Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award

John J. Byrne, Arts ’78
Centreville, Va.

Attorney John Byrne is internationally known for his efforts to understand and halt financial crimes, including money laundering, fraud, terrorist financing, and human trafficking. This distinguished career began at Marquette, where he earned a degree in history.

John’s decision to attend college in Wisconsin was unusual. At his high school in New York, most classmates stayed closer to home. “When my parents offered me the chance to look elsewhere, the Jesuit tradition and, of course, the great New Yorker Al McGuire, made Marquette seem to be a place where New Yorkers could thrive,” he remembers. On campus, he dove into student government and radio and met his future wife, Sue Chapman, Sp ’78. The couple will celebrate their forty-fifth wedding anniversary in August.

After Marquette, John attended law school and was hired after graduation by the American Bankers Association. He became the first director of its Center for Regulatory Compliance and regularly testified before congressional committees. He also worked for Bank of America and served as executive vice president of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS).

Today, he is chair of the AML RightSource Advisory Board — the AML stands for “anti-money laundering” — and hosts a podcast called AML Conversations, where his guests have included several Marquette alumni. “I hope I have convinced many young folks to consider a career in anti-money laundering through my work and adjunct teaching,” John says. “Although I’m toward the end of my career, I plan to keep teaching, writing and interviewing interesting people.” John and his wife, Sue, also established the John and Sue Byrne Endowed Fund for Community Research and Assistance at Marquette's Center for Peacemaking.

Fun Facts:

Name someone (past or present) with whom you’d like to have dinner.
Bobby Kennedy

What is one of your favorite Marquette memories?
The 1977 championship, which we watched in town on a rainy night in March. The happiness of the students running down to Lake Michigan, going to the airport to meet the team, and the fact that it was Al's last game all made it a lasting memory.

Leave a congratulatory message for John!