A Tribute to Bennet Sedacca
The Sedacca family is deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support from the Minyanville community, and has asked that donations made in Bennet’s honor go to the Ruby Peck Foundation for Children’s Education.
It is a profoundly sad day in Minyanville as we mourn a tragic loss.
Today we said goodbye to a member of our family, one of our best and brightest, a good friend, a loving husband, a caring father and one heck of a talented professor.
I spoke with Bennet Sedacca last night, as we did most every day. The topics ranged from the state of the credit markets and the implications for equities to the upcoming NCAA basketball tournament and our plans to vacation at his new home at Haig Point.
At the end of the conversation, he said to me, “I can count my brothers on one hand and you’re one of them. You have no idea how much I love Minyanville -- how much I love our community -- it’s part of my family, it’s one of the things I’m most proud of.”
I told him the feelings were mutual - that he helped more people than he could possibly imagine, that his proverbial pebble rippled far and wide, that he affected positive change through the selfless sharing of his financial acumen.
I am blessed to have had that conversation, for it would be our last.
This morning I awoke to an email from his partner and close friend, Rob Roy: “Bennet slipped on the stairs last night and suffered a brain injury that he will not survive. We are waiting for family to arrive before his life support is removed.”
I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. My mother slipped on stairs the day before and broke her ankle. Surely I was dreaming, commingling 2 emails into one, confusing one situation with another. I read it again. The message was the same. I called Rob, who confirmed my worst fears.
For those who read Bennet, the takeaway was simple: He was wicked smart, a master of the credit markets and extremely proud of his name and word. He was early in seeing the financial mess, as evidenced by his front-and-center presence in House of Cards, the recently released book that will serve as a tribute to his acumen.
Those who knew Bennet will remember an acerbic wit wrapped around a heart of gold. He was a tough cookie who demanded the best of himself and those around him, and was never shy about expressing his opinion. We used to joke that we were both massively misunderstood, which is likely why we understood each other so well.
We often say that it should never take something bad to make us realize we’ve got it good. We honor that process when we “Do Something Joel” (a random act of kindness), reference it when reflecting on September 11th and pay tribute through The Ruby Peck Foundation.
I discussed this a lot with “Blue Steel,” and he got it - more than most. He was the first to cut a check for our philanthropic efforts and was a persistent presence at our events, always drawing a crowd.
The ‘Ville is a community, and we genuinely care for one another and take pride in watching each other’s back. When one of us hurts, we attempt to ease the pain. If one of us is in need, we try to shoulder the load. When the going gets tough, our human capital are the ties that bind.
We like to say Minyanville is comprised of people who are very good at what they do and better at who they are. Bennet never stopped working at either.
If the greatest wisdom is bred as a function of pain, we now have another reason for remembrance, another poignant perspective, another opportunity to live our lives and take nothing for granted. My grandfather once told me that time is the most precious commodity and that has again -- and unfortunately -- proved true.
Bennet was one of a kind and there aren’t words that will ease the pain of his family and friends. I will simply say to his wife Nancy, his son Michael and his daughter Katie that, for as long as there is a Minyanville, you will never, ever be alone.
Rest in peace, my friend. I love you, and you will most certainly be missed.
Todd Harrison is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Minyanville. Prior to his current role, Mr. Harrison was President and head trader at a $400 million dollar New York-based hedge fund. Todd welcomes your comments and/or feedback at todd@minyanville.com.
The information on this website solely reflects the analysis of or opinion about the performance of securities and financial markets by the writers whose articles appear on the site. The views expressed by the writers are not necessarily the views of Minyanville Media, Inc. or members of its management. Nothing contained on the website is intended to constitute a recommendation or advice addressed to an individual investor or category of investors to purchase, sell or hold any security, or to take any action with respect to the prospective movement of the securities markets or to solicit the purchase or sale of any security. Any investment decisions must be made by the reader either individually or in consultation with his or her investment professional. Minyanville writers and staff may trade or hold positions in securities that are discussed in articles appearing on the website. Writers of articles are required to disclose whether they have a position in any stock or fund discussed in an article, but are not permitted to disclose the size or direction of the position. Nothing on this website is intended to solicit business of any kind for a writer's business or fund. Minyanville management and staff as well as contributing writers will not respond to emails or other communications requesting investment advice.
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my heartfelt sorrow and prayers to his family and friends....
