MICHAEL SHERMAN

SHERMAN--Michael Holt, passed away in his sleep on February 13, 2025 at his home in Greenwich, CT. He is survived by his three children, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. Born on May 19, 1935 in Springfield, IL to Charles Lawrence Sherman "Ted" and Velma Holt Sherman "Didi," he had an older sister, Madeline "Mimi" and older brother, Lawrence "Skipper." The family moved to New York when he was four years old and settled in Garden City, Long Island. Recalling his childhood during the war years, Michael remembered his father as the neighborhood Air Raid Marshall, having blackout shades and sneaking onto Mitchell Field down the road, which was the largest jumping off point for the European theater during World War II. His teen years were prototypical Sherman: he told the story of being pulled over with a few friends by the police the first night he got his driver's license. The officer calmly looked over the motley crew, then at the license and said, "Getting started a little early? Aren't we Mr. Sherman?" He told many stories of his childhood in Garden City: going to the movies, listening to the Shadow and Flash Gordon on radio, his dad getting the first TV in the neighborhood, and other stories of adventure (or mis-adventure) with his friends. After attending the Choate School in Wallingford, CT, Dad stayed in Connecticut and attended Yale University for his Undergraduate Degree and then Columbia University for Graduate School. He moved to Greenwich, CT in 1955 and married Julie Avery and had two children, Alexandra and Lawrence. Julie and Mike went their separate ways at the beginning of the 1970s and in 1975 he married Ann Hardin from St. Louis. Soon they had his third child, Todd. He lived with Ann in Greenwich and Naples, FL until her passing in 2006. Mike had a long and distinguished career in finance during which he held senior positions at Bankers Trust, Oppenheimer, Lehman Brothers, Shearson Lehman Brothers, Shearson Lehman Kuhn Loeb, Shearson Lehman American Express and Omega Advisors. Speaking of his career, a long time friend Bill Kish wrote, "Michael's professional dedication was unchallenged. He sought the truth in his life and wrote Strategy Weekly with Lehman Brothers. Truth was paramount for him. He challenged management and his colleagues when he felt it was being compromised. In this, he stood apart from other Research Directors and Company Analysts. Company or National politics were not part of his Investment Thesis. For decades, readers, colleagues, and partners were his students and depended on his work. As a Lehman Brothers Investment Strategist, he founded the first quantitative financial tools called "The Return Book." A hard copy was published monthly and became so valuable an asset for portfolio managers that Lehman allowed Michael to create "The Traditional Equity Portfolio", which outperformed the S&P 500 benchmark for a decade. In the late 1980s, Dad took a bit of time off. He and Ann built a new home, and he played golf assiduously, enjoying every round. However, after about 18 months, he decided he had more to do, and so he started his own company, Capital Investments International. CII had a good run, but in mutual agreement with his partners, but bought them out and ran CII by himself. He then founded a new company, Sierra Global Asset Management, focusing on European Equities, with longtime friend Charlie Michaels. Dad had deep and long-lasting friendships - he cared deeply for his friends, and they for him. His passions included golf, sailing with his family and friends in the BVI and Caribbean, watching the markets, old movies and sports. Dad loved good company, good food, a good cigar and a double Absolute on the rocks. Perhaps two. Known to his family and friends as The Big Kahuna, Michael will be dearly missed. Rest in Peace Dad. We love and Miss you.