Sunday, June 14, 2026
I met Brian in October 1979 when my company, an international Money broker, sent me to NY.
Brian was responsible for the US $ trading book of Chase Manhattan Bank in NY and was already a " name in the market". This reflected the size of the business he handled, but included the professionalism he exhibited when handling this business. He was fair but demanding. This was the era when "your word was your bond" and the rule was that if you quoted a firm price you delivered on it. Global trading being done over hand held phones at fast rates led to some trades being missed as 2 parties hit the same bid simultaneously. Brian understood this and would assess the situation and decide if you would be put in the penalty box, a little like ice hockey except the timing could be measured in hours instead of minutes.
Brian was a man of his word both in or out of the market and had the respect of all in the market and life. He was reluctant to give a putt in golf if you were not playing match play, as in stroke play everyone is to hole out, those are the rules.
He was considered a gentleman of the market who loved his family, his job and his colleagues and counterparts who became friends.
He loved a pint, but it was the social side of the local pub be it on Wall St or Main Street where he loved meeting the people in that local establishment. On a business lunch when being entertained, he would offer to buy the last drink, a coffee, normally Irish, and would only back down if the host insisted for a third time. The host at business lunches and dinners could normally expense these with their companies and ultimately the IRS. Brian was very popular in the market and consequently one of the best entertained and I always felt that if there was a league table kept by the IRS, Brian would be close to the top of the Premier League.
One of the local bars near Chase Manhattan's offices was Jim Brady's on Maiden Lane in NY, close to the Federal Reserve Bank building. Brian had the honor of his photograph being taken and placed behind the bar because of his support of that local market bar and often used the restaurant for luncheon entertainment as it was close to his office if important news broke. That picture was still behind the bar on Jim Brady's last day of business March 16th 2020 when they were closed down because of COVID. That was 2 decades after Brian had retired from the market. One year after the tragedy of 9/11. I went to Jim Brady's and who did I meet Brian and Elizabeth Smith with a couple visiting from England. Their friend was a retired detective and they wanted to come to NY on this first anniversary of that tragic event. I believe there was a feeling that many of the friends from the market lost that fateful day had probably shared a pint at Jim Brady's. It led to a day that could never be repeated when scores of policemen/women and firemen/women from both NY and the UK poured into Jim Brady's mixing with the customers from the market. It was organized by the business people in suits and dresses that no one in uniform would have a tab that day.
Brian and Elizabeth were a catalyst to that day starting as their retired detective friend saw three Bobby's helmets from the UK pass by the window and dragged them into Jim Brady's.
Brian was a gentleman, a friend and one on a million.
May your God go with you.
