The legend of bond journalist Joe Mysak

By Ted Merz

When Joe Mysak was fired as the editor of the The Bond Buyer in 1994, the staff stood on their desks and applauded as he left the building.

He appreciated the homage to the scene in “Dead Poets Society,” a film which had come out a few years earlier. It seemed a fitting tribute given all the people he had mentored.

The Bond Buyer management didn’t appreciate what they had. No reason for the sacking was given. Joe later said: “Everyone knew a grave injustice had been committed.”

Even at the time, Joe was considered among the most knowledgeable and influential voices on municipal finance.

He literally wrote the book on the topic, twice. There was “Handbook for Muni-Bond Issuers” and “Encyclopedia of Municipal Bonds: A Reference Guide to Market Events, Structures, Dynamics, and Investment Knowledge.”

After leaving, Joe spent five years working with Jim Grant and then in 1999, Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief Matt Winkler hired him to write a column. Later, I tapped him to launch a Bloomberg newsletter about munis.

Joe recently announced his plans to retire at the end of June.

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