Item 2. | Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. |
References to the “Company,” “Heartland Media Acquisition Corp.,” “Heartland Media,” “Heartland,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to Heartland Media Acquisition Corp. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited interim condensed financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in our other Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation on February 10, 2021 and created for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). We have not selected any Business Combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, had any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any Business Combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial Business Combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering (“IPO”) and the sale of the private placement warrants, the proceeds of the sale of our capital stock in connection with our initial Business Combination, shares of our capital stock issued to owners of the target, debt or a combination of cash, stock and debt.
The issuance of additional shares of our capital stock in connection with our initial Business Combination:
• | may significantly dilute the equity interest of our existing investors, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the founder shares resulted in the issuance of shares of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the founder shares; |
• | may subordinate the rights of holders of our common stock if preferred stock is issued with rights senior to those afforded our common stock; |
• | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of our common stock is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
• | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the stock ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; |
• | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A common stock and/or warrants; and |
• | may not result in adjustment to the exercise price of our warrants. |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant indebtedness, it could result in:
• | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial Business Combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
• | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
• | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
• | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
• | our inability to pay dividends on our common stock; |
• | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our common stock if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
• | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
• | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
• | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
Results of Operations
Our entire activity since inception through March 31, 2023 related to our formation and IPO, and subsequent to our IPO, the search for a target for our initial Business Combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of a Business Combination. We expect to generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on marketable securities held after our IPO. We have incurred, and expect that we will continue to incur, increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses in connection with searching for, and completing, a Business Combination.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, we had a net income of $104,908, which mainly consisted of formation and operating costs, provision for income taxes, change in fair value of warrant liability and income from marketable securities held in the trust account.
For the three months ended March 31, 2022, we had a net income of $6,772,842, which mainly consisted of formation and operating costs, warrant issuance costs, change in fair value of warrant liability, change in fair value of over-allotment option liability, and income from marketable securities held in the trust account.
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $68,477 in its operating bank account, and an adjusted working capital deficit of $7,293, which excludes franchise taxes payable of $50,000, income tax payable of $987,650 and franchise taxes paid from the operating account reimbursable from the trust account of $12,872, of which such amounts can be paid from interest earned on the Trust Account. As of March 31, 2023, approximately $4,766,168 of the amount on deposit in the Trust Account represents interest income, which is available to pay the Company’s tax obligations.
Until the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will be using the funds not held in the Trust Account for identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, and structuring, negotiating, and consummating the Business Combination. However, if the estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a Business Combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, the Company may have insufficient funds available to operate its business prior to a Business Combination. Moreover, the Company may need to obtain additional financing or draw on the Working Capital Loans (as defined in Note 5 to the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements) either to complete a Business Combination or because it becomes obligated to redeem a significant number of the Public Shares upon consummation of a Business Combination, in which case the Company may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such Business Combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, the Company would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of its Business Combination. If the Company is unable to complete the Business Combination because it does not have sufficient funds available, the Company will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account. In addition, following the Business Combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, the Company may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet its obligations.
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” the Company has until July 25, 2023 (or up until October 25, 2023, at the election of the Company, subject to certain conditions described herein) to consummate a Business Combination. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date and an extension has not been requested by the sponsor and approved by the Company’s stockholders, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Additionally, it is uncertain that we will have sufficient liquidity to fund the working capital needs of the Company through July 25, 2023 or through twelve months from the issuance of this report. Management has determined that the mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur and an extension not be requested by the sponsor, and potential subsequent dissolution and the Company’s liquidity condition raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after July 25, 2023 (or after October 25, 2023, at the election of the Company, subject to certain conditions described herein). The Company intends to continue to search for and seek to complete a Business Combination before the mandatory liquidation date. The Company is within 12 months of its mandatory liquidation date as of the time of filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities. Following the IPO, we had an agreement to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor a total of $20,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services, but on August 1, 2022, the affiliate of the Sponsor agreed to waive all future administrative fees and reimburse all previously paid administrative fees, and on November 10, 2022, we and the affiliate of the Sponsor entered into the termination agreement for the administrative services agreement to effect such agreement and terminate the administrative services agreement.
