UTSA Alumni Association announces annual excellence award recipients

AUGUST 6, 2024 — The UTSA Alumni Association will honor its 2024 annual award recipients for their service to the university at the UTSA Alumni Association’s annual gala later this week. The Lifetime Achievement Award will honor Steve ’92, M.S. ’93 and Tami Griffin ’94. The Outstanding Alumnus Award will recognize Tim Morrow ’97 and the Distinguished Service Award will go to Andrew Waterman ’03.

“This year’s award recipients embody the spirit of UTSA through their commitment to excellence, volunteerism, philanthropy and community,” said Karl Miller Lugo, UTSA vice president for advancement and alumni engagement. “UTSA alumni are talented and passionate individuals. I congratulate these extraordinary award winners and their families and applaud their efforts to remain engaged members of our Roadrunner family. Their work and generosity are continuing to create a bold future for UTSA and San Antonio.”

“I congratulate these extraordinary award winners and their families and applaud their efforts to remain engaged members of our Roadrunner family.”

2024 Lifetime Achievement Award: Steve and Tami Griffin 

Steve and Tami Griffin

The Griffins have been longtime supporters and passionate ambassadors of UTSA. They have made generous contributions to the College of Education and Human Development Urban School Leaders Collaborative and established the Betty Lou Griffin and Bertha Rae Damon Endowed Graduate Research Fellowship in Education. They also named the Steven E. Griffin Thermal Science Lab to help support student and faculty collaborations. In addition, Steve has mentored the UTSA R2D2 Visionaries senior mechanical engineering design team and supports UTSA’s Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) teams. Tami works with the Dream Runners program, organizing campus field trips for her students. The Griffins have remained engaged with UTSA through education, library and engineering advisory councils and have continuously supported student success initiatives and programs through the Alumni Board. 

Steve earned his B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering and is pursuing his Ph.D. in the field. Following an early career at Southwest Research Institute, he founded Carnot Emission Services in 2002, one of the largest small-engine emissions-testing organizations globally, which later sold to Intertek Group. Steve left Intertek as a general manager in 2022 to pursue other activities.

Tami earned a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies. She has over 30 years of experience in K-5 education as a counselor and educator in San Antonio and Poteet and earned her M.S. in counseling. The Griffins have three Roadrunner daughters: Caitlin Griffin ’20, Jensen Griffin ’22 and Emerson Griffin ’24.  While raising a family and working, the Griffins also host-parented 14 foreign exchange students over 30 years with most arriving through the American Field Service (AFS) Intercultural Programs.

Tami and Steve are South San West Campus High School sweethearts and are proud of their upbringing. Steve often references two quotes: “Grow where you’re planted,” from his friend Rex Hausmann and “The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan,” from his brother Tim Griffin.

“These themes remind us that we can grow our community forward and achieve success if we put our plans into action,” said Steve. “We are humbled and honored by this recognition.”

Tami added, “We believe that education is the experience that broadens outlooks and opportunity, and education exposes truths and chips away at ignorance in its many forms. The 2024 Life Achievement Award from the Alumni Association is the most incredible acknowledgement that we are making a difference by helping other doers achieve their own successes.”

2024 Outstanding Alumnus Award: Tim Morrow

Tim Morrow

Morrow graduated from the  UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts with a B.A. in sociology. Since 2014, he has served as president and CEO of the San Antonio Zoological Society, overseeing the San Antonio Zoo, the Will Smith Zoo School and the Center for Conservation and Research.

He leads a team of 10 executives managing over 700 employees and 600 volunteers who care for hundreds of animal species. Under his leadership, over $120 million in improvements have been made across the institution. Previously, Morrow enjoyed a 24-year career in the theme park industry, working for SeaWorld, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and other parks in Texas, Florida and Mexico.

Morrow is a member of the Young President’s Organization, a global community of over 35,000 CEOs dedicated to becoming better leaders and making a difference in their industries. He also serves on several boards, including as an executive committee member of the Texas Travel Alliance, and previously chaired the International Elephant Foundation and the San Antonio Visitors Alliance. 

Additionally, Morrow serves on the UTSA Development Board, UTSA Athletics Marketing Advisory Council and is a past board member of the UTSA Alumni Association. He is married to Jennifer Morrow. They have three children: Austin, Colton and Sofia.

“I am truly humbled and honored to be recognized as the 2024 Outstanding Alumnus awardee,” said Morrow. “However, I am prouder of and thankful for what my university has done for the community I love. It has been an amazing experience to watch, firsthand, the growth of UTSA, and I feel privileged to even be considered a small part of helping build that foundation and future for the students who will fill our shoes. Now and forever, I am a Roadrunner!”

2024 Distinguished Service Award: Andrew Waterman

Andrew Waterman

Waterman currently serves on the College Advisory Council of the Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and on the Roadrunner Foundation Board. In 2021, his family contributed to the UTSA Roadrunner Athletic Center of Excellence and in 2022, Waterman established the Waterman Construction Faculty Fellowship in Construction Science and Management. He also served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2012 to 2019, including as president from 2017 to 2018, and is a former member of the UTSA Development Board.

Waterman graduated from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business with a B.B.A. in construction management. He has served as the president of Waterman Construction since founding the company in December 2017 with his father and brothers, Arthur Waterman and Ross Langham ’10. Previously, Waterman was the regional vice president for Journeyman Construction, where he oversaw the San Antonio office. With 20 years of project management experience, he has managed projects for various clients, including Bexar and Travis counties, the University of Texas at Austin, local school districts, TxDOT, Department of Defense, and various private developers.

In 2017, Waterman made the Engineering News-Record’s Top 20 Under 40 and the San Antonio Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 lists. He served on the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce board from 2014 to 2016 and participated in San Antonio’s ACE Mentor Program. An Eagle Scout, he has also worked with the Boy Scouts of America Alamo Area Council. Waterman is married to Mary Christie Waterman. They have four young children: Lucy, Roy, Henry and Vivian.  

“To me, the honor is seeing the growth in our university and the ability to continually give back and support UTSA’s mission,” said Waterman. “It’s about preparing students to make a lasting impact in their fields and establishing lifelong relationships, which ultimately drives positive economic and social progress in San Antonio, the great state of Texas, and beyond. I’m deeply humbled to be recognized among those who’ve strengthened our community, and grateful to receive this from people who have profoundly impacted my life. I’m committed to ongoing service to sustain and enhance UTSA’s momentum in the years to come. Go ‘Runners!”

This year, the Gala’s leadership includes the Alumni Association Board of Directors, co-chairs Melissa Adame ’98 and Marissa Scheffler ’07, and their executive director and assistant vice president for alumni engagement, Russell Wagner. Each year, a portion of the Gala’s proceeds support the Alumni Association Student Scholarship Fund, which awards $150,000 in scholarships to nearly 40 students annually.

The Griffins, Morrow and Waterman will be recognized at the 24th Annual UTSA Alumni Gala at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa. This year’s theme is “24 Karat Bold: Not Afraid to Shine.” More than 600 spirited alumni are expected to attend.

“The Alumni Gala provides a unique opportunity for alumni, community members, family, faculty and friends to connect and celebrate the profound impact of our Alumni programs and student scholarships. There is truly no other event that captures the spirit and pride of UTSA like this one,” shared Adame.

"Each gala awardee serves as a powerful reminder of the impact UTSA graduates have on their professions and communities," said Scheffler. "It fills me with great pride and gratitude to celebrate fellow alumni achievements and support student growth through this event. Birds Up!"

— Jennilee Garcia