Move the needle
Omar Marrero ’02 made the leap from University of Dayton student government to second-in-command of his native Puerto Rico, helping lead the island’s recovery from a devastating series of hurricanes.
Even before being named secretary of state and lieutenant governor in 2021, Marrero was regarded for his efforts to bring financial stability back to the island in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. His frequent appearances before Congress and his meeting in 2022 with President Joe Biden in Puerto Rico helped secure federal dollars for reconstruction efforts.
“This role of public servant is such a privilege and a dream come true — to move the needle in favor of future generations through fiscal restructuring and to be a part of the history of your people and your community,” Marrero said. “I am focused on the mission of helping others and allowing a new Puerto Rico to prosper.”
His degree in accounting and finance wasn’t the only part of his UD education that has proven invaluable.
“By going to a Marianist school, I learned that God gives you talents and you must use them to serve others,” Marrero said. “Those values were instilled in me in so many ways at UD.”
Marrero was at home in San Juan with his wife and then 7-year-old son when Hurricane Maria hit, knocking out the island’s electrical grid. His home was without power for 90 days, but as a government official — he was then executive director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority — Marrero sprang into action.
“The government was a casualty of the worst hurricane in many generations.”
“We are a small island, dependent upon long-distance transmission lines to deliver energy. The entire energy system collapsed during the hurricane. We experienced a bottleneck of lifeline systems,” he recalled
It has been a thrilling and often arduous journey from president of UD’s Latin American Association of Students to adviser for governors and presidents, requiring Marrero to perform the equivalent of several full-time jobs. In addition to the dual role of secretary of state and lieutenant governor, Marrero has served since 2019 as executive director of the Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority, leading Puerto Rico’s debt restructuring and the management and oversight of federal funds.
Marrero earned a law degree from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico and a degree in corporate law from New York University. He was admitted to the New York State bar.
When he walks the majestic halls of Congress or the White House, he said he's often reminded of the high privilege to serve his native island.
As a government-authorized representative, Marrero made numerous trips to Washington, D.C., to plead for maximum federal aid before Congressional subcommittees and federal agencies. His mandate: building transparency measures and demonstrating that Puerto Rico could handle reconstruction in a compliant and efficient manner.
“Puerto Rico had a shaky financial chapter, so the best way to build trust was to get to work and to implement best practices,” he recalled.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden conferred with Marrero, Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi and other government officials when they visited Puerto Rico in October 2022, following Hurricane Fiona.
“We were able to stress that we needed to optimize this window for reconstruction,” Marrero said. “President Biden got the message, and federal agencies were able to expedite this emergency response.”
Marrero’s persuasive powers are familiar to longtime colleague Fernando Batlle, who advises the Puerto Rican government on strategic and financial matters.
“Omar was key in providing credibility, whether appearing before federal and state government officials or negotiating with bondholders, which is no easy task,” Batlle said.
His level-headedness and pragmatism are paired with a winning optimism, Batlle said: “Between the financial crisis and the hurricanes, you could take a negative view. But Omar communicates that Puerto Rico has a bright future for many reasons. One of the responsibilities of his job is to be a cheerleader for the island, and he is very good at that.”
Marrero transferred to UD in 2000 after a weekend campus visit. As a graduate of a Catholic high school, he immediately felt at home.
“Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I have made in my career,” he said. “I acquired a top-notch education that prepared me for this role, but I also absorbed the atmosphere and the values.”
“‘Learn, lead and serve’ is not just a slogan; it’s a way of life. Those are three simple words that carry a lot of weight, affirming you are a leader who always keeps learning and developing yourself.”
A French immersion program at the University of Quebec during his junior year prepared Marrero for a life on the world stage.
“It was in Dayton that I learned that global mindset, without knowing that life would bring me to this role,” Marrero said.
UD’s significant population of Puerto Rican students has, in turn, strengthened that international perspective.
“They have had an influence on the University from the University president on down,” said Myron Achbach ’58, director of admissions emeritus. “They have taught our students about Puerto Rican culture and have broken down walls and misconceptions.”
Achbach initiated a program of recruiting high school students from Puerto Rico in 1976 with the help of the strong Marianist community there. (An endowed scholarship for Puerto Rican students has since been established in his name.) He became a mentor to these students so far from home, keeping in touch with many after graduation.
“Omar knows where he is from, and he values his roots,” Achbach said. “I like to think UD instilled the idea that you’re obligated not just to graduate but to reach out and to do good in the world.”
Marrero often gathers with fellow UD alumni in Puerto Rico to cheer on the Flyers and reminisce about life in Dayton. He said he cherishes memories — not only of celebrations such as Homecoming and Christmas on Campus — but also of the somber gathering on campus after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“When sad moments happened, we were all together. That attests to the fact that we were one big community.”
He sees that sense of community, of rebirth, in Puerto Ricans’ response to the back-to-back challenges of Hurricane Maria, the pandemic and a financial crisis. Tourism is breaking records, he noted, while the island’s economy has diversified. Neighbors rallied after the hurricanes to help each other.
“There has been a lot of suffering and a lot of damage,” he said, “but God has given us an opportunity to rebuild in a stronger way and a more resilient way.”
Photos courtesy Omar Marrero