Donald E. Willmoth Sr. ’68 began his journey toward a lifetime of entrepreneurship, service, and writing with an opportunity to continue his education while serving his country. A member of McMurry University’s Class of 1968, Willmoth credits his McMurry education with providing a foundation that would influence his professional life for decades to come.
While serving in the United States Air Force as an Air Policeman at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, Willmoth had the opportunity to take classes offered by McMurry University on the base. This allowed him to continue his education while fulfilling his military responsibilities.
Balancing military service and college was challenging, but the experience helped shape his approach to life and work. Managing both responsibilities taught him discipline, time management, responsibility, and perseverance. He learned the importance of staying focused on his goals, even when circumstances were demanding.
His professors at McMurry also played an important role in his development, providing more than a business education. Their knowledge, encouragement, and practical understanding of business helped shape the way he thought, made decisions, and approached challenges.
Willmoth eventually received an early discharge from the Air Force to complete his education at McMurry, earning his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1968. Looking back, he recognizes how those years helped prepare him for the opportunities and challenges that would follow.
For Willmoth, McMurry provided more than a degree. It offered lessons that he would carry throughout his career, including critical thinking, problem-solving, effective communication, discipline, and hard work.
His military experience strengthened those qualities, teaching him the importance of commitment, preparation, teamwork, and accepting responsibility. Together, his education and military service helped prepare him to take the next step in his professional journey.
“When I look back, I see a connection between all these experiences,” Willmoth reflected. “McMurry gave me an educational foundation. The Air Force gave me discipline and responsibility. Entrepreneurship allowed me to put those lessons into practice. Writing gave me a way to share what I learned with others.”
That foundation proved especially valuable when he decided to pursue entrepreneurship and establish his own business.
After completing his education and military service, Willmoth founded AFTE Financial Services Inc. in Houston, Texas. What began as a business venture grew into a career spanning 48 years.
Through AFTE Financial Services, he worked with individuals, business owners, corporations, and trusts, helping clients navigate tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, and other financial and business matters.
Building a business from the ground up required the confidence to take calculated risks, the discipline to remain focused, and the determination to keep moving forward when challenges arose. Willmoth drew upon the principles he learned at McMurry as he worked to grow his company and serve his clients.
Over the years, AFTE gained recognition for its early adoption of computer technology in business. According to the company’s history, it was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine and other business publications. In 1981, IBM featured AFTE nationwide during its Freedom ’81 tour, recognizing the company for its early use of personal computers in business.
For Willmoth, that recognition reinforced a belief he carried throughout his career: a small business can accomplish big things when its owner is willing to embrace new ideas and technology.
His experience also taught him that entrepreneurship involves much more than starting a company. It requires solving problems, serving customers, adapting to change, and continuing to learn through every stage of the journey.
As AFTE Financial Services grew, Willmoth experienced another meaningful milestone: bringing his son, Don Willmoth Jr., into the business.
Reflecting on his career, Willmoth identifies that decision as one of the best things he did for the company. He credits his son with playing an instrumental role in building AFTE Financial Services into a prominent financial services company.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Willmoth found another way to share the knowledge he gained through decades of professional experience: writing.
His books focus on starting and managing a business, understanding tax laws, and making informed financial decisions. Among his published titles are How to Set Up and Manage Your Own Business, How to Set Up and Manage Your Own Business Under President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and How to Pay Less Taxes Under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Through his writing, Willmoth aims to make practical information accessible to entrepreneurs, business owners, and individuals seeking to understand better how to build a business, manage expenses, and navigate taxes.
After nearly five decades in business, he believes some of the most valuable lessons are those learned through experience. Writing has allowed him to share those lessons with a broader audience and help others make informed decisions about their financial and professional futures.
Nearly six decades after graduating, Willmoth remains grateful for the education, values, and experiences he received at McMurry University.
“Being a McMurry alumnus today means carrying with me the education, values, relationships, and experiences that helped shape the person I have become,” he shared. “Looking back over the past 60 years, I am grateful for the foundation McMurry provided and proud to remain part of the McMurry community.”
His journey illustrates how the lessons gained during college can continue to influence a person’s decisions and accomplishments long after graduation. From balancing military service with his studies to building a business and becoming an author, Willmoth’s experiences reflect the importance of education, persistence, and a willingness to keep learning.
For today’s McMurry students, he offers advice rooted in the same principles that guided his own journey.
“Believe in yourself, work hard, and never be afraid to pursue your dreams,” he advises.
He encourages students to take chances, learn from their mistakes, build relationships with people who support their growth, and maintain their integrity. He also emphasizes the importance of making the most of their college years, pursuing learning opportunities, and continuing to set new goals.
“Your future is not simply something that happens to you, it is something you help build, one decision and one step at a time.”
For Willmoth, the journey that began with classes at McMurry while serving at Dyess Air Force Base grew into a lifetime of professional accomplishments, family involvement, and sharing knowledge with others. Through it all, his McMurry education remains an important part of his story and a foundation he continues to value today.
Have a story to share about life after McMurry? Whether you’re celebrating a career milestone, making a difference in your community, or pursuing a passion, the Alumni Office would love to hear from you. To share your story or suggest a fellow alum for a future feature, contact alumni@mcm.edu.