It is from Bennet, I learnt how to read the market more closely.
As they say, the influence of a great teacher never stops. I could not think of a better teacher than Bennet.
It is very tragic, to lose a great teacher at a very young age.
May god give his family strength at this time.
Very sad.......
---Radhe
Rest in peace, Bennet. You will be missed.
Condolences and prayers to his family. May he rest in peace.
It is unfortunate that it takes something like this to remind us how fragile life is. I am going to go home, hug my family, and I am going to enjoy this day. Godspeed Bennet.
My condolences to his family.
Requiescat in pacem.
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our blessings. The gratitude I have for having shared communication with Mr Sedacca helps me appreciate and have an awareness of each day. The life and spirit he has shared will endure always and forever. Strength and grace...thank you Bennet Sedacca,
My prayers go out to his family. May you rest in peace.
What a great guy. He will truly be missed. I am thankful to have known him via Minyanville.
My thoughts and prayers to his family.
Dennis
My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
This is very sad turn of events. My best to his family during this difficult time...we will hold you in our thoughts and prayers.
Bennet is a true blessing to us all. I am sorry for our loss, but very grateful for his presence in Minyanville.
Sincere prayers for his family and friends.
My condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again, May God hold
you in the hollow of His hand.
or you can smile because he has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all he's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see him,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him only that he is gone,
or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what he'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.â€
David Harkins quotes (British Poet)
During busy trading days there's not always time to read every post as it appears, but if I saw Bennet's name on the little bug thingy near the bottom of my screen I MADE time, as I knew his words could easily require a rethink of whatever strategy I was currently using. Amazingly accurate, he was, and his style delightful.
This is the second time I've lost someone whose writing I read so consistently every day that it felt like the loss of a friend - the first was Bill Meehan, Sr. on 9-11. I'm picturing them talking bonds together right about now :)
Bennet - dang...it was so very nice "knowing" you. To your family and friends my deepest heartfelt sympathies. RIP, man, and thanks.
My thoughts goes to his family, family & colleagues.
Aside from being a phenomenal blog contributor whose keen insight guided my investment decisions and understanding of the financial universe, his personality shone through in his posts.
His untimely death at an age near mine reminds me of the uncertainties we are surrounded by and often blatantly ignore to our own peril.
Not having known Bennet Sedacca personally, I would still like to extend my condolences to his family.
I will sincerely miss his points of view and value the time I spent learning from him.
Regards
Pete Sutherland
Our prayers and condolences to Bennet's family and friends.
A true "WTF" moment.
I can not begin to express my sympathies to the family!
He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends.
I was lucky to have known him through the Minyanville commmunity, and he will truly be missed
My thoughts and prayers go to him and his family.
My thoughts and prayers goes to his family and friends
Bennet's Son,
Michael
My thoughts and prayers go to him and his family.
Like many have said, his posts were "must reading" since his insights were truly special. He was like those old E.F. Hutton commercials, when he spoke, I listened!
And now with his passing I feel a sad, strange void that makes me feel somewhat alone. I'll truly miss his advice and can only imagine how those who knew him personally are feeling right now. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family (especially his wife and children) as well as to all of his friends. God rest his soul.
I just read his work this week!
Condolences and prayers to his family.
Prof Waggoner
Bennet touched many people in his short life, and all of us have benefited significantly because of him.
It's very sad indeed to learn that he won't be with us anymore.
My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
His prescient writings seemed to be wise - far beyond his years.
A smart man, a good man.
I cannot even imagine the trauma to his family, given the circumstances.
Darshak Mehta
Sydney
I lost everything in the tech bubble, but in the past few years I have made it all back and then some, a life-changing sum, and the 'Ville and Bennet in particular were like having a kind spirit beside me on the journey. I know there was much more to this man than having a "good feel", and just as I am grateful for his company on this particular journey, I believe he was a man that I'd want to have at my side on any difficult journey. Somehow, Bennet's spirit will always be there at the cusps.
Words cannot express the sadness for this loss. Condolences of me and my family to the Sedacca family and Minyanville community.
Thank you professor bennet sedacca for sharing your wisdom.
You will be greatly missed, sir.
