Sam Hardy

Westwind Partners, Inc. is a research and investment banking firm. The firm is privately held by a group of entrepreneurial partners who are experienced and have proven track records. The services that they offer include insightful equity research on Canadian and US companies, equity trading capability, and independent advice to corporations on M&A, financing and restructuring transactions. Westwind is based in Toronto with additional offices in Montreal, Calgary and London. They are a member of the Investment Dealers Association and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

Merrill Lynch Canada, Inc. is a Canadian broker/dealer headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. They are a subsidiary of Midland Walwyn, Inc. and their ultimate parent is Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC). The firm offers brokerage and investment banking services as well as commercial lending, global high-yield debt, global equity, and M&A services to institutional and retail clients.

RBC Capital Markets LLC (Investment Management) (RBC-IM) is the asset management division of RBC Capital Markets LLC, a broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of RBC USA Holdco Corp., ultimately held by Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE, TSE: RY) in Canada. RBC-IM provides advisory services to individuals, foundations, endowments, employee benefit plans, trusts and estates, educational institutions, corporations, businesses, government entities and other entities.

Founded in 2002, Thomas Weisel Partners Canada, Inc., formerly Westwind Partners, Inc., is an institutional investment bank, investment advisor and broker/dealer headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The firm is a subsidiary of Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWPG), a San Francisco-based investment banking firm. Their ultimate parent is Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF). Thomas Weisel Partners Canada specializes in the growth sectors of the economy with a particular focus on the consumer, energy, healthcare, Internet, media, telecommunications, metals/mining and technology sectors. They provide equity research on US, Canadian and UK-listed companies, equity trading capabilities and advice to corporations on M&A, financing and restructuring transactions. Thomas Weisel Partners Canada is a member of the CIPF/FCPE and the IIROC.