Erik Parker

Van Eck Associates Corp. (VanEck) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund management firm founded in 1955 by John van Eck to manage an international equity fund. In 1968, the firm began offering investments in gold shares and other hard assets. Headquartered in New York City, VanEck provides investment advisory services to registered investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles.

The Vanguard Group, Inc. (VGI) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The firm was founded in 1975 by John Bogle. In 1976, they introduced the first indexed mutual fund, the First Index Investment Trust (now known as the Vanguard 500 Index Fund), to individual investors. VGI provides investment advisory services to Vanguard family of funds and Vanguard's non-US clients, which are comprised of funds established as trusts under the laws of the Province of Ontario in Canada and separate account clients of Vanguard's international subsidiaries.

Wilshire Advisors LLC (Wilshire) is a privately-held investment technology and advisory firm headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The firm was founded by Dennis Tito in 1972 as Wilshire Associates, Inc. Wilshire provides innovative investment solutions, consulting services and multi-asset analytics to institutional and intermediary clients worldwide.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (Wealth Management) (BNY Mellon Wealth Management) is the wealth management division of The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE: BK), an investment banking services holding company headquartered in New York City. The firm was formed from the merger of The Bank of New York and the Mellon Financial Corporation in 2007. BNY Mellon Wealth Management provides investment management, wealth management and banking services to individuals, families, family offices, charitable gift programs, endowments and foundations.

Lowe, Brockenbrough & Co., Inc. (LB&C) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The firm was founded by Austin Brockenbrough III in 1970. LB&C provides customized and holistic investment management and advisory solutions to high-net worth individuals, trusts, retirement plans, foundations, endowments, investment companies and other legal entities such as pooled investment vehicles for which an affiliate serves as the general partner.

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. (Broker) (CGMI-Broker) is the broker/dealer division of Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., an investment bank headquartered in New York City with additional offices across the US. The firm was founded in 2004 and is a subsidiary of Citigroup Financial Products, Inc., ultimately held by Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C). CGMI-Broker covers all market capitalizations of the major global indices and provides macro and quantitative analysis of global markets and sector trends. Their core focus of the group is to help investing clients make informed decisions by providing value-added, independent, insightful analysis.

Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. (DBSI) is a SEC-registered broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1971 and is a wholly-owned investment banking and brokerage arm of DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corp., ultimately held by Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB, FRA: DBK) in Germany. DBSI provides securities brokerage and investment advisory services to domestic and international private clients and institutions. They are also a primary dealer in US government securities as designated by the Federal Reserve.

Credit Agricole Securities (USA), Inc. (Credit Agricole Securities USA) is a full service broker-dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2004 and formerly known as Calyon Securities USA, Inc. and Credit Lyonnais Securities, Inc. They are a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Global Partners, Inc., which is owned by Rue la Boétie SAS’s Credit Agricole SA (EPA: ACA) in France. Credit Agricole Securities USA provides investors’ customized solutions to ensure they achieve their execution objectives in the tradition of service excellence and product innovation.

SEI Investments Management Corp. (SIMC) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Oaks, Pennsylvania. The firm was founded in 1968 by Alfred West, Jr. They are a subsidiary of SEI SIMC Holdings LLC, ultimately owned by SEI Investments Co. (NASDAQ: SEIC). SIMC serves as investment advisor to various types of investors and a number of pooled investment vehicles, such as mutual funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, collective investment trusts and offshore investment funds. Additionally, the firm serves as the sponsor of, and advisor to, managed accounts.

JPMorgan Securities LLC (JPMS) is a securities brokerage firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1985 and is a subsidiary of JPMorgan Broker-Dealer Holdings, Inc., ultimately held by JPMorgan Chase & Co., Inc. (NYSE: JPM). JPMS provides research on fixed income, credit, derivatives, emerging markets, foreign exchange, structured finance, technical analysis and bond indices. Their equity analysts cover equities throughout North America, EMEA, Asia/Pacific and the emerging markets. The firm's fixed income team formulates trading and portfolio recommendations for investors in global bonds and other fixed-income markets based on valuations, analytics and market dynamics.

Bristol West Holdings, Inc. engages in the provision of automobile insurance. It offers liability, comprehensive, and collision insurance. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Davie, FL.

Cary Street Partners LLC provides wealth management and investment banking services. It offers research & portfolio advisory, financial planning, insurance & estate planning and investment banking services. The company was founded by Mark M. Gambill and Thomas H. Tullidge Jr. in 2002 and is headquartered in Richmond, VA.

DHR International, Inc. provides executive search and recruiting services. It offers services in the technology, board services, consumer, diversity, education, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, industrial, life sciences technology, media and entertainment, non-profit, professional services, and retail. The company has offices in Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. DHR International was founded by David H. Hoffmann in 1989 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is a registered broker-dealer subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings, Inc., ultimately owned by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) in the US. Headquartered in New York City, the firm was founded in 1987 and provides debt and equity services including underwriting, M&A advice, securities dealing and brokerage and trade execution. Their client base ranges from large global institutional investors to hedge funds at the cutting edge of innovation in the industry.

