James Manfredonia

Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. is a global investment banking, securities trading and brokerage firm located in New York City with additional offices in Dallas, Boston and San Francisco. The firm is a subsidiary Bear Sterns Cos., Inc. (NYSE: BSC). Their equity research team consists of senior analysts located throughout the world. In addition to domestic coverage, they have research teams focusing on Latin America, Asia and Europe. The analysts use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. The Bear Stearns fixed-income research department provides coverage of every sector of the fixed-income universe. The financial analytics and structured transactions group (F.A.S.T) provides investment research, fixed-income portfolio management and analytical systems, trading technology and general financial expertise. The group also provides a broad range of services to financial institutions including asset-liability management, balance sheet restructuring, receivables-based financing analysis, security and portfolio analysis, peer analysis, and historical and real-time market-based information.

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.

Tasker Products Corp. engaged in the manufactures, distribution, and marketing of eco-chemistry products. The company was founded on February 2, 1999 and is headquartered in Danbury, CT.

Founded in 2004, Cowen Securities is an investment banking firm and broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of the Cowen Group. They were formerly known as Dahlman Rose & Co. Cowen Securities provides value-added research, trading and advisory services to clients in the US and abroad. The firm focuses on growth industries that are the direct beneficiaries of global trade, infrastructure development and urbanization. Their research focuses on various distinct verticals within the global natural resources supply chain including: metals/mining, agriculture, chemicals, oil & gas exploration and production, electric utilities and surface transportation. Cowen Securities follows a variety of companies across geographies, market-caps and strategies. The firm employs a top-down approach that focuses on global themes and macro trends within these sectors. They look for drivers that create opportunities for well-positioned companies.

Assured Pharmacy, Inc. engaged in the business of establishing and operating pharmacies. It specialized in dispensing regulated pain medication for chronic pain management. The company was headquartered in Denver, CO.