Posted on January 6, 2025 by Wendy Frost
Annette, '88 and Stewart Goodson, '84 have devoted their careers to giving back to the accounting profession and supporting fellow Roadrunners.
From recruiting for their respective firms to lecturing Alvarez students to leading college advisory boards, they are always willing to support their alma mater.
Understanding the significance of not only obtaining a college education, but also finding a rewarding career, Stewart retired this year as the managing director of private tax from EY. His distinguished 40-year career included working with high net-worth private clients and their businesses and leading the tax technology effort for the private tax team globally.
Annette retired last year as a director at ATKG after a 20-year career where she also worked as their chief talent scout. She began her career at EY where she worked for 10 years, then transitioned outside of public accounting to Gambrinus as a tax manager. Advocating for their beloved profession, they’ve worked to promote the field of accounting to current students.
“A lot of students who had traditionally gone into accounting are now choosing other areas. I do not think students really understand all of the career opportunities in accounting. It’s not just about numbers, it’s more about relationships,” said Annette, who chaired and served as a member of the college’s Accounting Advisory Board.
The Goodsons both relate to the challenges that first-generation college students face. They were both the first in their families to obtain a college education, and they worked while doing so.
“When I attended UTSA it was a commuter school and many of the students were older,” said Stewart, who is chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council. “We didn’t have a lot of time for the extracurricular stuff, which was
unfortunate. That is partly why I give back now.”
Serving both the college as well as the Department of Accounting, Stewart was the first chair of the college’s Accounting Advisory Board. And, both Goodsons have been named Outstanding Accounting Alumni of the Year from the accounting department. While chair of the Accounting Advisory Board, Annette was instrumental in creating the department’s mentorship program.
“Dr. [Elaine] Sanders and I developed the guidelines and the processes to facilitate the program,” said Annette. “We recruited mentors into the program to work with students to not only develop their professional skills, but
also develop their business networks.”
Remembering faculty like Marshall Pitman and Lou Curry, they relished the relationships that they developed with their professors. “The professors really cared about the students and were willing to go the extra mile for us,” said Annette.
Looking back on their careers, they value the network and friendships that they made along with the alumni they’ve been able to see develop within the industry. “Seeing the people that I recruited and mentored within the profession become professionals and grow in their career has given me the greatest sense of satisfaction. Knowing that I played a really small part in it makes me proud of what they’ve achieved as well,” said Annette.
“I did everything I could to get Roadrunners hired in both audit and tax,” said Stewart. “That is one of my greatest accomplishments.”
With UTSA’s first-generation students still hovering around 45%, Stewart envisions his role on the Dean’s Advisory Council as making sure the right resources are available to students and helping Dean Jonathon
Halbesleben achieve his mission.
“I’m here to support the students,” said Stewart. “I enjoy giving back. That is just how I was raised.”
Shifting those roles as they enter retirement, the Goodsons look forward to spending more time with their three children and grandchildren, traveling and staying active in their church.
“UTSA did a good job at giving us that foundation and the critical thinking skills that we needed to be successful,” said Annette. “I wouldn’t have had that without their strong accounting program, great faculty and great advisors to help me get to the right place to start my career. I owe it to the next generation.”
— Wendy Frost
