(a) General Development of the Business.

The JPM Company (the "Company") was organized September 30, 1968 as a recapitalization of a company originally founded in 1949 by Jay P. Mathias, father of the current Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, John H. Mathias and the current Vice Chairman, James P. Mathias. The Company is an independent manufacturer of cable assemblies and wire harnesses for original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") and contract manufacturers ("CMs") in the telecommunications, networking, computer and business automation sectors of the global electronics industry.

The Company is...