BlackRock municipal bond portfolio manager Walter O'Connor will retire from the firm in March.
O'Connor's tenure with BlackRock has spanned decades and many changes in the muni industry.
The firm announced O'Connor's retirement in a
According to Pat Haskell, head of the municipal bond group at BlackRock, O'Connor stated his intention to retire earlier this year, and the two have worked together since to ensure a smooth transition.
"This exemplifies what Walter has always embodied: the firm, team and clients come first," Haskell said in a statement. "His accomplishments and contributions have been significant and much of our team's success can be attributed to his work."
O'Connor is the co-head of BlackRock's municipal funds team within its municipal fixed income business. O'Connor is one of five portfolio managers for BlackRock's iShares High Yield Muni ETF. He has been in this position since 2006, according to the filing. He is also a member of the municipal management committee, which oversees all municipal bond portfolios at BlackRock.
O'Connor is responsible for 33 registered investment companies, worth a total of $29.95 billion, according to the filing.
O'Connor has served in his position since 1991, when he was a portfolio manager for municipal bond retail mutual funds
Before 1991, O'Connor handled trading, underwriting and arbitrage for municipal securities and financial futures at Prudential Securities.
BlackRock's