I never met Bennet but I communicated frequently with him in the past. As an ex fund manager, I have known fairly smart managers and also selfishly have thought of myself as a pretty good investor and trader. However, I was always impressed with Bennet's calls and analysis. He was accurate on so many topics that I can hardly recall all but I distinctly remember his call on housing top, FXI and commodities. Who can forget his big win calling the TLT top right to about 3-4 days before it collapsed? He played it with TBT long at the bottom when so many, at competing websites, had tried to unsuccessfully short TLT right from 105. Then recently his prescient call to buy the market.
I communicated with Bennet fairly frequently in 2007 and 2008. Even reviewed the prospectus of his new fund and gave my two cents worth feedback. He was always thoughtful in his analysis and his responses. After that I moved from San Diego to New York and lost touch with him during that time. Just yesterday as I bought SKF for a trade, minutes later I saw Bennet's post that he was buying SKF and I thought to myself great, I am in good company that I should e-mail him; but did not get around to it. As Todd always says we need to take the oppotunity to communicate with people we like/ admire when we can before it is too late. I regret having lost touch with him and am sorry I never got an opportunity to meet him; but I never missed reading any of his insightful columns and calls. I am saddened by this tragic loss and will miss not seeing his posts on Minyan. The 'Ville has lost a very important voice. My deepest condolences to his family.
Rest in peace Bennet, and thank you for your contributions...
Thanks you Bennet Sedacca for sharing so much wisdom on topics that are truly important and for speaking & sharing the facts so selflessly.
God speed, our prayers are with your family and may you find peace.
Bennet will not be forgotten and my condolences go out to his family. Thank you Bennet for how much you have helped me.
Thank you for your post. My thoughts an prayers are with you and your family. I will miss your father for the rest of my life but I will remember and pass on everything he taught me.
God Bless
Rest and live in peace.
I am so sorry for your loss. Bennet was must read for my friends and family and we will also suffer for his loss to us, just as we prospered from his writings. This is just like losing Tanta at Calculated Risk blog. Again my sincere condolences.
I will certainly miss his contributions to the 'Ville.
Rest well
Terryo
David Gaffen
WSJ.com
I've been reading Bennet and quoting him on financial matters for quite a while now. He was the only financial analyst I listened to. His character and passion really came through in his writing. I certainly expected and looked forward to reading his work for years to come.
Truly a tragic loss. My deepest condolences for his family. Peace.
Bennet is gone….
….we are left behind.
It should be a crime……
….when men like him….
....say goodbye before their time.
It was too quick……
…. just like his wit.
I honor him with a tear ….
….and hold his advice dear.
G Larson
Paddy
Matt Maciejewski
Bloomington, IL
May the candle in the window help you find your way.
So long.
My heart is with his family, friends.
Best wishes mate. We'll miss you and will pray for you and your family.
Best to all Minyans,
Jason
My condolences go out to Bennets' family
I wish his family peace and courage to endure this raw anguish. We are all in stunned grief at this profound loss.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
God Bless.
"“I can count my brothers on one hand and you're one of them. You have no idea how much I love Minyanville -- how much I love our community -- it's part of my family, it's one of the things I'm most proud of.â€
It's a tribute to a man with proper values and it's a tribute to a vision for a place that could draw such a man into its circle. This is truly a remarkable place, he recognized that and poured his heart into it. We are all the better for him, his wisdom, and this flourishing community. I offer my deepest condolences to the Sedacca family for this sudden and tragic loss, and that they may find comfort in the rememberences here. I have been priveleged to witness the seeds of this community from Toddo's earliest days at Realmoney, He often spoke of "getting it". It is clear from this outpouring of generous and sympathetic spirit that those seeds have taken root and are flowering. From Bennet's perch, he now sees a garden, it is for the rest of us to keep it growing and to double our effort in tribute. My thoughts are with his family and friends, may you find some measure of comfort here.
I looked forward to his posts every day. He was like a sentinel, giving a heads up to all on events and circumstances he saw that I, for one, wouldn't know to look for.
At the Festivus, I spoke with him about his opinion on MBS and despite never having met the man previously, and being new to the MV community, he took the time to talk to me and share his wisdom.
Thanks Bennet, you'll be missed.
Best wishes to his family,
Peter Kramer
Dan Pence
My condolences to the Sedacca family for your sudden and tragic loss. I hope you draw comfort from the remembrances here (this reflects one of the many reasons Minyanville is truly a unique community). As someone who also lost a family member way too soon, I understand the pain you are feeling and offer you my sympathy at this very difficult time.
