Service Award

Matthew A. Sallaberry, Bus Ad ’00
Saint Louis, Mo.

Matthew Sallaberry has devoted time and energy to helping students in his area experience a Marquette education. Twelve years ago, he and a small group of passionate alumni started an endowed St. Louis Alumni Club Scholarship Fund. It is now the second largest Marquette alumni club scholarship fund in the nation.

“Our scholarship committee is on track over the next several years to build the scholarship fund to over half a million dollars with $25,000 in annual scholarship awards going to deserving St. Louis students,” Matt explains.

After 17 years as a professional banker, Matt recently found his “true professional purpose” as a financial advisor and soon-to-be partner and owner at Moneta Group, a privately held financial planning firm. He especially enjoys working with family-owned businesses, having grown up in one and devoted his entire 24-year financial services career to helping drive better outcomes for owners, their families and employees.

It’s clear that he takes seriously the call to Be The Difference. President of the Marquette Alumni Club of St. Louis for almost two decades, Matt also spent nearly ten years on the board of a local nonprofit serving adults with extreme and persistent mental illness and has also served on the United Way’s allocations panel for child welfare. The father of three directed his oldest daughter's eighth grade play, a venture involving 60 kids and 20 parent volunteers, and has coached his son’s baseball team for eight years.

Matt says he sees this award as a sign that he’s been surrounded by great role models, mentors, and friends who have helped him to “live up to my promise to Marquette University to live a life consistent with our mission.”

Fun Facts:

Matt ran his first marathon in 2023 at the age of 45. His happy place is on the fly-fishing stream.

Name someone (past or present) with whom you’d like to have dinner:
Jesse Itzler, who has led a fascinating life as a rapper, serial entrepreneur, author, endurance athlete, and husband of Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx. “He’s a fun and motivational follow on social media,” Matt says, “and his book Living With A Seal is a fantastic read.”

Leave a congratulatory message for Matt!