Mike J. Hodapp

Cirrus Research LLC is an independent investment strategy research firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded by Satya Pradhuman in 2007. They provide small-to-mid cap equities research insights. Their clientele includes active portfolio managers, fundamental and quantitative managers, research analysts, strategists, asset allocators, and risk managers at some of the largest global institutions. The firm’s approach is idea driven, supported by quantitative discipline.

Bank of Hawaii (Asset Management), do-business-as Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (AMG), is a separately identifiable department of the Bank of Hawaii, which is owned by Bank of Hawaii Corp. (NYSE: BOH). Headquartered in Honolulu, AMG was founded in 1897 and offers investment advisory services on a discretionary basis to registered investment companies (mutual funds) and institutional clients that are quasi-governmental agencies whose accounts consist in whole or in part of the proceeds from the issuance of municipal bonds.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. (MLPFS) is the SEC-registered broker/dealer subsidiary of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., ultimately held by Charlotte-based Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). The firm was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in New York City. In 2010, Banc of America Securities LLC merged with MLPFS and the firm uses the trade name Bank of America Merrill Lynch. MLPFS's global strategy and economics team serves institutional and individual investors using a wide range of macroeconomic disciplines. Their analysis of global issues provides clients with investment ideas, market forecasts, macro overviews and specific sector recommendations across asset classes, regions and disciplines. Their equity research team conducts fundamental analysis on companies globally and provides institutional and retail clients with industry-specific and in-depth research and analysis on numerous industries. The firm's global fixed-income and equity-linked research focuses on fixed-income and equity derivatives, fixed-income strategy, convertibles, commodities, high-yield, mortgages, municipals and global foreign exchange.