In memoriam: Muzzi Mirza

Odyssey Investment Partners co-founder Muzzafar “Muzzi” Mirza passed away March 9 at the age of 49, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. A memorial service is being planned for March 29 at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich, Conn.

Muzzi began his private equity career in the early 1980s as a member of Marine Midland Bank’s first leveraged buyout finance group. He later ran the merchant banking group at GE Capital Corp., before leaving in 1993 to join the private equity group of Odyssey Partners as a principal. Odyssey Partners was the predecessor firm to Odyssey Investment Partners, a New York-based middle-market firm with $1.5 billion in capital under management.

At the time of his death, Mirza served on the boards of Odyssey portfolio companies Dresser Inc., Neff Corp. and Norcross Safety Products.

Mirza was a native of Pakistan and graduated from Claremont McKenna College before receiving his MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management. He is survived by his wife Susan; his three children, Alexander, Christina and Sean; his mother Anis; and his brother Mustafa.

“Muzzi was our cherished friend and partner and we already miss him terribly,” says Odyssey Chairman Stephen Berger. “But mostly our thoughts are with Susan and the children at this unbearable time. Muzzi leaves a great legacy from which we all benefit.”

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to:

Pancreas Center at New York Presbyterian Hospitalc/o Dr. John Chabot161 Fort Washington Ave.