The holders of founder shares, Private Placement Warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans, if any, are entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement signed in connection with the consummation of the IPO. These holders are entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
The underwriters had a 45-day option from the date of the IPO to purchase up to an additional 2,625,000 Units to cover over-allotments, if any. The underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option on February 3, 2022 to purchase an additional 1,746,931 Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit.
The underwriters received a cash underwriting discount of $3,500,000 upon the IPO and $349,386 upon the partial exercise of the over-allotment option.
Additionally, the underwriters are entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of $6,736,426, upon the completion of our initial Business Combination.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our unaudited condensed financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”). The preparation of these unaudited condensed financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reported period. In accordance with US GAAP, we base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Our significant accounting policies are fully described in Note 2 to our financial statements appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 18, 2023, and we believe those accounting policies are critical to the process of making significant judgments and estimates in the preparation of our financial statements.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”) to simplify accounting for certain financial instruments. ASU 2020-06 eliminates the current models that require separation of beneficial conversion and cash conversion features from convertible instruments and simplifies the derivative scope exception guidance pertaining to equity classification of contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new standard also introduces additional disclosures for convertible debt and freestanding instruments that are indexed to and settled in an entity’s own equity. ASU 2020-06 amends the diluted earnings per share guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments. As a smaller reporting company, ASU 2020-06 is effective January 1, 2024 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2021. The adoption of ASU 2020-06 is not expected to have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. ASU 2016-13 also requires additional disclosures regarding significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses, as well as the credit quality and underwriting standards of an entity’s portfolio. The Company adopted ASU 2020-06 on January 1, 2023. Adoption of the ASU 2016-13 did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on our unaudited condensed financial statements.
JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We elected to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Additionally, we are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on the other reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, if, as an “emerging growth company,” we choose to rely on such exemptions we may not be required to, among other things: (1) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (2) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; (3) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis); and (4) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our IPO or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.
Item 3. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk |
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.
Item 4. | Controls and Procedures |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15€ and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that during the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective because of a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. As a result of this review, our management has concluded that we did not have adequate controls in place to prevent or detect material misstatements related to our accounting for complex financial instruments. As a result, on an initial review, we did not identify certain transaction costs and over-allotment options forfeited in connection with our initial public offering, and, as a result, we booked adjusting entries to correct over-allotment liability, additional paid in capital and deal expense as of March 31, 2022.
Our management performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. Accordingly, management believes that the condensed financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q present fairly, in all material respects, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented, and we are in the process of remediating the material weakness identified above. Management understands that the accounting standards applicable to our condensed financial statements are complex and has since the inception of the Company benefited from the support of experienced third-party professionals with whom management has regularly consulted with respect to accounting issues. Management intends to continue to further consult with such professionals in connection with accounting matters.
The Company, with the oversight of its Audit Committee, has actively undertaken remediation efforts to address the material weakness identified above and has developed measures and controls to prevent a re-occurrence of such a deficiency in the future.
The Company is committed to maintaining an effective internal control environment, and given the progress made in this area, management expects that after sufficient time elapses, the newly implemented controls will be operating effectively and that the material weakness will be adequately remediated.
Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Except as noted above, there was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023 covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
None.
Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are any of the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 18, 2023. Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business or results of operations. As of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 18, 2023, except we may disclose changes to such factors or disclose additional factors from time to time in our future filings with the SEC.
