DAVID LARO was appointed by President Bush to the United States Tax Court, confirmed by the Senate, and vested as a federal judge in November 1992. He formerly practiced law in Flint and Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in tax law for twenty-four years. Judge Laro was chairman and CEO of a publicly traded international company and cofounded Republic Bancorp, a Michigan bank holding company. He is an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, a visiting professor at the University of San Diego Law School, and a lecturer at Stanford Law School. He is a frequent guest speaker and has written numerous articles on taxation.

Shannon P. Pratt, CFA, FASA, MCBA, CM&AA, is the Chairman and CEO of Shannon Pratt Valuations, Inc. a premier business valuation firm located in Portland Oregon, and is the founder and Editor Emeritus of Business Valuation Resources, LLC. Over a distinguished career of close to four decades, he has performed valuation engagements for M&A, ESOPs, gift and estate taxation, marital dissolution, shareholder oppression and dissent, and numerous other purposes. He has conducted numerous fairness and solvency opinions, has testified in a wide variety of federal and state courts across the country, and frequently participates in arbitration and mediation proceedings. Dr. Pratt is one of the most successful and respected authors in his field. He is the author or coauthor of several industry standards, including Valuing a Business: The Analysis and Appraisal of Closely Held Companies, Valuing Small Businesses and Professional Practices, The Market Approach to Valuing Businesses, Standards of Value, Business Valuation and Taxes, The Lawyer's Business Valuation Handbook, and Cost of Capital