Michael Ferrantino - Gabelli Equity Independent Director

Mr. Michael J. Ferrantino is Independent Director of the Company. Mr. Fahrenkopf is the CoChairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is responsible for the widelyviewed Presidential debates during the quadrennial election cycle. He also served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee for six years during Ronald Reagans presidency. Additionally, he serves as a board member of the International Republican Institute, which he founded in 1984. Mr. Fahrenkopf is a member of the Funds ad hoc Pricing Committee, and serves on comparable or other board committees with respect to other funds in the Fund Complex on whose boards he sits. Mr. Fahrenkopf is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Gaming Association, the trade group for the hotelcasino industry. He served for many years as Chairman of the Pacific Democrat Union and Vice Chairman of the International Democrat Union, a worldwide association of political parties from the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia, and twenty other nations. Prior to becoming the AGAs first chief executive in 1995, Mr. Fahrenkopf was a partner in the law firm of Hogan Hartson, where he chaired the International Trade Practice Group and specialized in regulatory, legislative, and corporate matters for multinational, foreign, and domestic clients. Mr. Fahrenkopf is the former Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Culinary Institute of America and remains a member of the board. For over 30 years, Mr. Fahrenkopf has served on the Board of First Republic Bank and as Chairman of the Corporationrationrate Governance and Nominating Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee. He also serves as a member of the Board of Eldorado Resorts, Inc., which owns and operates 19 casinos in 10 states