Item 2. | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds. |
On March 4, 2021, Heartland Sponsor LLC, our sponsor, purchased 7,187,500 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.003 per share. On October 27, 2021, our sponsor surrendered 1,437,500 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in 5,750,000 founder shares outstanding. On January 14, 2022, our sponsor surrendered 718,750 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in 5,031,250 founder shares outstanding. On February 4, 2022, our sponsor surrendered 219,518 founder shares for no consideration, as a result of the underwriters’ partial exercise of their over-allotment option in our initial public offering, resulting in 4,811,732 founder shares outstanding. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 20% of our outstanding common stock upon completion of our initial public offering. Such securities were issued in connection with our organization pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Our sponsor is an accredited investor for purposes of Rule 501 of Regulation D.
The founder shares will automatically convert into shares of our Class A common stock at the time of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment as set forth in our final prospectus, filed with the SEC on January 24, 2022.
On January 25, 2022, we consummated our initial public offering of 17,500,000 Units. Each Unit consists of one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one Warrant, with each whole Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock for $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $175,000,000. BofA Securities, Inc. and Moelis & Company LLC were joint book-running managers of our initial public offering. The securities sold in the offering were registered under the Securities Act on a registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (Registration No. 333-261374). The registration statement became effective on January 20, 2022.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, the Company completed the private sale of an aggregate of 9,875,000 Private Placement Warrants to Heartland Sponsor LLC at a purchase price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $9,875,000.
The Private Placement Warrants are identical to the Warrants sold in the initial public offering, except that the Private Placement Warrants, so long as they are held by the purchasers thereof or their permitted transferees, (i) are not redeemable by the Company, (ii) may not (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of such Private Placement Warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by such holders until 30 days after the completion of the Company’s initial business combination, (iii) may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis and (iv) are entitled to registration rights. No underwriting discounts or commissions were paid with respect to such sale. The issuance of the Private Placement Warrants was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.
A total of $179,375,000, comprised of $171,500,000 of the proceeds from the initial public offering (which amount includes $6,125,000 of the underwriters’ deferred discount) and $7,875,000 of the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, was placed in a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee.
On February 3, 2022, the underwriters of our initial public offering partially exercised their over-allotment option and on February 7, 2022, purchased an additional 1,746,931 Units, generating gross proceeds of $17,469,310. In connection with the partial exercise of the over-allotment option, our sponsor purchased an additional 786,119 Private Placement Warrants, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $786,119. In connection with the closing and sale of the 1,746,931 additional Units and 786,119 additional Private Placement Warrants, a total of approximately $17,906,043, comprised of approximately $17,119,924 of the proceeds from the closing and sale of the 1,746,931 additional Units (which amount includes approximately $611,426 of the underwriters’ deferred discount) and approximately $786,119 of the proceeds from the sale of the additional 786,119 Private Placement Warrants, was placed into the trust account.
We paid a total of $3,849,386 in underwriting discounts and commissions and $891,506 for other costs and expenses related to the initial public offering. In addition, the underwriters agreed to defer $6,736,426 in underwriting discounts and commissions.
There has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds from our initial public offering as described in our final prospectus filed with the SEC on January 24, 2022.
For a description of the net proceeds and the use of the proceeds generated in the initial public offering, see Part I, Item 2 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is incorporated in this Part II, Item 2 by reference.
Item 3. | Defaults upon Senior Securities |
None.
Item 4. | Mine Safety Disclosures. |
Not applicable.
Item 5. | Other Information. |
None.
The following exhibits are filed or furnished as a part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Exhibit | | |
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Number | | Description |
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| | Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a), as adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and 15(d)-14(a), as adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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| | Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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101.INS* | | Inline XBRL Instance Document – the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. |
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101.SCH* | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document. |
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101.CAL* | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document. |
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101.DEF* | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document. |
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101.LAB* | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document. |
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101.PRE* | | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document. |
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104* | | Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document, which is contained in Exhibit 101). |
* Filed herewith.
** Furnished herewith.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: May 15, 2023 | HEARTLAND MEDIA ACQUISITION CORP. |
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| By: | /s/ Robert S. Prather, Jr. |
| Name: | Robert S. Prather, Jr. |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
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