Biography

Mr. Bitting has served as a Director since February 2013. Since July 2007, Mr. Bitting has maintained a private consulting practice focused on REITs. Mr. Bitting was a Founding Partner and Head of Corporate Finance at Flagstone Securities, a leading investment bank that specialized in mortgage REITs and finance companies, from 2000 to February 2007. Flagstone managed more than 40 equity offerings raising more than $5 billion of equity capital. Flagstone helped clients build investment and liability management practices. Prior to Flagstone, Mr. Bitting held senior equity research positions at Stifel, Nicholas & Co. Inc. and Kidder, Peabody & Co., Inc. None of the institutions mentioned in this paragraph is our parent, subsidiary, or affiliate. As a result of these professional and other experiences, Mr. Bitting has significant capital markets experience and experience analyzing and advising REITs that strengthens the Board of Director’s collective knowledge, capabilities and experience.