Samuel Golden Celebrates Faith, Family and Purpose During UNT Book Tour Stop
On the morning of his 70th birthday, Samuel P. Golden (’74) had a letter waiting for him — a handwritten letter from his daughter, Jaclyn Golden Malone (’06), encouraging him to put his own pen to paper and tell his life story in his own words for future generations of Goldens.
Jaclyn’s letter sparked a fire in Golden, and he began typing that very morning, thus beginning the three-year journey writing his memoir, “A Golden Legacy: Faith, Family and a Life of Purpose.” Now on a book tour, Golden will make a stop at UNT’s Denton campus on March 26, 2026, signing copies and engaging with the UNT community he holds close to his heart.
“There were laughs, there were tears — but they were all tears of joy — as I thought about those that have come before me,” Golden says. “What Jaclyn said to me is that not only do I owe it to those who’ve gone before me, but I also owe it to my children’s children and their children, my great-grandchildren.”
Golden enlisted the help of fellow UNT alum Angie Ransome-Jones (’91) to help guide his writing process. One of Jones’ recommendations was to have each of Golden’s children write a chapter of the memoir.
“It was equally important for me to have the courage to transparently tell the complete and fully balanced story about my journey, including mistakes made along the way and how God protected me,” Golden says. “The memoir is my offering and is a tribute to the values that shaped me, the family that sustained me and the faith that guided me.”
Golden’s journey began in Wharton, Texas, where he grew up with his father, a salesman, and his mother, a third-grade schoolteacher. As he approached the end of high school, Golden spent summers helping his Uncle Leon, a handyman who worked for Edgar Q. Smith — general counsel for Humble Oil, which is now Exxon Mobil.
One day, Smith took Golden aside to advise him to study accounting or finance in college and made another recommendation that would change Golden’s path forever.
“Mr. Smith said to me when choosing a university, ‘Sam, every place you go, ask to speak with a professor or somebody from the school of business that could advise you if you go to school there. Somebody that can spend some time talking to you about their business programs,’” Golden says.
While Golden went on to apply and be accepted to several great schools, it was only during his visit to North Texas that any professor would agree to spend time with him.
“Nabil Aboufadel, who was a professor in the finance department at the time, spent three hours with me on a beautiful Saturday in March of 1970,” Golden says. “He was my advisor all four years. He got me my first job. I don’t have enough good things to say about him. He was more than a mentor — he was a sponsor.”
Golden’s time at North Texas under the guidance of Aboufadel was integral to the success he’s experienced throughout his career in banking.
Golden’s career began as an assistant national bank examiner, and over the next 34 years climbed the ranks to the executive level where he served as the agency’s first Ombudsman. Following his retirement from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in 2008, he was given the life changing opportunity to establish Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) Financial Industry Advisory Services LLC, where he served as founding CEO and transitioned in 2019 to managing director and senior advisor for A&M Holdings, LLC.
Golden is a 20-year member and former chairman of the UNT Foundation Board of Directors. He is a member of the UNT 1890 Society and a lifetime member of the UNT Alumni Association. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013 and was inducted into the G. Brint Ryan College of Business Hall of Fame in 2019. Since 2021, UNT has bi-annually hosted the Samuel P. Golden Invitational Women’s Golf Tournament recognizing the Golden family’s long-standing support of UNT’s women’s golf program.
Now, at nearly 74, Golden is focused on sharing his story and all that he has learned along the way for his family and others to learn from.
“It’s part of the DNA of what North Texas is — it’s the people who are genuinely caring, who are unselfish,” Golden says. “If I’ve done anything that has resulted in a positive impact on someone’s life journey, all that I expect is for them to pay it forward by unselfishly being courageous and committed mentors and sponsors in the lives of others. Always keep your life priorities appropriately aligned: faith, family and friends contribute mightily to a life lived with purpose.”