Kindly,
Bill Robb
an unspeakable loss.
deepest sympathies to his family, friends and the Minyanville community.
Bennet was always one step ahead. His first hand knowledge of the credit markets gave him that unique perspective.
We will sure miss Bennet's generous and irreplaceable light.
The best wishes to all, especially Bennetts family.
KMA
I can't believe it, what a shock and a tragic loss.
To his family: my prayers and thoughts will be with you, I wish I could do more to help you through this time. Bennet will never be forgotten by the Minyans of this world, a true testament to the values he stood for.
Mike Thompson
Sincerely,
Steve Allscheid
I stare in disbelief because I've now seen many of my giants (mentor writers)laid to rest - Bill Meehan and Jim Seymour.
Mr Sedacca was one of the contributors here at 'Ville that I always looked for first. It still shocks me to the core when another soul is wrenched from our community without any warning.
But that all pales in comparison to the family and close friends who are joined to Bennet by the closest of our human bonds - love and friendship.
I wish his family and friends the courage to weather this ill-borne wind of change brought upon them. Our condolences and prayers are with you to heal this wound.
In some small way may they know that Bennet's life has grown exponentially through those that embraced his wisdom and thoughts.
We Stand Upon the Shoulder's of Giant's - All of Us!
Rest in peace, Mr. Sedacca.
My sincerest condolences to his family and to those who loved him like family.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Ruby you have a hellava friend entering the communion of the good souls....
Thank you for sharing your opinion and knowledge. I am shocked and sad. We never met nor spoke but I feel as if I have lost a friend. My condolences go out to your immediate family and friends.
Mario
Stu
David
"And in the end
the love you take
is equal to the love you make."
Bennet's passing is sad, but at the same it serves to remind us of what is really good in the world, and thus death serves a noble cause, one that fuels the flames of love that resides in all of us but is often left unattended due to life's demands, thus one never dies in vain.
We live with purpose and die with purpose.
Bennet, you are still the MAN.
Take care old friend, see in the new world. Peace.
Alex Tran
unreal at this point...he will be greatly missed on a lot of different levels...I am sure he will be remembered as the great person he was...My heart goes to his family!!!
Raul
You'll be missed Professor Sedacca - thanks for all that you shared.
Gerry
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever" Mahatma Gandhi
Peace to all,
David
Colorado
I have told many people about MV over the years and one comment I have always made in the past two troubled years has been "There is this guy named Sedacca and he has been MONEY on calling the credit crisis."
I can only wish that I might have met him in person and wish the very best to his family and friends who will miss him much more than those of us who only knew him through the wisdom he wrote and shared with us, so that we could share it with others. You will be missed kind sir!
The older I get, the more sickness and disease I see in friends and family.
And that is something lately that has opened my eyes to the "live for today" philosophy.
But...
To see someone gone in a poof - leaves me at a loss for words.
:(
Is there a fund set up for his family?
T.G.
's passing. My condolences to his family and friends - I'm sure that the Lord will cover them with peace and comfort. I'll say a prayer for all of you tonight that you'll be able to see God's Grace and goodness in this tragedy. God Bless
I joined Mynianville BECAUSE of Bennett's writings. A few months ago, somebody posted an excerpt from one of his articles somewhre else on the Web where I found it. I was blown away by the depth of Mr. Sedacca's analysis and his no-nonsense outlook on credit markets.
I saw Bennet's association with Mynianville and started lurking around, joining soon thereafter. When I completed my profile, I've made certain that Bennet's article get sent to my Inbox. I will miss his contributions on Buzz-and-Banter as well. I just quoted Bennet's point of view in the argument discussing marker outlook with a friend.
Why do the best and brightest have to leave us so soon?
He really helped me understand certain things about bond markets. His call (and how and why he made it) on shorting long-end of the curve last year was a final confirmation I needed to enter a very profitable trade I had had many doubts about.
My most sincere condolences to his family and friends. WHAT A COLOSSAL LOSS to anyone who knew the Man and his work.
We first met Bennett and Nancy at MIM3 at Vail. We had gone out to dinner with them and Todd.I was stuck most by his knowledge of the credit markets. I had told my wife at that time when we had enough money, he would be the person to invest with.
Over the years, I had read almost all his posts even late at night at this site and his own website and I am hard pressed to find someone as right as he has been.
