Posted on October 24, 2024 by Wendy Frost
Ten alumni from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business at UTSA were recognized for their accomplishments during an inaugural Alumni Awards Dinner on Oct. 18.
Alumni Awards Ceremony
“With over 42,000 alumni, we wanted to establish this tradition to recognize and celebrate our alumni accomplishments,” said Jonathon Halbesleben, dean of the Alvarez College of Business. “We have amazing alumni who are leaders across many disciplines. This is just the beginning of our efforts to share their stories.”
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
Bill Morrow, ’86 is the chief executive officer of Acumera, a leading provider of network solutions for manageability, visibility and security for multi-site businesses in the retail and hospitality industries. With a career spanning over two decades, he has founded and built multiple companies in the telecommunications and data-security markets. The last company he founded, CSIdentity, became the dominant provider of data analytics, ID theft and security services for the identity theft space. It grew to serve over 20 million accounts prior to being acquired by Experian, PLC.
Under his leadership, Acumera has expanded its product offerings, strengthened its market position and enhanced its reputation as a trusted partner for businesses seeking robust network solutions. Over the last four years, Morrow’s leadership has led the company’s growth from 5,000 sites to 55,000 sites served and growth of revenue from $5 to $55 million. He is passionate about leveraging technology to solve complex business challenges and is a strong advocate for fostering innovation within the organization. He holds a B.B.A. in Management from UTSA.
Outstanding Alumnus Service Award
Marissa Scheffler, ’07 is the assistant vice president of human resources at Generations Federal Credit Union. With nearly two decades of experience, she leads the human resources team in providing comprehensive support across recruitment, benefits, compensation, payroll and employee relations.
Scheffler’s donated countless hours to the Alumni Association, started the association’s first Governance Committee and co-chaired the Gala this year. She’s also donated her time by mentoring business students, working with the SHRM Chapter at UTSA and supporting UTSA’s Fostering Futures program. She holds a B.B.A. in Human Resources Management.
Rising Star Alumnus Award
Jakeim Jackson-Bell, ’15 is the global director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at (DEIB) Energizer Holdings. Before joining Energizer, he became the first person to lead DEIB efforts for the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum.
Jackson-Bell is recognized for his proactive leadership in advocating for mental health, authenticity in the workplace and community engagement. In 2023, he was featured in Forbes for creating a trailblazing fellowship program to develop and grow Black and Brown talent. He recently served as President of UTSA’s Black Roadrunner Alumni Council. He holds a B.B.A. in Human Resources Management from UTSA and a MBA from Texas Southern University.
Alumni Achievement Award Winners
Dayton Closser, ’20, M.S.I.T. ’22 is the owner of Aston Hill Limited Liability Company, a company that services the diagnostics of Aston Martin Lagondas and Jaguars. He is pursuing a M.S. degree in the Electrical & Computer Engineering Quantum Computing Program at Duke University. He received his B.B.A. and M.S. in Information Technology in Cyber Security at UTSA.
Will Curtis, ’13 is the commercial managing director for Phyllis Browning Company. He has completed more than $1.2 billion in transactions and has an extensive background in property and asset management, with the primary focus of his business in medical office, industrial and veteran-owned businesses. He received his B.B.A. in Real Estate Finance and Development from UTSA and holds a MBA from St. Mary’s University.
Cheryl Garcia, ’85, EMBA ’99 is senior vice president and head of government transportation at U.S. Bank. She heads a team that delivers best-in-class payment solutions for more than 70 federal agencies and state governments. Garcia founded three transportation companies while earning a B.B.A. in Finance at UTSA and later her Executive MBA before selling to a regional firm.
Ben Graf, M.S. ’21 is the chief data scientist at Matrix Design Group. He applies data visualization, advanced statistical analysis, modeling and machine learning to solve complex problems for government clients. Before joining Matrix, Graf spent nearly 20 years with the Air Force Civil Service. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Rice University and a Master of Science in Statistics and Data Science from UTSA.
Frank Laborde, ’84 is founder and owner of Laborde & Associates, a bilingual CPA firm on the Southside of San Antonio. Today Laborde & Associates stands as one of the early adopters into the revitalization of Southtown and the Lone Star District. He holds a B.B.A. in Accounting and Business Data Systems from UTSA and was one of the founding members of the college’s Beta Alpha Psi student chapter.
Duane Nagel, ’96 serves as senior associate dean at the Barton School of Business at Wichita State University. With over 15 years of industry experience, Nagel has worked on leading global brands while bringing practical business insights into his academic role. His research focuses on the integration of technology and brand engagement. Nagel earned his Ph.D. from Florida State University; his MBA from Colorado State University; and his B.B.A. in Marketing from UTSA.
Renee Watson, ’86 is director of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department of Bexar County. She is responsible for coordinating, facilitating and implementing the county’s Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program. She is an alumnus of Leadership Texas, the Ph.D. Project and Leadership San Antonio. She holds a MPA from Baruch College at CUNY and a B.B.A. in Management from UTSA.
The Alvarez Alumni Awards honor alumni who have gained distinction through success in their professions, service to the college and contributions to their community.
— Wendy Frost
