Obituary: Thomas J. Murray

Thomas J. Murray, a municipal market veteran who spent his entire career at Merrill Lynch & Co. and was recently the director of retail sales at its New York City headquarters, died on Dec. 15 at his home in Chatham, N.J., of an apparent heart attack, according to a spokesperson at the firm. The 53-year-old began his career at Merrill 31 years ago in the municipal underwriting department, and later became the head of the tax-exempt money market area. He subsequently spent time in the institutional municipal sales group before being promoted to director of product marketing for the retail municipal department four years ago.In that role, Mr. Murray was responsible for the distribution of municipal bonds to the firm’s retail system, overseeing 20 marketing specialists in five different regions, according to John Lawlor, managing director and head of municipal markets, who worked with Mr. Murray at Merrill for the past 25 years.He was also instrumental in building up the firm’s proprietary technology for its private client franchise, Lawlor said.Mr. Murray was “a true municipal professional” that was admired by his colleagues and was a mentor to those who “grew up” in the business working with him, Lawlor said yesterday. “He had balance and never let working at Merrill Lynch or Wall Street affect who he was as a person.”“He was a consummate professional who cared deeply about the firm and his colleagues, and who conducted himself with great personal integrity, devotion to team work, and good humor,” Lawlor also wrote to staff earlier this week in an internal memo.Mr. Murray earned a bachelor’s of science degree from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., in 1976, and went to work at Merrill shortly afterward.Professionally, he was a member of the Municipal Bond Club of New York.Beyond Wall Street, Mr. Murray was an active member of his community, and served as a coach for the Chatham Board of Recreation, and the Corpus Christi Church and Small Fry Youth Basketball program in Chatham.Mr. Murray was born in Holyoke, Mass., and lived in Chatham for the past 23 years with his wife Kathy. Besides his wife, he is also survived by their three sons, Tommy, Chris, and Kevin, as well as his mother, Marie, one brother, one sister, and several nieces and nephews.Contributions in his memory are being accepted by the Chatham Emergency Squad, 45 Spring St., Chatham, N.J., 07928, or by Covenant House, Times Square Station, N.Y., N.Y, 10108.