A Big Brother’s Impact: Ron Matz and Baird Empower Twin Cities Youth to Win!
July 29, 2025, Nohad Awada
Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities is proud to be one of 32 recipients of the 2025 Paul Purcell “Kids Win!” Annual Baird Education Grant, honoring the legacy of Baird’s former Chairman & CEO, Paul E. Purcell. Known for his lifelong commitment to educational equity, Paul believed in one core principle when evaluating impact: Do the kids win?
Thanks to the support of Baird and the sponsorship of Big Brother Ron Matz, the answer for Little Brother Aaron is a resounding yes.
Ron and Aaron have been matched for over two years through Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities. Their connection was instant, and over time, it has grown into a mentorship rooted in shared interests, personal growth, and a genuine desire to learn from each other. Whether it’s trading forehands on the tennis court or designing a retirement readiness app together, this match is a powerful example of how mentorship creates opportunity.
“Aaron is an outstanding software developer,” says Ron. “He helped take his high school team to the state robotics tournament and has even worked with me on developing a financial app to encourage people to save for retirement.” Along the way, there have been instances where Aaron was the one teaching Ron by sharing his skills and pulling him into brainstorming sessions. “I’ve gained so much more from my relationship with Aaron than I’ve given,” Ron reflects.
Through the Big Futures program, an initiative designed to help youth explore college and career pathways, Aaron has been encouraged to think intentionally about his goals. That experience sparked something in Ron, too. He realized that the resources available through his employer, Baird, could help Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities go even further.
“Big Futures has helped Aaron consider what he wants to accomplish in life,” Ron shared. “That inspired me to tap into what Baird has to offer. I was proud to sponsor BBBS for this grant because I’ve seen firsthand how the program supports young people like Aaron.”
The Baird Foundation’s support amplifies our mission to ignite the power and promise of youth through mentorship. With funding from the Paul Purcell “Kids Win!” Education Grant, we’re able to maintain our career-readiness programs for Littles across the Twin Cities.
We’re deeply grateful to Baird for their commitment to youth-serving organizations, and to Ron for being an advocate not only in Aaron’s life, but in our broader community. Because when mentors show up and partners invest in our work, everyone wins – especially the kids.
Learn more about Baird’s “Kids Win!” grant here: https://www.rwbaird.com/kidswin/
Sign up to be a Big for Twin Cities youth: https://www.bigstwincities.org/volunteer/
