Dean D'Angelo

Allied Capital Corp, a business development company, invests in private middle market companies located in the US. The fund target companies across a broad range of sectors with an EBITDA of $5 - $150 million. It provides debt and equity financing for buyout transactions and also makes minority equity co-investments. It also invests in private equity and debt funds.

D. E. Shaw Laminar Portfolios LLC (DE Shaw Laminar) is a private equity subsidiary of D. E. Shaw & Co. LP founded in 1988. The firm is headquartered in New York.

Stellus Capital Investment Corp., a traded business development company invests in companies located in the United States with an EBITDA of USD 5 - 50 million. The fund focuses on a broad range of sectors and industries. It provides financing in the form of equity, senior secured first lien, uni tranche, split lien and second lien debt financings for buyout transactions with an investment size of USD 10 - 75 million.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Banc of America Securities (BAS) is the investment banking subsidiary of Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC). The firm provides both the domestic and international equity and investment banking markets, and pursues a strategy pioneered by Citigroup that combines corporate lending with investment banking advice and services. They provide high-yield debt underwriting and leveraged finance, in addition to industry coverage groups such as healthcare, media and telecom, financial institutions, real estate and gaming. BAS also does a significant amount of work for Financial Sponsors, or private equity firms, often financing leveraged transactions. Following the strategy of Goldman Sachs, the firm lacks a standalone mergers and acquisitions department, instead employing mergers and acquisitions senior bankers throughout the industry coverage groups. The firm is registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC, is a member of the NYSE, and the NASD. The use of Banc in the BAS's name is indicative of the fact that the company is not a bank, and their deposits and other holdings are not insured by the FDIC.

The Small Business Investor Alliance is an association of senior investment professionals focused on the lower middle market. The non-profit company is based in Washington and was founded by Jonathan F. Wilson. The American company's public policy goals are focused on maintaining access to growth capital for small businesses to support economic growth and job creation. The company recommends policies to unleash more capital for job creation and economic growth, including encouraging investment in rural business investment companies and venture and growth capital.

Duke Capital Partners, LLC provides financial advisory, investment, and equity services. The company was founded in 2000, and is headquartered in Charlotte, NC.

Stellus Capital Management LLC (Stellus Capital) is a private equity firm founded in 2012. The firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas with an additional office in Bethesda, Maryland.