Lauren Friezo
Michael P. Friezo, age 59, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2022, surrounded by his family, after a courageous 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Through it all, Michael preserved his sense of humor, grace and hope until the very end.
Michael’s essence can be summed up in one word: devotion. Devoted to his faith, family, friends and business, he pursued many passions. He studied economics, finance, sports, religion, Italian language, food, wine, travel, music and history. He could hold his own in a conversation about the complexities of financial markets just as well as in a conversation about the varying styles of Southern barbecue. He relished simple pleasures: mornings spent reading The Wall Street Journal (every day for 37 years), the smell of fresh-baked semolina bread, Sunday family dinners, and watching the sun rise. An eternal optimist, Michael was proud of being a loyal New York Jets fanatic, and was able to look past decades of bad football. He was a deeply spiritual man who inspired others with his devotion to faith.
A devoted son, Michael was the first-born to Charles and Joan (Larsen) Friezo. He was born on August 5, 1962 in Englewood, New Jersey. From a young age, his smile lit up the room (and the football field) at Northern Valley Regional High School. His personality was larger than life, and so was his appetite – his parents nicknamed him “Bustie.” Michael was a devoted brother to David and Marc. As the oldest, he created the roadmap for who they would aspire to become. Both would go on to follow in his career footsteps and live by his family-first philosophy. “Uncle Mike” was incredibly close to his brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, and formed a unique bond with each one of his nieces and nephews.
Michael was a devoted husband and father. He lived a love story with a 37-year marriage to his childhood sweetheart and very best friend, Michele (Scardino). From the age of 16, they walked hand in hand and built a beautiful legacy together. Michael regarded Michele’s family as his own. Michael’s two most precious gifts were his daughters, Lauren and Caroline. Michael threw himself headfirst into his daughters’ every passion and whim, going to the ends of the earth to make their dreams happen. In addition to his daughters, he had a special relationship with Lauren’s fiancé, Jack, whom he loved like a son. Michael raised his family in Montclair, New Jersey for 25 years with additional homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and most recently, Dallas, Texas.
Michael led an illustrious, 30-year financial career spanning Salomon Brothers (where he was a key member of its Energy, Chemicals and Utilities corporate finance group), Credit Suisse First Boston (where he spearheaded the creation of the first industry-focused equity capital markets group on Wall Street) and Deutsche Bank, where he ran equity capital markets for the Americas. Throughout his career he remained devoted to the values that were so important to him: working hard, rolling up your sleeves and doing the right thing. It earned him the reputation as “one of the only good guys on Wall Street.” In 2003, he made a foray into sports management as a Board Member & Acting CFO for 320 Sports.
More recently, in 2017, Michael saw the importance of big data and analytical automation to the innovations being made in the American energy sector. He founded FLOW – an oil and gas analytics company – with his partner, Tom Loughrey, with the goal of informing investors so the best projects would be funded. The approach worked, and today the company counts some of the world’s largest investors and energy companies as clients. Major media sources such as Bloomberg, The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal have recognized FLOW’s quantitative analytics expertise.
Michael was a devoted friend and mentor. His friendships spanned all walks of life and his kindness impacted more people than he knew. He gave generously of his personal time, wisdom and resources, endowing scholarships at Texas Christian University (his beloved alma mater – Go Frogs!), Rice University (where he obtained his MBA) and The Institute of European Studies, as well as funding scholarships at The Montclair Kimberley Academy and Wake Forest University, where both of his daughters graduated. His generosity knew no bounds: he contributed to countless philanthropic causes and created many opportunities for others, including through the Friezo Family Foundation.
Michael’s enduring wish was to be remembered as a man with great empathy for others. He supported Memorial Sloan Kettering long before his own cancer diagnosis, spanning back to the 1990s, when he ran the New York City Marathon as part of Fred’s Team. Since then, Michael and his family have become increasingly involved in supporting MSK's mission and have donated over $2 million to establish the Friezo Family Support Fund. The Fund helps alleviate economic concerns for families with children receiving cancer care at MSK. If you wish to honor Michael, you may consider a donation to the Friezo Family Support Fund at MSK.
Thank you to all who knew, loved and prayed for Michael. We are holding a private funeral mass for our immediate family. However, a celebration of life on his behalf for all friends and family to attend will be organized in the future. Details to come.
If you'd like to share a story or memory to be incorporated at the celebration of life, please email mpfmemorial@gmail.com.
If giving by check please send to:
Attn: Scott Morano
Memorial Sloan Kettering, Office of Development
PO Box 27106
New York, NY 10087
Please indicate on the check memo line that the gift is for the Friezo Family Support Fund, In memory of Michael Friezo.
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