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Profile: Mark Santarsiero ’80, Accounting
Mark Santarsiero ’80 initially planned to study architecture at Penn State University. But when his beloved grandfather fell ill, he knew he needed to stay closer to home.
So, upon graduating from the former Scranton Central High School in 1976, the South Scranton native enrolled at The University of Scranton, eventually deciding to study accounting. That education provided the foundation for a highly successful career, with Santarsiero spending the past 23 years as the president and CEO of Los Angeles-based financial valuation advisory firm Marshall & Stevens, Inc. and its subsidiary company, MS Capital Investment Banking.
Last year, Marshall & Stevens brought on an outside investor that allowed it to significantly expand its operations.
“It’s been a fantastic experience, and it’s a very exciting time,” said Santarsiero, of Huntington Beach, California. “We now have 125 employees, and by the end of the year we’ll have between 200 and 250.”
The company’s growth has put Santarsiero in the position to give back philanthropically to the University. Recently, he established two Santarsiero Family Scholarships – one annual, one endowed – that will benefit accounting students from the Scranton area.
“I knew that as soon as I was able to make a reasonable contribution, I was going to do it,” he said. “I understand where I came from and what the University gave to me, so I’m really thrilled to be able to give back and help students in need. I’ve been watching the University’s growth over the years, so it’s thrilling to now be a part of it.”
Santarsiero said his years at the University provided him with both the technical knowledge and moral framework needed to succeed career-wise.
“It really expanded the universe for me,” he said. “It exposed me to a more diverse group of people and opened me up to different ways of thinking. And I got to test my own limits, to see what I was capable of. It provided me with the desire to move on with my education and get out in the world and show what I could do.”
One of Joe and Lois Santarsiero’s six children, Santarsiero gets back to Scranton at least once a year to see family. Often, those visits include a stop at the University, where his sister, Lori Flynn, is a longtime staff member in the Office of the Registrar and Academic Services.
Santarsiero has three sons, Jordan, Marcus and Eric. Jordan and Eric are products of Jesuit institutions, Loyola Marymount University and the University of San Francisco, respectively. Marcus is autistic, which has added an important dimension to Mark’s family and created another reason for his desire to help others.
“I’m happy to say we’ve stayed true to the Jesuit model,” Santarsiero said. “The collegial relationships I formed at a Jesuit university allowed me to expand my values and skill set, and I’ve tried to do that with the people I work with. It’s the collective group that makes the company successful, and I really did learn that at the U.”