Rest in peace, Bennett. Our hearts go out to nancy and the family.
Thank you for sharing all you did. To you and the family you left behind I'd like to say you made a better man of a person you never met.
My sincere condolences to Bennet's family, friends and extended family at Minyanville.
He will be missed. My condolences to his family.
Just recently out of the blue I received an email from Minyanville from Bennet asking me to be his friend. I thought that was a great honour. I will remember him.
I am numb.
I make a modest living in a field far from Wall Street--I'm a gardener!!!--but with Bennet's compelling reasoning these past few years my family has an intact retirement account and enough money in the bank to see us through tough times. Really, for the first time in my life I feel like I'm on secure financial footing, and I owe it all to Bennet.
I'm sure I'm one of many. He was so generous with the gifts he had, and he will never be forgotten.
Thank you, Minyanville, for allowing us to share time with a great man with a great mind.
My deepest condolences to Bennet's family and Minyanland. May the Lord bless his soul and protects his family.
Chen
Malaysia
Thank you Professor Sedacca.
My sympathies to all who knew him personally. I don't know what else to say.
I pray that God will comfort his family and friends, and that Bennet is in His presence now.
You will be missed.
Jerry Tepper: The Marshall/Tepper Group at Smith Barney.
For all remaining Minyans, it also can serve as a great mortality check for us.
Myself, how I wish Bennett was still with us, the times to come will be trying, and already I miss his counsel. This is truly awful.
My prayers and white light to your family and friends.
God bless.
James
Dinos Vassiliades
Take Care All!
Joe
He will be missed.
Heartfelt sympathies to his family.
All my best to Nancy, Michael, Katie and the dogs in their time of sorrow. You should all know that he loved each of you very much and spoke of you often.
Edwin
Good thoughts and white light to all his loved ones in this trying time.
Contributors to Minyanville continue to astound me with both their insight and character. Bennet will be deeply missed. My condolences to his family and associates.
As has been said, he was a must read. More importantly, when I would email a question, he was right back at me with help and a friendly reply.
My thoughts and prayers are with you,
BFISH
'People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad.' ~Marcel Proust
Happy travels Bennet!
I miss you already.
Nathan
I am at a loss for words, Even though i never met Bennet, I felt as though I knew him very well. He will be deeply missed in the Minyanville community and my thoughts and prayers go out to each and every one of you.
Michael
My prayers go out to his family and friends.
-Brian
You will not be forgotten.
Eric
As a college senior I eagerly awaited Bennet's articles and found them brilliant, informative and entertaining. I will surely miss you and hope that you are in a better place.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. A great man, Mr. Sedacca.
Orvin
Scott Brander
They are not dead,
Who leave us this great heritage of remembering joy.
They still live in our hearts,
In the happiness we knew, in the dreams we shared.
They still breathe,
In the lingering fragrance, windblown, from their favourite flowers.
They still smile in the moonlight's silver,
And laugh in the sunlight's sparking gold.
They still speak in the echoes of the words we've heard them say again and again.
They still move,
In the rhythm of waving grasses, in the dance of the tossing branches.
They are not dead,
Their memory is warm in our hearts, comfort in our sorrow.
They are not apart from us, but part of us,
For love is eternal,
And those we love shall be with us throughout all eternity.
-Anon
My heart and prayers go out to his family and friends. May you rest in peace my friend.
Although I never had the pleasure of meeting you I feel as though I came to know the profound depth of your character and intellect through the prolific writings you so graciously shared with us.
We have all benefited from your presence on Minyanville -- the world is a better place because you shared the truth as you understood it in an honest and engaging way.
You will be remembered, and missed.
Thank you.
My thoughts to his family and friends.
I extend my condolences to all of you on your tragic loss. In such a difficult time, I hope you can take away some solace from all the postings you read here as to how much Bennett positively touched the lives of so many people through Minyanville. It is truly powerful to read every posting. As a member of the COT, it is incredibly gratifying to me to see how the community that Toddo, the Professors, and Minyanville HQ have created can turn it around and support the family of one of our most valued Professors in their most difficult time.
Our deepest sympathies are with all of you.
Sincerely,
Triple M
I wish I could express how grateful I am to have known Bennet through his writings and teachings. I began paying attention to Minyanville a little over a year ago when Bennet was waving red flags all over about what could occur in the markets. Sure enough, everything he pointed to was spot on, and I became a "Bennet Sedacca" groupie overnight.
