In Memoriam: Nanette Buziak

February 23, 2026
Nanette Buziak was more than a colleague to OptimX — she was part of our foundation.

Nan was the first buy-side trader our founder spoke to when the idea for OptimX was just that — an idea. From that earliest conversation through the day she passed, she gave her heart and soul to helping build what we have today. She backed the company with her time, her insight, her energy, and her belief.

For nearly sixteen years, Nan led global trading at Voya Investment Management, where she was widely respected across the industry for her integrity, thoughtfulness, and leadership. In 2017, she was named Buy-Side Trader of the Year — an honor she cherished deeply.

Earlier in her career, she served on the portfolio management team at JPM Asset Management, developing the expertise that would later define her as one of the most respected voices on the buy side.

Yet what made Nan exceptional was not only her professional accomplishment. It was who she was.

She was warm. She was generous. She was open-minded and never dismissive. In an industry that often moves at machine speed, Nan always made time for people. She welcomed conversations she believed would help her team. She approached challenges with intelligence and grace. She believed in relationships.

Nan suffered the loss of her beloved husband, Fred, a loss she carried deeply. In his absence, she poured herself into her church, her family, her friends, and her community — just as she poured herself into this business. Those who knew her best saw a woman of profound faith, kindness, and quiet strength.

Her personal mantra was simple: “Chop wood and carry water.” Do the work. Stay steady. Keep going. After sharing that phrase, she sent our founder the book by that title with a handwritten message: “Believe and stay the course.”

That message remains with us.

For someone small in stature, Nan’s energy filled every room. She celebrated wins with pure joy. She found opportunity where others saw obstacles. She believed in people — sometimes more than they believed in themselves.
The trading community has lost a respected leader. We have lost a friend.

Nan’s legacy lives on in the culture she helped shape, the relationships she strengthened, and the quiet example she set for how to lead with both excellence and heart.

Rest in peace, Nanette.

We will carry forward the course you believed in.