Hans Hanf, former head of municipal markets at BAM, was remembered by friends and colleagues.

Hans Hanf, former head of municipal markets at BAM, whose profession in municipal finance spanned nearly half a century, died on Jan. 22.  He was 76.

Hanf’s friends and colleagues remembered him as someone who could effortlessly bring people together.

“Hans was BAM’s original head of municipal markets,” BAM Mutual CEO Seán McCarthy said. “When he joined the corporate in our first yr, he immediately expanded our conversations with underwriters and traders and helped the market understand BAM may benefit municipal issuers and investors on new-issues and within the secondary market.”

Hanf graduated from Rutgers University. He joined Prudential Securities in 1977 and worked there for nearly 21 years, becoming the firm’s first vp in high-yield municipal trading. 

Hanf spent a while as senior vp of the GMS Group, working on tax-exempt and taxable trades, and served as vp of the Bond Market Association, directing its regional dealer program. 

He joined Chapdelaine & Co. in 2003, serving because the firm’s senior vp of business development and eventually its manager of municipal business development. 

Drew Kanyer met Hanf during this time. Hanf made a business visit to Baird, where Kanyer worked they usually immediately became friends. 

“Hans knew everybody,” Kanyer said. “He helped me in my profession, and after I was seeking to hire salespeople, traders, underwriters, he was all the time an incredible contact, because he knew everybody.”

In 2013, Hanf joined BAM as its head of municipal markets, shortly after the firm’s creation. He managed BAM’s competitive bid and secondary market desk. 

“I’m very enthusiastic about this chance,” Hanf said on the time. “I think BAM’s mutual structure, which is predicated on shared purpose values with its municipal members, offers the market necessary benefits.”

John Raftery of Mountaintop Securities met Hanf around 25 years ago. Hanf became one among his best friends, Raftery said; the 2 called one another thrice every week.

Hanf loved golf and was a superb storyteller, Raftery said. 

“Hans can stand up there and tell joke after joke after joke,” Raftery said.

Hanf’s interpersonal skills were his defining trait, in business and in friendship, Kanyer said. 

“He was a connector,” Kanyer said. Despite the rapid technological advances throughout Hanf’s profession, he understood that “it was still a relational and a relationship business.”

“He was essentially the most generous guy you’d ever want to fulfill,” Raftery said. “He would have the option to bring together quite a lot of different generations of individuals — throughout the business, and friendships. And, while you’re with him, it’s like you have known him ceaselessly.”

“He was someone you wanted in your team,” McCarthy said. “He understood easy methods to construct long-term relationships … and switch them into friendships.”

A wake shall be held on Monday, and Hanf’s funeral shall be held on Tuesday at Saint Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfield, Recent Jersey.