In Memoriam: Eugene (Gar) Bewkes III, 74
Co-Founder of MHT's Specialized Financing Group
(Based on death notice in the Darien Times)
Eugene Garrett.Bewkes III, 74, known to his many friends as "Gar," died on November 18, 2024, in New York City from complications related to leukemia.
Bewkes, a resident of Darien, CT, co-founded Manufacturer Hanover Trust's Specialized Financing Group, the first dedicated LBO-lending unit established by a commercial bank.
Born in New Haven, CT, Bewkes grew up in New Jersey and Connecticut, He graduated from Deerfield Academy and St. Lawrence University, on both of whose boards he eventually served. In 1974, he earned an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and joined Citibank as a loan officer,.He joined MHT in 1977.
In 1985, he joined Bear Stearns as a Senior Managing Director. Over the next few years, he became Co-Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, and Co-Chairman of Bear's Underwriting Committee. Elected to the Board of Directors in 1989, he continued to serve in that role until 1997, several years after he departed from the firm.
In 1994, he joined Investcorp, a leading international private equity firm, where he was Head of their North American Corporate and Real Estate Investment Group until he left to found GarMark Partners in 1997, also chairing its Investment Committee, and becoming a Director of numerous portfolio companies. Under his leadership, GarMark invested in over 100 companies, helping fund the growth of many businesses across the United States. As a pioneer in leveraged finance, Bewkes was widely respected and valued as a partner, capable of solving complex challenges.
Bewkes was President of Sankaty Golf Club in Nantucket, MA. He also served on the Columbia University Medical Board of Advisors and on the Heart Council at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
Among his survivors are his wife, Jane; three children and four grandchildren, Riley, Rory, Parker, and Saylor.
A Memorial Service will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Darien, CT, on Friday, December 6, 2024, at 11:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in E. Garrett Bewkes, III's name to support Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.