I am an aspiring trader and Bennet's views will forever shape my beliefs about looking at the world from different angles and questioning the crowd. It's how he communicated that made me feel like I was right there next to him having a beer, asking "what's wrong with this picture?"
Thank you for sharing Bennet with us and my most sincere sympathies are with you all. God speed, white light and a 300+ yard drive right down the middle are sent to you and Bennet will be in my thoughts and prayers for a very long time to come.
He allowed me to bounce some ideas off of him and took the time to respond.
That meant a lot.
God Bless...
MK
My sincerest condolences on the loss of your beloved husband and father.
He reached many more people than you might imagine in Manyanville.
His brilliance was evident and he will be sorely missed in this community.
Jodi K
I am truly saddened and feel a wrenching in my heart for what happened to your father, husband , and son Bennet. We have never met. I have never sent him an email (but was assuming I would have had plenty of time to!) Yet every time I saw a post authored by him, I'd be , "Yeah! the lone voice in the wilderness is about to speak!" His commentary and advice in Minyanville was always one of the highlights of my trading days.
Please know that he and you, his family are in my prayers. May the Lord give you strength and peace.
Brian Novinska
Winneconne, WI
May God grant you peace in this difficult time.
Tom Gilbert
I don't know any words to say to comfort you in your loss. I just wanted you to know that Bennet leaves a hole that cannot be filled for many, and that our thoughts and prayers are now intently with you.
I'll kiss my wife and kids an extra time tonight, and pray that his family finds peace soon.
Please know that he has made a huge impact on me. He will be missed.
My condolences to the entire family and our thoughts are with you.
I regulary searched for his articles and learned from him. I posted comments to his articles. There is no one who can replace him, he was that special.
There's no way I can express my true sadness to Bennett's family or the gang at MV that worked with him. I just hope he rests in peace and that peace be with his friends and family through this time.
RIP Bennett.
My heart sank when I saw the news. Condolences are not enough. May you find some comfort and pride in knowing how much of a positive impact Bennet Sedacca has made for so many along the way. I am so sorry for your loss.
God Bless....
Chris Latham
1. DESPAIR, at how the scope of his knowledge which just made me feel deliciously and wickedly ignorant despite my own industry experience.
2. INTEGRITY, how he valued and sweated over each dollar his firm managed on behalf of others. He took "fiduciary responsibility" as a sacred oath and it shaped every word he wrote and each trade executed (or took a pass). Long "Absolute Returns" / Short "Relative Performance"
JS - "The Tenth Man"
Here's the link : http://www.minyanville.com/articles/3/5/2008/index/a/16154
Thank you, thank you Mr Sedacca for the knowledge you shared with our community. Rest in Peace.
My condolences to the Sedacca's Familly and Friends,
Sincerely
Marco, Geneva, Switzerland
Nice job capturing the essence of Bennet. We morn for his family and his memory. I covered Bennet for several years and he was as you say demanding (especially when he wanted stock or Masters Tickets) however Bennet was one of my best clients not because of the business he generated but because of is friendship we developed over the years.
After a 3 year hiatus from the business I just recently became reacquainted with him again. This is truly a sad day.
I recall several years ago attending a Braves game with our sons and my son caught a baseball in batting practice and gave it to his son Michael who was a huge Braves fan. He was stunned and my son said I go to a lot of games and a lot you live in Florida you may not get a chance to get one again.
Bennet and I looked at each other and we had big smiles on our faces. Bennet's response "Well Lou you have a client for life"
An avid golfer who I could not keep up with and a good friend and great father and husband.
I will miss my friend,
With deepest sympathies,
Lou and Mary Jo Corsetti
Although I did not know him personally, his wisdom and insights of the credit markets were very appreciated.
May he be in a beautiful place now.
Katie
Like others who have posted, I only knew him through his writings on the site. He shared his knowledge and experience with us, and I was truly grateful to have access to such a generous mind and spirit. In a world where the financial community is struggling to find its feet, Bennet and Minyanville provided clarity and understanding to an audience that sorely needs it. I too looked for Bennet's posts because I knew he would provide clear thinking and a rational argument, and was thrilled to receive his email responses to my beginner questions.
I hope you see now that the ripple effects of Bennet's life have passed way beyond your family and on across the world, and the wisdom that he shared will impact the next generations. Thanks for sharing him with us.
