John Lau

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Banc of America Securities (BAS) is the investment banking subsidiary of Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC). The firm provides both the domestic and international equity and investment banking markets, and pursues a strategy pioneered by Citigroup that combines corporate lending with investment banking advice and services. They provide high-yield debt underwriting and leveraged finance, in addition to industry coverage groups such as healthcare, media and telecom, financial institutions, real estate and gaming. BAS also does a significant amount of work for Financial Sponsors, or private equity firms, often financing leveraged transactions. Following the strategy of Goldman Sachs, the firm lacks a standalone mergers and acquisitions department, instead employing mergers and acquisitions senior bankers throughout the industry coverage groups. The firm is registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC, is a member of the NYSE, and the NASD. The use of Banc in the BAS's name is indicative of the fact that the company is not a bank, and their deposits and other holdings are not insured by the FDIC.

RBC Dominion Securities, Inc. (RBCDS) is a Canadian broker/dealer headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The firm was founded in 1901 and is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (TSE, NYSE: RY). RBCDS provides a full spectrum of brokerage services to retail and corporate clients.

Standard Microsystems Corp. is a designer of Smart Mixed-Signal Connectivity solutions. It designs and sells a wide range of silicon-based integrated circuits, which utilize analog and mixed-signal technologies. These solutions are applied to a broad set of technologies, including USB, Ethernet, wireless audio, media oriented systems transport, embedded control, captive sensing, and thermal management. Its primary focus is in the development of application-specific technologies. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Hauppauge, NY.

United Technologies Corp. engages in the provision of products and services to the building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. It operates through the following business segments: Otis; Carrier; Pratt and Whitney; and Collins Aerospace Systems. The Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and service. The Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration solutions. The Pratt and Whitney segment includes aircraft engines for the commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets. The Collins Aerospace Systems segment offers technologically advanced aerospace products and aftermarket service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, airlines, regional, business and general aviation markets, military, space and undersea operations. The company was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, CT.

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.

RBC Capital Markets LLC is a full-service brokerage and financial services firm headquartered in New York City. They are a direct subsidiary of RBC USA Holdco Corp. and a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (TSE, NYSE: RY). Founded in 2010, the firm is comprised of 3 major business lines: the Private Client Group, the Fixed-Income Group and the Clearing and Execution Services Group. The Private Client Group serves individual investors, while the Fixed-Income Group provides services to institutions, municipalities and non-profit organizations. The Clearing and Execution Services Group is a provider of clearing and execution services to independent brokers/dealers throughout the US. RBC Capital Markets focuses on the following sectors: communications, media, consumer/retail, diversified industries, energy, financial institutions, forest products, healthcare, infrastructure finance, mining & metals, real estate, social infrastructure, technology and the US municipal markets.