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GREENWICH, Conn. Richard M. Ruzika of Greenwich died Monday, May 7, following a stroke on April 22, days after having knee surgery. He was 53.
Ruzika worked at Goldman Sachs for almost 30 years, retiring in April of 2011 as head of the global special situations groups.
He was born April 16, 1959, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Frank and Miriam Ruzika. He studied at West Hempstead High School and Columbia University, graduating in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in economics. Following college, Ruzika briefly played for the Dallas Cowboys football team.
He joined Goldman Sachs in 1981 as a silver and gold trader on the floor of COMEX. Three year later, he moved to the floor of NYMEX, where he was a member of the board for nine years.
Ruzika moved to the firm's trading floor in 1990, becoming head of natural gas trading in 1996. That year, he was named managing director, and in 1998, he became a partner.
He relocated to Baltimore in 1998 as one of the founding members of Goldman Sachs's electricity business. He was named head of commodities in 2000, when he developed AssetCo.
Ruzika was later appointed co-head of global macro trading and then co-head of the global special situations group, from which he retired as head in 2011. At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the management committee, securities division executive committee and the risk committee.
Following retirement from Goldman Sachs, Ruzika was planning to start a hedge fund. In 1983, he married Ruthanne Millnamow, a childhood friend he began dating as a teenager.
In addition to his wife, survivors are a son, Craig; and a daughter, Caitlin. He was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Miriam; and two brothers, Keith and Frank.
A wake will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Leo P. Gallagher and Son Funeral Home in Greenwich. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Friday at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church in Riverside.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Patient Airlift Services, 120 Adams Blvd., Farmingdale, NY 11735.
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