Charlie Amato graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1970 with a bachelor of business administration degree, and started his career with Bay City Bank & Trust. In 1976 he and another SHSU alum, Gary Dudley, founded Southwest Business Corporation.

He has served as chairman of that corporation for the past 25 years, during which the company has experienced rapid growth, with more than $45 million in revenue in 2001, and recognition as one of the 50 Fastest Growing Companies in San Antonio.
A resident of San Antonio, he has made significant contributions to that city, serving as chairman of the board of the Christus Santa Rosa Health Care Corporation. He also serves as a board member of the University of the Incarnate Word, the University of Texas-San Antonio College of Business Advisory Council and the UTSA Development Board, the Alamo Bowl, the San Antonio Spurs Foundation, the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation, the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, where he served as chairman in 2000, and the United Way. He is chair-elect for 2001 of the Children's Miracle Network Board of Trustees.

In 1992 he was recognized as the South Texas Entrepreneur of the year for financial services. In 1998 he received the Department of the Army Commander's Award for Public Service Medal and, in 1999, was honored by SHSU's College of Business Administration as an Executive-in-Residence. He is a member of the College of Business Administration Advisory Council and this year will serve as council chairman.

He was selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000, but his presentation was delayed because he was unable to attend last year's award dinner.

As profiled at the November 9, 2001 Distinguished Alumni Banquet