“Charlie and I started SWBC on April fool’s day,” Gary Dudley, President and Co-founder of SWBC, said to an audience of hundreds of San Antonio business leaders at the Chamber’s Pathfinder awards luncheon this afternoon. “A lot of you look at me like that makes sense,” Dudley adds, making the crowd burst out into laughter.
“The Pathfinder award is the Chamber’s most prestigious award,” Chamber President & CEO Richard Perez said to open the event. “It recognizes individuals who have forged new and innovative courses for our city and our region,” Perez added.
Like our 2016 award honorees, Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley, past recipients Governor Rick Perry, Governor Dolph Briscoe, Ed Whitaker, Red McCombs, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and David Robinson have done just that. “With Charlie and Gary’s contributions to the San Antonio economy for so many years, along with their philanthropic spirit, you can understand why they are truly Pathfinders,” Perez remarked.
Charlie and Gary started SWBC 40 years ago with only $1,500. Since then, they have built a diversified financial services company that employs approximately 2,800 people. Both of these individuals have made sure that SWBC as a company is committed to supporting our community through their service as well as through their philanthropic contributions.
“They admit that in the early years, they chose to move to San Antonio because they saw it as a city that fostered success,” 2016 Chamber Chairman and Regional Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs at AT&T Renée Flores said. “We are fortunate to have them as key players in our business community.”
Both Gary and Charlie immediately expressed their thanks to their team at SWBC.
“There’s a saying that you always want to hire someone smarter than you,” Gary Dudley joked, crediting his fantastic staff at SWBC. “We would not be standing up here if it wasn’t for you and our SWBC family,” Charlie Amato confessed.
Dudley and Amato are also co-owners of the San Antonio Spurs and have contributed to the team greatly for many years. Spurs legend David Robinson thanked SWBC’s co-founders, describing them with a fitting compliment.
“You have truly been pathfinders in San Antonio,” the Admiral said. “You have brought great energy and activity to San Antonio. You are a unique set of treasures.”
