Peter Puzo

Obituary PETER EDWARD PUZO October 18, 1936 - November 3, 2019 Former record executive turned commercial real estate expert Peter Puzo passed away quietly in his sleep at his home in Encino, CA on November 3, 2019. His beautiful wife of 35 years, Clara (Puzo Goldenhar), was by his side. Peter was 83. Peter was born in Long Island, NY and attended Sewanhaka High School. From 1955-1960, Pete went to New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Beta fraternity and played lacrosse (goalie) alongside the Father of American Lacrosse, Dr. Laurie Cox. After receiving his masters at Fordham University in New York, Peter embarked on a career in the record business, with stops including Liberty Records, CBS Records, CBS Distribution, and MCA Records, Universal City as Vice President of Credit and Finance. Pete was instrumental in many career highlights for such artists as Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand, Olivia Newton John, and many more. One of his favorite memories was the time he joined the Dot Records rep to deliver Donna Fargo’s “Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” to the first radio station in the country to play the record. He must have had the Midas touch because the song went on to become the Country Music Association’s 1972 Single of the Year and the Academy of Country Music’s 1973 Song of the Year. It was during his record days that he moved his young family from the East coast to Los Angeles and ignited a passion for the business in his daughter, Lisa (Puzo-Strickland), who later followed in his entertainment footsteps. Pete shifted his sights to real estate in the mid-70’s, spending several successful years in residential before making the decision to specialize in commercial and industrial leasing and sales. In 1980, he and Clara, his partner in life and business, founded The Brookhurst Company through which they represented such clients as Coca-Cola, Chase Manhattan Bank, and, once again, the Academy of Country Music