Two decades at Putnam is winning Thalia Meehan recognition in her hometown paper. Boston Globe columnist Steven Syre has tapped Meehan as his 2011 Boston Capital Mutual Fund Manager of the Year.

Syre confides that the award was given for factors beyond just performance and that he was focusing his search on PMs specializing in Massachusetts municipals.

Meehan is the PM of the Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund.

Syre implies that another contender for the award -- Kevin Ramundo, PM of Fidelity Massachusetts Municipal Income Fund -- lacked the service time to win the award.

Meehan herself has survived turbulent times at Putnam, lasting through the reins of CEO's Larry Lasser, Ed Haldeman and now Bob Reynolds. Those looking for details on how she made it through those years will not find any of the war stories in Syre's article, however.

Syre focuses instead on the fund's recent returns instead and her views on the municipal bond market. Yes, she is a "muni geek through-and-through."

Meehan is the eleventh winner of Syre's award. 

Edited by: HFD


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