Patrick R. Abeln

Mason Street Advisors LLC (MSA) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The firm was founded in 2001 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. MSA provides professional portfolio management services for institutional investors by providing continuous investment advice and management based upon the individual needs and objectives of each client.

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (Price Associates) is a registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The firm was founded by Thomas Rowe Price, Jr. in 1937. They are a subsidiary of the T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TROW), which was formed in 2000 as the publicly traded parent holding company of Price Associates and their affiliated entities. Price Associates offers a variety of mutual funds, sub-advisory services and separate account management for individual and institutional investors, retirement plans and financial intermediaries.

Stephens, Inc. is a full-service investment bank and brokerage firm headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. The firm was founded in 1933 and is a subsidiary of Susi Holdings, Inc., which is owned by Stephens Financial Services LLC. Stephens provides comprehensive securities sales and trading services, including customized solutions for clients in North America and abroad.

Driehaus Capital Management LLC (Driehaus) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded by Richard Driehaus in 1982 and is a subsidiary of Driehaus Capital Holdings LLLP. Driehaus manages growth-oriented equity and alternative investment strategies for institutional and individual clients. Driehaus is a Signatory of the United Nations-Supported Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI).

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. (Duff & Phelps) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was established in 1979, evolving from the Duff & Phelps investment research firm founded in 1932. They are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus Partners, Inc., which is wholly-owned by Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTS). Duff & Phelps provides investment advisory services to institutional clients, mutual funds, closed-end funds, and other pooled investment vehicles as well as to retail clients. Duff & Phelps is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI).

Allspring Global Investments LLC (Allspring) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to November 1, 2021, the firm was known as Wells Capital Management, Inc. They are a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC, ultimately held by Allspring Group Holdings LLC. Allspring provides investment management services to mutual funds, private funds, collective investment trusts (CITs), pooled vehicles, and other institutional clients and high net-worth individuals.

Wells Fargo Bank, NA provides investment advisory services. It offers banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer finance services. The company is headquartered in Sioux Falls, SD.

Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc. (Equity) (Baird Equity Asset Management) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The firm was founded in 1971 and is a subsidiary of Baird Financial Corp., which is owned by Baird Financial Group, Inc. Baird Equity Asset Management is investment management department within Baird that provides investment management and other services to certain Baird Funds, which invests primarily in equity securities (Baird Equity Funds). The firm also serves as investment sub-adviser to a mutual fund series of the Principal Funds, Inc.

Northwestern University is a private institution founded in 1851 to serve the Northwest Territory, an area that now includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota. Northwestern has three campuses

Jefferies LLC is a global investment bank and institutional securities firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1962 and is a subsidiary of Jefferies Group LLC, ultimately held by Jefferies Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: JEF). Jefferies provides corporate clients with research and execution services in equity, fixed income, and foreign exchange markets, as well as a full range of investment banking services such as underwriting, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and recapitalization, and other advisory services, with all businesses operating in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Piper Sandler & Co. (Broker) (PSC-Broker) is the full-service brokerage division of Piper Sandler & Co., a financial service firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are a subsidiary of Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR). The firm was founded in 1969 and previously known as Piper Jaffray & Co. They became Piper Sandler & Co. when Piper Jaffray Companies and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. merged to become Piper Sandler Companies in 2020. PSC-Broker provides brokerage and investment banking services to financial institutions, corporations and other financial investors. Their core focus sectors are Agriculture, renewables & cannabis, Business services, Chemicals & Materials, Consumer, Diversified industrials & services, Energy, Financial services, financial sponsors, Healthcare, and Technology.

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. (Northwestern Mutual) is an insurance company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1857, Northwestern Mutual and their subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions such as life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products and advisory products and services.

William Blair & Co. LLC (William Blair) is a SEC-registered broker/dealer firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm was founded by William McCormick Blair in 1935 and is a subsidiary of WBC Holdings LP. Until 1941, they were known as Blair, Bonner & Co. William Blair provides broking services to individual, institutional and issuing clients.

