Whit Wilks

Founded in 1932, Stanford Group Co. is a broker/dealer headquartered in Houston, Texas with offices nationwide. They are a subsidiary of Stanford Financial Services, Inc. and their ultimate parent is CBaySystems Holdings Ltd. The firm offers a full range of brokerage services for both domestic and international clients. They are a member of the NASD and the SIPC. Stanford's research includes both institutional equity research and Washington-focused policy research, offering a perspective on individual companies, sector-specific topics and national policy. Their equity analysts offer insight and opinions on companies in the consumer/retail, media, energy, financial institutions, healthcare, technology and water/environment sectors, targeting small- and mid-cap companies. Their policy analysts deliver investment relevant insights across a broad range of sectors, including geopolitics, international/trade, Federal Reserve board policy, health care (including services, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, telecom, media, financial services, water/environment, agribusiness/tobacco, energy) and technology (including information technology services, homeland security and biometrics/emerging technologies).

On April 12, 1853, the New York State legislature passed a bill chartering the United States Trust Co. of New York with the mission of serving as manager, executor and trustee of personal and corporate funds. They opened for business in New York City in August of that year. US Trust has divisions in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Oregon, California, Washington, and the District of Columbia. The firm also owns Campbell Cowperthwait, which manages growth-oriented portfolios for U.S. Trust's institutional clients.

Novare Capital Management LLC (NCM) is an independent, SEC-registered investment advisor and wealth management firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm was founded in 1999 by William (Bill) G. Baynard, Jr. and Don E. Olmstead. NCM provides customized investment management and wealth management for individuals, foundations, trusts and corporations.