Jeff Plotnik

US Bancorp Asset Management, Inc. (USBAM) is a registered investment advisor headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The firm was founded in March 2001 and formerly known as FAF Advisors, Inc. They are a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of US Bank National Association, which is owned by US Bancorp (NYSE: USB), a diversified financial holding company. USBAM provides investment advisory services through managed accounts to institutional clients, money market mutual funds, and privately offered investment fund.

In 1915 Charles Edward Merrill founded Merrill Lynch & Co. (NYSE: MER) with Edmund C. Lynch in Baltimore, Maryland. The modern Merrill Lynch was formed in 1940 through mergers with E.A. Pierce & Cassatt and, soon after, Fenner & Beane. In 1973, Merrill Lynch adopted a holding company format, with Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. as the parent and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith as the operating subsidiary. Merrill Lynch Asset Management, Inc. (MLAM) was created as an integral business unit in the Merrill Lynch family in 1976. Fund Asset Management, doing business as Mercury Asset Management, was acquired in December 1997. In 2000, MLAM and Mercury were combined under the name Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. MLAM manages the Merrill Lynch family of mutual funds, as and acts as sub-advisor to other mutual funds.