First Annapolis Consulting LLC provides management consulting, mergers and acquisitions advisory services. It services include partnership finance, M&A advisory, strategic sourcing and portfolio management. The company was founded by William Westerwelt, Jr. and Frederick White in 1991 and is headquartered in Annapolis, MD.

Sterling Capital Management LLC (Sterling) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm was founded by George de Garmo in 1970 and is an independently operated subsidiary of Truist Financial Corp. (NYSE: TFC). Sterling provides investment management services to a diverse group of clients ranging from retail to corporations and non-profits.

RBC Wealth Management (RBCWM) is wealth management division of RBC Capital Markets Equity Research, which is ultimately owned by Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE; TSE: RY). Formerly known as RBC Dain Rauscher, Inc., the firm was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. RBCWM provides trusted advice and wealth management solutions to individuals, families and institutions.

Wells Fargo Securities LLC (WFS) is the broker/dealer subsidiary of EVEREN Capital Corp., ultimately owned by Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC). Headquartered in New York, WFS delivers a comprehensive suite of banking, capital markets and advisory solutions, such as a full complement of sales, trading and research capabilities, to corporate, government and institutional clients.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund supports and represents students in their member schools, which include public Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). It was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Part of Ernst & Young Global Ltd., EY Port Jackson Partners is an Australian company that provides real estate, precinct and project management services. The company is based in Sydney, Australia. David Joseph Larocca has been the CEO of the company since 2006.

Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC (WFCS) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and wealth management firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The firm was founded 1852 and formerly known as Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. They are a subsidiary of Wachovia Securities Financial Holdings LLC, a non-bank indirect subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC), a financial and bank holding company. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC. WFCS provides investment 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. They also act as portfolio manager for certain wrap fee advisory programs.

Monash University operates as a public research university. It specializes in higher education, global engagement, postgraduate courses, undergraduate study, and PhD research. The company was founded on March 1961 and is headquartered in Clayton, Australia.

ING Bank NV (Broker) (ING Bank-Broker) is the broker-dealer division of ING Bank NV, an investment bank headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. (AMS: INGA; NYSE: ING), a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation. The firm was founded in 1991 through the merger of Nationale-Nederlanden and NMB Postbank Groep. ING Bank-Broker provides brokerage services to institutions, large corporations, and medium-sized companies.

PGIM Ltd. is the Great Britain-based investment management subsidiary of PGIM Financial Ltd., ultimately held by Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) in the US. Formerly known as Pramerica Investment Management Ltd., the firm was founded in 1999 and changed their name to PGIM in 2016. PGIM is headquartered in London and offers a range of fixed income strategies and products to a variety of affiliated and unaffiliated global institutional clients.

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.

Ernst & Young LLP engages in the provision of accounting, assurance, tax, transaction, and advisory services. It specializes in the actuarial, analytics and big data, cyber security, accounting compliance and reporting, center for board matters, international financial reporting standards, country tax advisory, global trade, tax accounting, and climate change and sustainability. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Cetera Investment Services LLC provides brokerage, insurance and investment advisory services. It offers solutions in the areas of education and training, practice management, sales support, marketing and compliance for financial professionals; and wealth management programs. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in St. Cloud, MN.

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.

Digi-Key Corp. distributes electronic components. It also distributes semiconductors, discrete, electromechanical parts. Its products include audio products, batteries, cable assemblies, capacitors, computer & video accessories, connectors, crystals & oscillators, discrete semiconductor products and many more. The company was founded by Ronald A. Stordahl in 1972 and is headquartered in Thief River Falls, MN.

ProTrainings LLC provides web-based training services. It certifies students in basic life support, first aid, and blood borne pathogens. The company was founded by Roy Shaw, Scott Andersen and Paul Martin in 2003 and is headquartered in Ada, MI.