Michael W. Wright

Founded in 1999 by Malcolm Fairbairn, Ascend Capital LLC is a registered investment advisor and hedge fund manager located in Orinda, California. The firm generally provides investment advice to private investment funds and institutional separate accounts. Investors in the funds include: pension and profit sharing plans; trusts, estates and charitable organizations; funds-of hedge-funds (whether organized as partnerships, corporations or other entity types); and high net-worth individuals and family offices.

Founded in 1974, Simmons & Company International is an independent investment bank headquartered in Houston, Texas. The firm is a subsidiary of Piper Jaffray & Co. and their ultimate parent is Piper Jaffray Cos. (NYSE: PJC). Simmons & Co. specializes in the entire spectrum of the energy sector. They also provide services related to M&As and divestitures, public offerings, institutional research and sales and trading.

Founded in 1992, Weintraub Capital Management LP is a family office located in San Francisco, California.

Part of SNBNY Holdings Ltd., Alpha Investment Management, Inc. is a hedge fund management company. The company is based in New York, NY. The company was founded by Nicolas Berggruen. Alpha Investment Management was acquired by J. Safra Asset Management Corp. on July 31, 2004.

Founded in 1998 by Alan Reid, Forward Management LLC is a registered investment advisor located in San Francisco, California. The firm is a subsidiary of Salient Partners LP.