MMI And Wheelhouse Launch eLearning Initiative
The Money Management Institute and Wheelhouse Analytics, which offers investment management technology, have launched a new online learning platform for employees of financial services firms.  

The new eLearning Initiative platform includes seven sections designed to provide a well-rounded, fast-paced overview of managed solutions. They include an introduction to the investment advisory industry, the evolution and growth of managed products, investing basics, the sales process and client interview, baby boomer investing, the technology supporting managed solutions and a close-up look at unified managed accounts.

The online platform allows students to cover the material—case studies, interactive quizzes, glossaries of key terms and optional tests—at their own pace. It also provides administrative tools that allow management personnel to monitor and track employee progress.

Among the eLearning Initiative’s first students will be the interns from the “Gateway to Leadership” program, a partnership between MMI and the United Negro College Fund that places students from historically black colleges in summer internships with MMI member firms.

“We believe that this program will be a valuable resource both for those employees already in our industry and, potentially, down the road, for others like the Gateway students, who are looking to embark on a career in financial services,” says Christopher Davis, president of MMI.

Orion’s Client Portal Offers Complete Picture
Omaha, Neb.-based Orion Advisor Services has redesigned its client portal. One significant new feature allows clients to add data on accounts not managed by their advisors to the portal. This gives advisors a deeper view of their clients’ total wealth and gives clients the ability to see a complete snapshot of all their assets.

“Giving clients the capability to add their own accounts and use the portal as a true, singular location to measure their entire net worth adds a level of value we don’t see being offered elsewhere,” says Eric Clarke, president and founder of Orion.

MaxMyInterest.com Launches
Max is a new online tool designed to help investors maximize the interest they earn on their bank deposits by taking advantage of higher interest rates offered by online banks.

Max members maintain their primary banking relationships, and the new technology transfers excess cash to members’ online savings accounts. Cash is automatically delivered back to checking accounts as needed.

“Many depositors are sitting on a lot of cash and are frustrated by the persistent near-zero interest rates,” says Gary Zimmerman, chief executive of Six Trees Capital, the company behind Max. “We’ve developed a service that helps our members earn more on their cash, automatically.”

The Architect 401(k) Enhances Web Site
The Architect 401(k) is a retirement plan solution provider for employers who want to outsource their fiduciary and administrative responsibilities when offering such plans.

Its new Web site provides mobile-friendly tools that allow employers, advisors and participants to access account information. They can get a quote or a sample proposal or download a marketing brochure.

According to Steve Finnegan, managing partner of the West Des Moines, Iowa, firm, “The Architect’s new Web site assists with the day-to-day operations of plan management as it relates to enrollments, notifications, administration and documentation.”

Tortoise Capital Introduces New Fund
Leawood, Kan.-based Tortoise Capital Advisors has launched its Select Opportunity Fund, which allows investors to invest in North American energy companies.

The North American energy chain is an ever-changing network of commerce that is continuously creating different opportunities, says Brett Jergens, a Tortoise investment analyst. Opportunities exist from the upstream producers of oil and natural gas, to those who transport the resources by pipeline or rail, to the downstream users and beneficiaries who process and use the resources, according to Jergens.

The new fund is structured as a traditional mutual fund and provides daily liquidity at NAV.

Hearsay Social Enhances Compliance Technology
Hearsay Social has launched a new dashboard that guides advisors on how to communicate with clients on social networks including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ and stay in compliance with federal regulations.

In addition, the San Francisco-based compliance technology provider has doubled the information it collects from social networks, reorganized the user interface and improved incorporation with archiving tools to enable more efficient compliance capabilities.