Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Overview

Our corporate and mergers and acquisitions advisory operation has been an independent provider of financial and mergers and acquisitions advisory services since the firm was founded in 2002. Professionals in this area have a wide array of specialized industry knowledge and experience and provide all types of financial and mergers and acquisitions advisory services with a wide range of transaction execution capability with respect to acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, minority investments, asset swaps, divestitures, takeover defenses and distressed sales.

The services provided also include specialized advice in various areas, including special committee assignments, exclusive sales, demutualizations and conversions, structured products and financing advice. Since 2002, our corporate and mergers and acquisitions advisory services operation has advised on transactions with a total value of more than $82.5 million.

The success of our corporate and mergers and acquisitions advisory services has resulted from our core principles, including protecting client confidentiality, prioritizing our client's interests, avoidance of conflicts and giving each assignment senior-level attention. The senior managing directors in our corporate and mergers and acquisitions advisory services operation have an average of over 10 years of experience in providing financial and mergers and acquisitions advice.

Client-Driven Rather than Deal-Driven
We are not focused on market share or being all things to all people, but rather maintain a select number of assignments. Our emphasis is on long-term relationships and always giving objective advice to our clients, even if that requires us to advise against proceeding with a transaction.

Absence of Conflicts of Interest
We are not engaged in securities underwriting, research or many of the numerous other businesses conducted by large investment banks and commercial banks, which allows us to avoid potential conflicts of interest that may arise from these activities. We believe this makes us particularly well-suited to represent boards and special committees in the increasing number of situations where they are looking to retain a financial advisor who is devoid of such conflicts.

Unique Perspectives on Value Creation
Our firm's knowledge includes experience not only as a financial and strategic advisor, but also as a principal investor and major financier. Our ability to view client assignments from both advisory and investor perspectives often helps to provide unique insights into how best to maximize value while also achieving clients' objectives.

Creative Solutions for Complex Issues
Our structured finance team focuses on customized merger and acquisition solutions as well as financing structures that enable clients to meet their strategic and corporate finance objectives. Our structured finance team has been providing innovative products and solutions to clients in many industries for over 20 years.

Long-Term Strategic Planning
In addition to providing traditional investment banking services, we are focused on helping solve long-term strategic issues for our clients, often incorporating aspects of strategic consulting into advisory assignments.