“Are you raising any money today?” That’s the question Cary Musech ’80 puts to me each time I call him on the phone. The first time I heard it, it caught me a little off-guard; but now I have come to expect this playful greeting with each call or visit.
I first met Cary in 2006, and since then I have truly enjoyed getting to know this terrific individual. To me, he embodies a trait so many Johnnies exhibit — he takes something and makes it better. That shows especially in his professional work at Tonka Bay Equity, which he co-founded in 1998. To succeed he had to knock on many doors, lay out his case and ask for the investment. Since those early days Tonka Bay has invested in, grown and sold dozens of companies, and by all accounts the company has achieved tremendous success.
After majoring in accounting at Saint John’s, Cary landed a position at Ernst & Young, where another great alumnus, Dick Nigon ’70, sought to hire sharp and eager Johnnies. After several years at Ernst & Young, Cary parlayed his experience into positions at US Bank and Wells Fargo. Along the way he picked up the type of expertise and intuition that would prepare him to take the initiative to establish a private equity company.
That Cary has built an outstanding career, however, is only one of many things that distinguish him. I think what makes Cary truly remarkable is his commitment to Saint John’s as well as to the community in which he lives. From that perspective it’s safe to say that Cary seeks to advance whatever organization in which he gets involved. That was certainly true at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School, where his three children attended high school. Cary joined the board and later became the chair, and during his tenure he sought ways to incorporate solid fundraising concepts into their operations. Among the many reasons that motivated him, however, was one that was distinctively personal: he wanted to know that when he handed the keys to the next board chair that Benilde-St. Margaret’s would be even better than before.
That same attitude has pervaded his involvement in fund-raising at his parish, and it shows especially in the energy he continues to devote to Saint John’s. At Saint John’s he has served as president of the Alumni Association and on the Board of Regents from 2001-2004. More recently he has worked with the Private Investment Fund, and has served on the Board of Trustees of Saint John’s University.
Every time I have asked Cary if he would sit down with an alumnus who might benefit from his expertise, he’s said yes. The desire to help others to better themselves is a consistent theme that runs deep in his character.
Cary always has time for fellow Johnnies, and he wants to make sure the world will continue to benefit from having more of our alumni in it. To that end, Cary and his wife Gina have been consistent supporters of the Student Fund, and they’ve also established the Cary & Regina Marie Musech Endowed Scholarship. Their goal? You guessed it — simply to make Saint John’s better.
Cary always wants to know whether I too am making something better today. That’s why I try to be ready with a good answer, each and every time he asks.