William Blair & Company, L.L.C. is a global investment firm offering investment banking, asset management, equity research, institutional and private brokerage, and private capital to individual, institutional, and issuing clients. Since 1935, we have been committed to helping clients achieve their financial objectives. As an independent, employee-owned firm, our philosophy is to serve our clients' interests first and foremost. We place a high value on the enduring nature of our client relationships, the quality of our products and services, and the continuity and integrity of our people. William Blair & Company is based in Chicago, with office locations including Boston, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.williamblair.com

Overview

For 75 years, William Blair & Company has operated as a partnership and provided investment services, advisory expertise in mergers and acquisitions, and integrated domestic, international, and fixed-income trading desks.

• Founded in 1935 by William McCormick Blair
• About 900 employees and 160 principals in 11 offices
• Experienced professionals: average industry experience for our investment professionals is more than 20 years
• Manage more than $43 billion in assets (as of December 31, 2009); one of the top 100 money managers in the United States (as ranked by Pensions & Investments' International/Global Manager Tables, 6/29/09)
• Independent and internationally respected equity research

Memberships

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) www.finra.org, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) www.sipc.org.