Mr. Grillo was one of the founders of the American Securities opportunity funds established in 2005. Mr. Grillo served as Managing Director of the American Securities opportunity funds until his retirement in 2018. From 2001 through 2004, Mr. Grillo served as Senior Managing Director of Evercore Partners, Inc. (NYSE: EVR), an investment banking boutique providing advisory services to multinational corporations on significant mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings and other strategic corporate transactions, where he founded the restructuring practice for the firm. From 1999 through 2001, Mr. Grillo served as Senior Managing Director of Joseph Littlejohn & Levy, Inc., a private equity firm. From 1991 through 1999, Mr. Grillo was a Senior Managing Director of the Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE:BX). Mr. Grillo has served on the board of directors of twenty-two closed end funds advised by Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC since November 2024. Mr. Grillo served on the board of directors of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE:OACB) from September 2020 until its merger with Alvotech Holdings S.A. in June 2022. He previously served on the board of directors of Oaktree Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: OAC) from June 2019 until its merger with Hims & Hers Health, Inc. in January 2021. Mr. Grillo holds a bachelor s degree in economics as a Henry Rutgers Scholar from Rutgers University and an MBA from Wharton Business School. In nominating Mr. Grillo for election as a director, our Board focused on his past experience in the financial markets and his experience with corporate acquisitions as important attributes for his continuing to serve as one of our directors.