Duke University is an academic university that offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. It also has publications and research services. The university was founded in 1838 and is headquartered in Durham, NC.

Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc. (LTAM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1982 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Advisor Group Holdings, Inc. LTAM provides consulting and fund management services to individuals, high net-worth individuals, small business owners, pension and profit-sharing plans, plan participants, trusts, estates and charitable organizations, corporations or other business entities, investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other investment advisers.

ROTH Capital Partners LLC is a broker/dealer headquartered in Newport Beach, California. The firm was founded in 2001 and is a subsidiary of CR Financial Holdings, Inc. They offer institutional sales and trading services. Their broad institutional coverage includes investors in North America, Canada, UK, Europe and other international territories.

Moody's Investors Service, Inc. is a credit rating and investment research firm headquartered in New York City. They are a subsidiary of Moody's Corp. (NYSE: MCO). The firm performs international financial research and analysis on commercial and government entities and provides a variety of analytic tools for assessing credit risk. Their clients include creditors, investment banks and commercial banks.

CLSA Americas LLC is a FINRA registered broker-dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2012 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of CLSA Americas Holdings, Inc., which is ultimately owned by CITIC Securities Co., Ltd. (SHA: 600030) in China. CLSA Americas offers a full suite of execution services throughout North America and Latin America.

Part of Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc., Mercer Investment Consulting LLC is a company that redefines the world of work, reshapes retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocks real health and well-being. The company is based in Chicago, IL. Mercer provides solutions for both the federal government as well as state agencies. The company has an action plan and a commitment to inclusion and diversity. Mercer offers forward-looking ESG ratings and operational due diligence reports on thousands of managers and strategies across public and private markets. The company meets the needs of today and tomorrow by understanding the data and applying it with a human touch, and by turning ideas into action to spark positive change.

Needham & Co. LLC (Needham) is a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1985 and is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of The Needham Group, Inc. Needham provides corporate and institutional clients with high quality research, corporate access, capital markets and trading execution services in both the public and private markets, with an emphasis on growth companies.

Seifried & Brew LLC provides educational tools for both boards and management, including an economic chart that focuses on important key trends in the economy. Seifried & Brew is based in Bethlehem, PA. The private company offers a comprehensive capital planning process, including contingency planning, that adheres to regulatory guidelines. The company also provides a quarterly performance risk report that provides bank management and board members with a deeper understanding of the ongoing operations of their financial institution.

JPMorgan Asset Management Holdings, Inc. provides asset management services. It serves institutional and individual investors, managing portfolios, and retirement plans for corporations, governments, and foundations. The company was founded on June 5, 2000 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Lapides Asset Management LLC (LAM) is an independent registered investment advisor headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut. The firm was founded by Steven Wilson in 2005. LAM manages discretionary assets in separate accounts as well as private investment funds for individuals and institutions, such as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, corporations, charitable organizations, foundations, endowments and limited partnerships.

Part of Gordon Haskett Capital Corp., Gordon Haskett Research Advisors is an independent research boutique that publishes highly differentiated, independent research from top analysts for a targeted group of institutional investors. The company is based in New York, NY. GHRA's current research platforms include event-driven, retail, restaurants, industrials and multi-industry, and insurance. The company's analysts generate unique insights and ideas by analyzing and often anticipating significant strategic events such as activism, M&A, spin-offs, and restructurings. Chuck Grom leads a senior team focused on broadline, grocer, dollar, and hardline retailers utilizing proprietary GHRA data. Jeff Farmer uses a custom and highly regarded valuation driver and ROIC framework for deep dives into thematic restaurant sector debates while also leveraging GHRA proprietary data. John Inch has been a leading industrial equity research analyst for over 20 years and is supported by his longstanding senior team and unique data. Bill Wilt combines deep industry relationships with in-depth research valued both by investors and industry executives. The company was founded by John P. Argenti.

Cornell University is an educational institution that offers undergraduate and post graduate programs. It was founded in 1865 and is based in Ithaca, NY.

Digital Currency Group Inc (Digital Currency Group) is a private equity/venture capital firm founded in 1900 by Barry Edward Silbert. The firm is headquartered in New York.

Innovation Works, Inc. (Innovation Works) is a venture capital firm subsidiary of Ben Franklin Technology Partners founded in 1988. The firm is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.

Audax Private Equity (Audax Private Equity) is a private equity subsidiary of 101 Huntington Holdings LLC founded in 1999 by Geoff S. Rehnert and Marc B. Wolpow. The firm is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and additional office in San Francisco, California.