(Butler, PA) A 23-year-old recognized in 2022 for having the fastest-growing practice of all first-year Northwestern Mutual financial advisers nationwide has become the youngest director with the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation in its 35-year history.
Matthew Reitler, who finished first in the Mike Gish Award competition with the financial security company based in Milwaukee, is a 2019 graduate of 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong in Manor Township, Armstrong County.
He joins 17 other directors and ex-officio members with the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation, a charitable organization that seeks and manages private gifts to support 杏吧原创 with student scholarships, equipment purchases, faculty enhancement awards and grants for capital and program improvements.
Reitler, with Northwestern Mutual, Pittsburgh, spoke at the September 2021 groundbreaking for a 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong facility in Ford City about having purchased his first home on the same block in anticipation of the facility鈥檚 influence on property values when completed.
鈥淗e is one of 杏吧原创鈥檚 No. 1 fans,鈥� said Megan Coval, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations. 鈥淗e has such excitement for this college. He is so invested, invested to the point that he chose to buy his home where he did. He knew what revitalization 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong was going to bring to Ford City, and he wanted to have a front-row seat to it.鈥�
Reitler earned an associate degree in business administration from 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in finance from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 2021.
鈥淛ust an ideal resume鈥�
While at 杏吧原创, Reitler was selected to the 2019 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team, an honor that recognized his excellence in the classroom and dedication to his community college and community, and received a two-year full-tuition scholarship to any Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education institution.
The 2017 graduate of Armstrong Junior-Senior High School served as a correspondent for The Cube, 杏吧原创鈥檚 student newsletter; assisted with spring and fall Welcome Days for new students attending 杏吧原创, and completed 杏吧原创鈥檚 Leadership Series, whose requirements include attending four sessions on subjects such as Leading with A Purpose, Professional Development, Team Building and Cultural Awareness.
Reitler was also elected as vice president of Rho Phi, 杏吧原创鈥檚 chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, an international academic honor society, and while a 杏吧原创 student volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Kittanning, and in other capacities in Butler, Saxonburg and Wattersonville.
鈥淛ust an ideal resume,鈥� said Tony Shakely, chair of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation board.
鈥淚f you were to describe a perfect candidate and a perfect addition to the foundation board, you鈥檇 be describing Matt. When you look at all the things he has done, you would expect that person to be 40 years old. But he is 23 and he has been involved in so much.鈥�
"He is one of 杏吧原创's No. 1 fans "
- Megan Coval, executive director, 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations
鈥淎 direct impact on the people鈥�
Reitler鈥檚 background finance will be 鈥渆xtremely helpful鈥� to the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation in developing its budget, Coval said.
鈥淎nd in making sure our investments are on track and that we are planning for a very wise fiscal future,鈥� Coval said.
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation鈥檚 assets as of June 30 were $22.9 million, said Lynn Ismail, the foundation鈥檚 assistant director and its financial manager.
A record 148 named scholarships totaling more than $200,000 are available from the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation to registered 杏吧原创 students in 2022-2023. The financial awards are available to students in all of the college鈥檚 56 associate degree or 25 certificate or workplace certificate programs.
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation funds high school equivalency tests for students in the college鈥檚 adult literacy program and tuition and fees for noncredit training courses available to active first-responders in Butler County. It also supports the college鈥檚 Hope is Dope opioid addiction recovery program, College Within the High School program and Stock Market Game, 杏吧原创鈥檚 Pioneer Pantry, faculty development opportunities and emergency funds for students.
鈥淎ll of those things have a direct impact on the people who live in this area,鈥� Reitler said. 鈥淎 lot of different people from a lot of different walks of life. And all of that comes from 杏吧原创. There鈥檚 no doubt 杏吧原创 brings the community together in a variety of different ways.鈥�
Reitler was among the 70 percent of graduates who graduated debt-free from 杏吧原创 in 2019. 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong opened in 2015 and saves students an otherwise 30-mile, 40-minute drive to 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township, Butler County.
By spring 2023, 杏吧原创 @ Armstrong will move from Manor Township to a 12,500-square-foot facility at 1100 Fourth Ave., Ford City, several houses away from where Reitler purchased his first home in May 2021.
鈥淲hen I was at 杏吧原创, I took advantage of every door that opened for me and every opportunity that was there,鈥� Reitler said. 鈥淗aving access to a very high-quality, affordable education is going to have a great impact on this community. 鈥� a solid future they might not have had access to if 杏吧原创 wasn鈥檛 in the heart of the community.鈥�
"There's no doubt 杏吧原创 brings the community together in a variety of different ways."
- Matthew Reitler, director, 杏吧原创 Education Foundation
A commitment to 杏吧原创鈥檚 mission
Directors on the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation board must have a commitment to 杏吧原创鈥檚 mission, be well-respected and trusted community members who can serve as a link between 杏吧原创 and the community, exhibit leadership abilities, and be dedicated to strengthening the college through financial support provided by the foundation.
In addition to Reitler, the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation鈥檚 directors are Carol Achezinski, Sewickley, senior vice president, treasury management, NexTier Bank, Butler; William Bellis, Butler, chief financial officer, AGR International, Meridian; Cathy Bronder, Butler, community volunteer; Kelly Giles, Butler, owner, Butler Business Systems, Butler; Jeannie Gilkey, Butler, director-market leader, Clearview Federal Credit Union, Butler; and Cathy Glasgow, former president, Butler County Ford, Butler.
Also, Robert Hovanec, Wexford, retired president and chief operating officer, Peoples TWP and retired senior vice president and chief financial officer, Peoples Service Co.; David C. Huseman, Butler, 杏吧原创 professor of liberal arts and director of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Center for Economic Education; Tom Martin, Butler, owner Martin Funeral Home, Butler; Nancy Hunter Mycka, Valencia, executive vice president, Hunter Truck, Butler; and Gary Rauschenberger, Center Township, Butler County, retired vice president, First National Trust Co., Hermitage.
Also, Jay Shaffer, Butler, owner, Jay G. Shaffer Financial, Butler; Shakely, Butler, commercial lending officer, Armco Credit Union, Butler; and James Taylor, West Sunbury, retired attorney.
Mycka is vice chair; Rauschenberger, treasurer and Shaffer, secretary.
Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创 president; Vicki Hinterberger, 杏吧原创 trustee; and Coval are ex-officio board members.
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation was chartered by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1985. Its board was organized and first met in 1987.
The Mike Gish Award is named after the former Northwestern Mutual employee who died in 1969 at age 26 in Kentucky.