EXECUTIVES

Payam Pedram is a founding member of Ascendant.  He is registered with the CFTC as an associated person; and he is an NFA Associate.  Mr. Pedram is also registered with the California Department of Corporations as an Investment Adviser Representative.  Prior to founding Ascendant, Mr. Pedram was the president from August 2001 through June 2005 of PPedram.com, a computer services consulting firm that he founded.  Prior to founding PPedram.com, Mr. Pedram was a Network Administrator for IMI Industrial Management Institute from January 1998 through August 2001.  He is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer and a Cisco Certified Network Associate.

Steven P. Paolillo joined Ascendantas a principal in November 2005.  He is registered with the CFTC as an associated person; and he is an NFA Associate. Mr. Paolillo is also registered with the California Department of Corporations as an Investment Adviser Representative.  Prior to joining Ascendant, Mr. Paolillo was a General Securities Representative and the Chief Compliance Officer of NewPoint Securities, LLC from January 2004 through November 2005.  Before joining NewPoint Securities, Mr. Paolillo was a Financial Advisor at H&R Block Financial Advisors from February 2003 through December 2003 and a Registered Representative at JB Oxford & Company from July 1997 through January 2003.  Mr. Paolillo has held the following National Association of Securities Dealers’ registrations: General Securities Principal, Registered Options Principal and Municipal Securities Principal.

Jacques L. DeVore joined Ascendantas a principal in December 2006.   He is registered with the CFTC as an associated person; and he is an NFA Associate.  Prior to joining Ascendant, Mr.  DeVore was a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc, where he worked with entrepreneurs and corporations identifying and structuring strategies to create and manage assets.  For 11 years prior to joining Deutsche Bank Securities Inc, Mr.  DeVore had been Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of J.L.  DeVore & Associates, Inc., a registered investment adviser.  J.L.  DeVore & Associates, Inc.  was a California based investment management firm that specialized in the management of domestic and international equity, balanced and fixed income portfolios, as well as private equity investments. Mr.  DeVore was directly responsible for all research and portfolio management.  Mr.  DeVore also consulted on all aspects of trading, listing, and institutional coverage of small and emerging companies.