Matthew David Andersen

He is survived by his wife, Brooke Palmer, sister and brother-in-law, Jayne and Dr. John Saniat, nieces and nephews, Nina Saniat and Johnny and Mrs. Lisette Saniat. Matt’ was preceded in death by his parents.

Matt was an official with the U.S. Department of Commerce for 37 years. He most recently was director of the International Trade Administration (ITA) in San Diego, involved in export expansion and international business development for U.S. companies.

In 2015, Matt received the USDOC's Bronze Award for Superior Federal Service. He served as the Director of the USDOC/USCS San Francisco Bay Area office for over two years. In 2004, he received the award of National Manager of the Year for the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS).

In Washington, D.C., he served as Program Manager for USDOC’s Technology and Aerospace industry offices in the ITA, functioning as Chief of Staff to support 70 trade professionals.

While in the private sector, Matt worked for Cray Research Inc. (then a world-leading manufacturer of supercomputers) as their Manager for International Affairs.

Matt received a bachelor of arts degree from DePaul University, Chicago, in 1982. He earned a master's degree of public administration from American University in Washington, D.C., in 1985.

A longtime resident of Oak Lawn, Illinois, and a 1978 graduate of Oak Lawn Community High School, Matt was an animal lover, an avid sports fan, a devout music lover, especially of The Beatles, a loving and generous friend who will be deeply missed by many.

A memorial service to celebrate Matt's life will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the non profit organization of your choice.