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Tom Okel
Independent Director
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Mr. Okel brings over 20 years of experience in the underwriting, structuring, distribution and trading of debt used for corporate acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and refinancings. He previously served as Executive Director of Catawba Lands Conservancy, a non-profit land trust. Prior to joining Catawba Lands Conservancy, he served as Global Head of Syndicated Capital Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he managed capital markets, sales, trading and research for the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America from 1989 to 2010. He currently serves as trustee or director of several public companies and non-profit organizations, including as Trustee of Barings Funds Trust, an open-end investment company and Barings Global Short Duration High Yield Fund, a closed-end investment company (both advised by Barings), Trustee of the Horizon Funds, a mutual fund complex. Mr. Okel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Davidson College and a Masters of Management, Finance, Accounting and Marketing from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.