Thanks for inviting me to be a part of this forum, and good afternoon to you all. During my career, I've had the chance to see the world from both sides of the table. And I've seen the tremendous synergies that can result when it is done right. But I'm also a realist. And I know that whenever you combine two companies, it's an incredibly complex undertaking.
Every situation is unique.
And each one requires its own special combination of discipline, planning and hard work. So today's conference is perfectly timed, coming as it does during this lull in the merger environment. There are, obviously, many ways to answer those questions. You could start with complementary products and skill sets, move on to robust economies of scale, and finish up with increased scope and enhanced marketshare. And all of those things are certainly important.