Martin Vernon

Founded in 2001, Guardian Investor Services LLC (GIS) is an investment advisor located in New York City. The firm is the successor to Guardian Investor Services Corp., a New York corporation that was founded in 1968. The firm provides institutional asset management services to both taxable and tax exempt entities. They also offer a variety of investment management services to clients in the insurance industry. GIS is the distributor of mutual funds and variable annuities. Annuities are issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Co., Inc., (GIAC) a Delaware corporation. Both GIS and GIAC are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the US. GIS primarily provides services to investment companies and corporations.

Victory Capital Management, Inc. (Investment Management) (Victory Capital-IM) is the investment management division of Victory Capital Management, Inc., a financial services company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The firm was founded in 1894 and formerly known as Key Asset Management, Inc. They are an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: VCTR). Victory Capital-IM provides specialized investment strategies to institutions, intermediaries, retirement platforms and individual investors.

The Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America (Guardian Life) is a life insurance management firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1860, Guardian Life and their subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, long-term care insurance, disability income, medical insurance products and dental insurance products. They also offer 401(k), annuities and other financial products and trust services.

Fordham University provides college and university. It offers undergraduate colleges and graduate & professional schools. The company was founded in 1841 and is headquartered in Bronx, NY.

BNP Paribas Asset Management USA, Inc. (BNPP AM USA) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1972 as Fischer Francis Trees & Watts, Inc. (FFTW). In 2015, FFTW’s affiliated US registered investment advisor, BNP Paribas Asset Management Inc., was merged into FFTW. FFTW was re-branded as BNP Paribas Asset Management USA, Inc. in 2017. The firm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas Asset Management USA Holdings, Inc. (BNPP AM), part of the International Financial Services division of BNP Paribas SA (EPA: BNP) (BNPP) in France. BNPP AM USA provides customized investment management services to institutional clients. The firm also provides non-discretionary investment management activities and/or acts as collateral manager for structured products such as CDOs and CLOs.

Founded in 2004 by David Robinson and Gilpin Bartels, Spartan Capital Management LLC is a registered investment advisor located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The firm manages assets for high net-worth individuals and institutions.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. engages in the provision of insurance, annuities, and employee benefits programs. It operates through the US, and MetLife Holdings segments. The company is headquartered in New York, NY.

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America engages in the provision of life insurance services. It offers insurance services in life, disability, and dental insurance services. The company was founded in 1860 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

XonTech, Inc. develops science and technology based solutions that focus on missile defense and sensor & intelligence data analysis. It also offers systems engineering and integration, sensor development, and modeling and simulation services. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Van Nuys, CA.

New York Life Investment Management LLC (NYLIM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2000 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of New York Life Investment Management Holdings LLC, owned by New York Life Insurance Co. NYLIM provides a broad array of investment advisory services to third-party institutional clients, affiliated insurance companies, investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, individuals and wrap fee programs sponsored by unaffiliated entities.

Western Asset Management Co. (Western Asset) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Pasadena, California. The firm was founded in 1971 and is a subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., which is owned by Franklin Resources, Inc. Western Asset provides discretionary investment management services to primarily institutional clients.

Farm Pump & Irrigation Co., Inc. provides water screening services to protect pumps from moss, sticks, trash, fish, and other water-carried debris. The company is headquartered in Shafter, CA

Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Inc. (MSIM) is an investment management firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1975 and is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings, Inc., ultimately held by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS). MSIM provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management services and products to institutional clients and individual investors. The firm also advises clients as to the appropriate allocation of assets among multiple separate accounts and/or investment companies or other pooled vehicles that the firm advises.

Wilshire Advisors LLC (Wilshire) is a privately-held investment technology and advisory firm headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The firm was founded by Dennis Tito in 1972 as Wilshire Associates, Inc. Wilshire provides innovative investment solutions, consulting services and multi-asset analytics to institutional and intermediary clients worldwide.

Founded in 1985, NatWest Markets Securities, Inc. is a financial services and brokerage firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm is a subsidiary of RBS Holdings USA, Inc. and their ultimate parent is the Royal Bank of Scotland Plc (LSE: RBS). The firm was formerly known as RBS Securities, Inc., RBS Greenwich Capital, and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. NatWest is an institutional fixed-income firm that provides a full range of debt capital markets services to both those seeking to raise capital and those seeking to invest it. The firm is an industry leader in the U.S. Treasury, agency and MBS markets and in providing real estate and asset-backed financing to their clients. NatWest also provides futures brokerage services and trade strategies to select clients.

Cornell University is an educational institution that offers undergraduate and post graduate programs. It was founded in 1865 and is based in Ithaca, NY.

BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. (BNYMIA) is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1951 and formerly known as The Dreyfus Corp. They are a wholly-owned subsidiary of MBC Investments Corp., ultimately held by The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE: BK). BNYMIA serves as an investment advisor to mutual funds, such as the BNY Mellon Family of Funds and The BNY Mellon Funds Trust, and as sub-investment advisor to non-affiliated mutual funds. Formed in 2009, Dreyfus Cash Investment Strategies (Dreyfus) is a division of the BNYMIA that offers money market strategies to US and non-US institutional investors.

Duke University is an academic university that offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. It also has publications and research services. The university was founded in 1838 and is headquartered in Durham, NC.

BlackRock Advisors LLC is a SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1994 and is a subsidiary of BlackRock Capital Holdings, Inc., ultimately held by BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK). BlackRock Advisors manages assets for US-registered investment companies and 529 Plans.

Par-Four Investment Management LLC (Par-Four) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor and hedge fund manager headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. The firm was founded by Robert B. Burke in 2003 as Par IV Capital Management LLC. Par-Four provides investment advisory services on a discretionary basis to clients, which are institutional investors and private investment funds intended for institutional investors and other sophisticated investors.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) is a securities brokerage firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1927, the firm is a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS). GS&Co. provides services to help hedge funds manage risk, monitor portfolios, maintain liquidity and build their businesses. They offer clients access to global equity and derivatives markets, as well as foreign exchange, commodities, European Lefts, rates and credit across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The firm proactively monitors capital markets, searching for pockets of liquidity and news that may require changes to those strategies. Integration with the Goldman Sachs network gives clients access to the firm's sectored block trades and their insights into price discovery. Their electronic trading program provides clients with tools to manage their trades from pre-trade analytics to post-trade analysis.

Principal Global Investors LLC, dba Principal Asset Management (Principal AM), is a SEC-registered investment advisor headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. The firm was founded in 1998 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Principal Global Investors Holding Co. (US) LLC and their ultimate parent is Principal Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PFG). Principal AM provides investment advisory services to institutional investors and individuals on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

Principal Life Insurance Co. provides insurance brokerage services. It offers term life, major medical, annuities, disability, long term care, health, and consultancy services to trades unions, individuals, and business marketplace. The company was founded on June 24, 1879 and is headquartered in Des Moines, IA.