Houston's Chilton Capital Embraces Social Media to Stay Ahead, Share Expertise Amid SEC Moves

HOUSTON, July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Houston-based Chilton Capital Management, which manages $1.1 billion, today announced that it has adopted Finect, the compliant social media platform, to operate in today's connected world.

"It's a new world, and that demands new tools to help us reach and connect with investors and remain thought leaders," says Sam Rines, Chilton's economist. 

"It's either get with the program – or get left behind," he continued. "Finect allows us to do both. I've found it easier than LinkedIn or Facebook, with more content customization, so I can reach the right investors within the context of our brand."

New studies show investors increasingly turning to social media: 45 percent of mass affluent investors consider Facebook a source for investment and financial needs, while 42 percent would go first to LinkedIn, according to Spectrem Group.

Chilton's Rines has taken social a step further. In addition to distributing content to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter in a unified and compliant fashion, he has created groups to engage investors. One group enables investors to engage with Chilton in its own "room," where content, research, and videos can be shared. A private group enables internal employees to exchange and share best practices in a closed environment.

"Going social today doesn't just mean blindly pushing out content to build your brand," says Rines. "It's really about leveraging your brand or expertise and then creating an in-depth conversation around that."

"But it's critical that wealth managers and the industry as a whole have the standards and controls required to be compliant in today's social world and meet SEC & FINRA requirements," says Finect President Jennifer Openshaw.

Chilton Capital Management is an employee-owned independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), providing investment advisory and trust services to private clients, family offices, endowments, and trusts.

Finect, piloted in Europe, has been used by Fidelity Spain, BBVA and the European Financial Planning Association.  Created with top industry leaders including the former head of compliance at Fidelity International, Finect offers free membership featuring one-stop social, basic groups and personal compliance. A special 6-month premium access is available for those who join by September 30, 2013.

SOURCE Finect