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As we announced today – I’ve joined the board of the non-profit group Investorside. This is a trade association with a mission to “increase investor and pensioner trust in the U.S. capital markets system through the promotion and use of investment research that is financially aligned with investor interests”.

The need for a group like Investorside grew out of the mistrust investors felt for research after the research/banking conflicts became visible in 2001. Sellside researchers were promoting stocks long after they knew they were a bad investment, in order to keep the investment banking fees, and so their own fees going.

Today the group’s members are investment research firms “providing research that works purely for investors”.

FirstRain is used by investors and by corporations today – both when the goal is to do institutional grade research from the web. When I was approached to get involved in Investorside, and to serve on the board, I thought it was a very good fit. It’s an opportunity for me to help the research community using my experience in web 2.0 and growing markets, and it’s an opportunity for me (and FirstRain) to continue to grow in our understanding of the research needs of the investment community.

Here’s the expanded mission:
The Investorside Research Association serves its members through three primary functions:
Certifying Research Providers — Investorside certifies that its members are free of investment banking, consulting, and research-for-hire conflicts and provides certified member firms with the trademarked Investorside Seal.

Promoting the Growth of Independent Research — Through Investorside.org, annual conferences and regular media communication, Investorside markets its member firms to individual and institutional investors.

Promoting Government Policy that Encourages the Use of Independent Research — Investorside represents its members’ interests before regulators, law-makers and members-of-industry, promoting the use of investment research that is aligned with investor interests.

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