Rich Kwas

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.

Founded in 1988, McMahan Securities Co. LP is a broker-dealer located in Greenwich, Connecticut. They uncover companies early in their growth curve and create new and substantial investment opportunities for their clients. They focus their research solely on companies issuing convertibles. The companies they follow are often young, strong, growing firms. They tend to be those in need of capital that are properly positioned in their markets. Sometimes, they are companies that are not well known or recognized, making it difficult for them to successfully market an initial fixed-income offering. Instead, they issue convertibles, which are attractive to purchasers for their ability to be converted into equity, allowing participation in the company's rapid growth. Strategically, they look for securities with favorable risk/reward characteristics, those with a limited downside risk but a real opportunity to participate in the upside if the stock moves positively. Convertible securities can achieve both fixed income and equity type returns. They are a member of the NASD and the SIPC.

National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Inc. is an American company that provides an array of industry data prepared by NAREIT staff and other outside sources. The non-profit company is based in Washington. The company specializes in REITs, or real estate investment trusts, which are companies that own or finance income-producing real estate across a range of property sectors. Most REITs trade on major stock exchanges, and they offer a number of benefits to investors. Steven A. Wechsler has been the CEO of the company since 1997.

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.

Wachovia Securities LLC offered equity, fixed income, and structured products. It was founded in 2001 and was headquartered in St. Louis, MO.

Tenneco, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, market and sale of innovative clean air, powertrain and ride performance products and systems. It operates through the following segments: Motorparts, Performance Solutions, Clean Air, and Powertrain. The Motorparts segment consists of a portfolio of brand-name products in the global vehicle aftermarket within seven product categories including shocks and struts, steering and suspension, braking, sealing, engine, emissions, and maintenance. The Performance Solutions segment designs a variety of products and systems designed to optimize the ride experience of the global customer base, including noise, vibration, and harshness performance materials, advanced suspension technologies, ride control, braking, and systems protection. The Clean Air segment offers products and systems designed to reduce pollution and optimize engine performance, acoustic tuning, and weight on a vehicle for light vehicles, commercial trucks, and off-highway original equipment customers. The Powertrain segment focuses on original equipment powertrain products for automotive, heavy duty, and industrial applications. The company was founded on April 1, 1940 and is headquartered in Skokie, IL.