ARTHUR ZEIKEL

1932 - 2021

ZEIKEL--Arthur. The former officers and staff of Merrill Lynch Asset Management are saddened to announce the passing of Arthur Zeikel, our leader, mentor, and friend. A man of enormous intellect and boundless wit, Arthur was a keen observer of the economic and political worlds. He would enjoy discussing these, and almost any other topic, with his colleagues and friends. Long before regulators spoke about "tone at the top", Arthur demonstrated the highest integrity and ethical practices, establishing his personal standard as the MLAM culture. Arthur was President of MLAM from 1976 to 1998. For much of this period, the firm was the largest, or among the largest, investment management firms in the U.S. A professional investor, Arthur had been the portfolio manager of the Dreyfus Fund when it was the largest mutual fund in the world. He created an environment where other professional investors wanted to work. Under his leadership and with the introduction of new distribution pricing structures, MLAM enjoyed tremendous growth, introducing mutual fund investing to an increasing number of American families. Arthur always put the interests of the client first, reminding us that we were the stewards for other people's money, acting in a fiduciary capacity. Many students in his NYU classes enjoyed learning the principles of asset management. Nationwide, students used the textbooks he co-authored to learn the basics of portfolio management. We are all grateful and in a better place having been privileged to experience his leadership. We extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to his wife Terrie, daughters Jill and Judy and their families, and to the children of his son Jeff who predeceased him.