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Do You "Like" Your Financial Services Firm? Ziegler Provides Solution to Meet Regulatory Requirements and Still Engag

^{Published on 2010-07-06 15:10:27 - Market Wire}
 

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - July 6, 2010) - While many financial services firms are grappling with how to handle the regulation of social media, one Chicago-based firm is among the leaders. Ziegler (PINKSHEETS: [ ZGCO ]) took advantage of National Social Media day on June 30, to announce the launch of their social media initiative.

"We are excited to have this opportunity to engage with our clients," commented Anita Heisl, vice president of marketing at Ziegler. "We know our clients are already on these platforms, and anytime we have the opportunity to engage, we will be able to provide better service, and more timely information."

Putting a system in place to make sure the firm is abiding by the stringent guidelines provided by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) wasn't an easy task. According to Elizabeth Watkins, senior managing director and head of compliance for Ziegler, "We took our time. It was important to make sure we fully understood the guidance that FINRA set forth, and we engaged our IT department to help us find an effective tool to meet the oversight requirements." However, according to Wayne Gilpin, Senior Managing Director of Ziegler Wealth Management, "It was crucial to put a solution in place. As we interview new advisors, they invariably ask about our social media policy. Advisors don't see social media as 'nice to have,' it's a critical part of how they communicate with their networks. The fastest growing segment of Facebook© is adults over 35, with a quarter of Facebook users now over 50. We knew we needed to find a way to bring Ziegler to these platforms."

Ziegler anticipates adding additional pages and channels for their various investment banking audiences in the future. As guidance becomes clearer, and additional oversight tools begin to emerge you can expect to see more financial firms embracing social media. For now, a few -- like Ziegler -- remain on the forefront.

About Ziegler:
[ The Ziegler Companies, Inc ]. (PINKSHEETS: [ ZGCO ]) is a multi-faceted specialty investment services firm providing opportunities in investment banking, asset and wealth management, as well as alternative investments. Sectors include, healthcare, senior living, religious organizations, and schools.

Nationally, [ Ziegler's Capital Markets ] is ranked as one of the leading investment banking firms for non-profit healthcare and senior living providers, as well as religious institutions and schools.

[ Ziegler Wealth Management ] (retail brokerage) encompasses investment and consulting services for individuals, families, business owners and institutions nationwide.

Ziegler's alternative investing activities include raising and deploying capital through private investment funds with investment objectives related to the real estate, services and technology sectors of the healthcare and senior living industries.

[ Ziegler Capital Management, LLC ], an affiliate of The Ziegler Companies, Inc., provides separate account management for individuals, corporations, foundations and endowments. Total assets under management are approximately $2.82 billion as of March 31, 2010.

Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees.