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The Liberty Group
The Liberty Group is a Houston-based multi-family office founded by John H. Chiles.
The Liberty Group
The Liberty Group was established in 2015 by John H. Chiles, whose family wealth came from Chiles Offshore and other energy-related businesses. Chiles serves as CEO; Todd J. Sandoz is the Chief Investment Officer. The firm was formed to centralize the investment and wealth advisory needs of the Chiles family and a select group of likeminded families, aggregating their capital to access institutional-quality deals. The firm invests across three primary asset classes: real estate (both direct property and development), private credit (direct lending and structured credit), and private equity (control and minority positions). It also maintains a separate energy portfolio, reflecting the family's heritage. The Liberty Group targets most of its capital at direct investments and co-investments alongside a narrow set of GP partners; public holdings include positions in energy infrastructure and commercial real estate in Texas, with additional exposure to mid-market companies across the US. The Liberty Group is based in Houston and serves a limited number of families, each of which contributes capital to a shared investment vehicle. The team size is not public but is estimated at fewer than 30 professionals. The firm does not manage any registered investment funds or commingled vehicles. In 2023, The Liberty Group was noted in public filings to have committed capital to a structured credit fund (per SEC filings, 2023). The firm also operates a philanthropic arm, the Chiles Foundation, which is separate from the family office's investment activities. The Liberty Group's structural differentiator is its closed-member model: it does not solicit new families publicly, and its investment decisions are made by a small investment committee chaired by Chiles and Sandoz. This allows the firm to move quickly on proprietary real estate and private credit deals without the constraints of fundraising cycles. The firm's governance is built for a small, tightly controlled group, resembling a club deal structure more than a typical multi-family office.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
2015
AUM
Over $1 billion (per public filings, 2023)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Houston
Corporate office
Houston, TX, United States
Principals
John H. Chiles
Founder and CEO
Todd J. Sandoz
Chief Investment Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at The Liberty Group?
John H. Chiles serves as Founder and CEO, and Todd J. Sandoz is the Chief Investment Officer. The investment committee, which includes Chiles and Sandoz, makes all direct-investment decisions. The firm does not have external investment advisors or a formal board, per public record.
How does The Liberty Group source proprietary deal flow?
The firm sources deals through a network of co-investors and GP partners, not through a public fundraising process. Its smaller scale and direct-investment focus mean that it relies heavily on long-standing relationships in energy, real estate, and private credit. The Houston base also provides proximity to the energy and infrastructure sectors, per the firm's public filings.
Is The Liberty Group structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
The Liberty Group is structured as a multi-family office, serving a small group of families on a shared investment platform. It does not manage any publicly offered funds or commingled vehicles. The model is closer to a club deal, where each family's capital is aggregated for direct investments, rather than a venture firm with external LPs.
Does The Liberty Group participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The Liberty Group primarily makes direct investments and co-investments, though it has been known to commit capital to a narrow set of GP-managed funds, such as the structured credit fund mentioned in 2023 SEC filings. The firm's bias is toward control and influence in its investments, which is more characteristic of direct deal participation.
What investment stages does The Liberty Group typically target?
The Liberty Group focuses on later-stage private equity, real estate development and acquisitions, and private credit, with a target of established businesses rather than venture-stage companies. Its real estate investments span development to stabilized acquisitions; its private credit generally targets middle-market companies. The firm avoids early-stage tech and biotech, per public record.
Which sectors does The Liberty Group explicitly avoid?
Based on public filings and the firm's disclosed portfolio, The Liberty Group does not invest in early-stage technology, biotech, or cryptocurrencies. It concentrates on tangible assets such as real estate, energy infrastructure, and middle-market private equity. The firm has not publicly stated a policy, but its disclosed holdings show no exposure to those sectors.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The Chiles family wealth originated from the oil and gas industry, specifically through Chiles Offshore, a drilling company founded by John H. Chiles' father. This energy heritage influenced the firm's early focus on the sector and continues to be a portion of its portfolio, per public record.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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