Edward Vermont Blanchard

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. provided wealth management, securities trading and sales, corporate finance and investment banking services. Merrill Lynch was a global trader and underwriter of securities and derivatives across a range of asset classes and serve as a strategic advisor to governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. The company was founded in 1913 and was headquartered in Charlotte, NC.

Scientific Learning Corp. develops scientific learning software applications which deliver neuroscience-based educational technologies. It serves the administrators, teachers, parents, special education specialists, and clinics and learning centers. The company was founded by Paula A. Tallal, William M. Jenkins, Michael M. Merzenich, and Steven L. Miller in 1995 and is headquartered in Oakland, CA.

Bankrate, Inc. was operated as a publisher and aggregator and distributor of personal finance content on the Internet. The company was founded in 1976 and was headquartered in New York, NY.

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.

Founded in 1969, Aon Benfield Securities, Inc. is an SEC-registered broker/dealer located in Chicago, Illinois. The firm is a subsidiary of Aon Plc. They are a member of FINRA and SIPC. Aon Benfield Securities provides insurance and reinsurance clients with an array of insurance-linked securities products including catastrophe bonds, contingent capital, sidecars, collateralized reinsurance, industry loss warranties, and derivative products. They offer expert underwriting and placement of new debt and equity issues, financial and strategic advisory services, as well as a leading secondary trading desk.

Headquartered in New York City, Bear Stearns Merchant Banking is the private equity arm of Bear Stearns Cos., Inc. (NYSE: BSC)

Ironshore, Inc. engages in the provision of property and casualty insurance services. It caters the construction, energy, financial institutions, healthcare, real estate, and manufacturing industries. The company was founded by Robert Clements and John Clements in December 2006 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

The American Folk Art Museum is located in New York, NY. The museum offers free admission and is open daily from 11:30 am to 6:00 pm. Visitors can reserve tickets in advance or drop in. The museum offers programs, tours, and workshops led by educators, artists, writers, and scholars, both online and onsite. The museum's collection showcases self-taught art across time and place. The museum encourages visitors to become members and support its mission. The museum's recent press release, "What That Quilt Knows About Me," explores the emotional power associated with quilts and quilt-making. The museum is active on social media and can be followed using the hashtag #folkartmuseum.