and private investment funds.