Posted on March 31, 2026 by Wendy Frost
Antonio Furino and his wife, Harriette, are leaving a legacy to support future business students.
Antonio Furino
Prior to his passing in 2023 founding faculty member Antonio Furino and his wife, Harriette, included a gift in their will to UT San Antonio to create a permanent scholarship—the Antonio and Harriette Woody Furino Memorial Student Scholarship Endowment.
A Renaissance man, Furino loved traveling, sports cars and the finer things in life. His true calling though was being a “professore.”
“He liked to teach and help others learn,” shared Harriette, his wife of 46 years. “He had the vision that something good was going to happen at UT San Antonio. He wanted to do his part in making education attainable for students from all backgrounds.”
Furino joined the university in 1973 and was promoted to professor of economics in 1976. He was instrumental in establishing one of the university’s first centers, the Center for Studies in Business, Economics and Human Resources and served as its first director. In 1987 he began teaching economics courses to dental students at the UT San Antonio Health Science Center. He left UT San Antonio in 1990 to found and direct their Center for Health Economics & Policy.
A native of Rome, he worked for the Italian movie industry as a freelance dialogue and script writer while he pursued his education. He obtained a J.D. from the University of Rome before coming to the United States in 1958. He and Harriette first met at the University of Houston where she received her bachelor’s degree, while Antonio earned a master’s and Ph.D. in economics.
“Antonio was the love of my life,” said Harriette. “He was dedicated to learning and teaching and enjoyed working with the students. He didn’t set out to build a legacy, but it lives in what has come to pass at both UT San Antonio and UT San Antonio Health Science Center. This scholarship will forever be a testament to both his commitment to UT San Antonio and furthering the education of others.”
— Wendy Frost
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