Sincerely,
Brian Caffrey
My condolences to his family; rest in peace Bennet.
Bennet was to me a friend, a boss and a brother I sometimes argued with but knew would always be there for me and my family. I pictured myself another 10 or so years together and both of saying the hell with it, and retiring early. I wish for Nancy, Michael and Kaite the strength to get through this time. As I want them to know I will miss him greatly and consider all of you my family. Bennet taught me so much in the past 16 years and for that I am truly grateful.
My condonences to the family.
Kevin
May God comfort you and get you through this. You will all be in my prayers.
Thanks for everything Bennet.
Like so many other people who have already written, I was deeply influenced by Bennet's work. He had an amazing ability to look at the same data that was available to everyone else, and draw conclusions from that data in a unique and insightful way. Of all the gifted professors in the Minyanville, perhaps none personified the concept of independent thinking more than Bennet. Whenever possible, I dropped whatever I was doing whenever I got notified that Bennet had posted something new to Buzz and Banter. Missing something that Bennet had written would be like missing a breaking news update that was interrupting the regular broadcast.
He had a rare combination of skills -- unquestioned expertise in his subject matter, the savvy ability to discern the important facts from a sea of information, coupled with a wry and biting sense of humor.
With no disrespect to any of the other fine voices on this site, Bennet was an anchor in Minyanville.
I miss him already.
Of all the Minyans, I looked forward to Bennets analysis the most. Although I did not know him personally, I can't count how many times I thought when I saw his snippet that I would love to talk to him about it. He was an excellant analyst. I miss him a lot already.
I have been reading Minyanville for about a year.
While I don't know Bennet personally, I quickly considered Professor Sedacca's articles and buzz comments as must reads, and did in fact read them all. Like a few of the other professors, Bennet IS a light in the darkness not only in market terms but in life experience and related comments he has made.
I read everything with great respect and appreciation. These are words I seldom use.
I'm very sorry you lost him so soon and I am another who will miss him.
My sincerest condolences to his family.
Enough on the biz side. I admired Bennet for his love of life, family, golf, fly fishing, golf, cigars, traveling and more golf. My wife and I enjoyed many great times with the Sedaccas and will always have the fun memories. I tried golfing with Bennet a few times but I was in a different league (bush league that is). Bennet and Michael know their way around a club house, golf course, and 19th hole. Michael has grown into a great man, and is admirable with his manners and effective communications.
One of my craziest memories was on a fly-fishing trip to Montana a couple of years back. They had a beautiful place on Ironhead Lake (if I remember correctly), and the first morning after arriving I decided I had to go for a swim – the lake was crystal clear, you could see 20-30 feet down onto the rocky bottom, and I had a slight hangover that I though the cold water would help clear up. I went swimming up and down the shore for about 30-45 minutes and loved every minute of it. I got out dried off, had breakfast, went on some errands, etc and enjoyed the rest of the day as the next morning is when we would start fly-fishing. I wake up the next morning and my entire body is covered in red dots, similar to chicken pox, and after a day of visiting pharmacies and doctors I find out I had 'swimmers itch'. This takes 7 days to go away, is extremely painful, and is just an all-around pain-in-the-rear. I went fly-fishing for a couple of days, but mainly watched Bennet as I didn't/couldn't move very much. Nancy had the undesirable job of having to rub the prescription cream on my back. Kids put up with me, etc. Bottom line- I still remember all the great things about that trip and loved it. The time with the family will always be a great memory.
I'll stop now...We're all proud of Bennet and what he achieved in all aspects of his life, and for the times that we were able to spend with him.
I always looked for his commentary, read it right away and greatly appreciated his insights. Though I did not personally know him, I felt through his writings we had much in common. He will be graetly missed on Minyanville. Rest in peace.
Charles Cox
My condolences on your loss. I valued Bennett's opinions and views; he always challenged those around him to think more deeply and selflessly shared his informed perspective. Best wishes during this period and my thoughts are with you.
Sincerely-
Eric Freedman
Condolences to his family, sincere best wishes.
Paul Leondis
Berkeley, CA
This is strange. I never met Bennet. In fact, the first time I read anything written by him was summer 2008. Yet Bennet was by far my brightest guiding light in dark 2H08. Thank you Bennet. I will miss your sure hand.
















