SteelMaster’s “Stories of Service” series continues to highlight members of our team who have either served in the U.S. military or are a part of a military family. The final part of SteelMaster’s 11-part series of American stories features Pat Patterson, former CEO…

SteelMaster brings its “Stories of Service” series to a close by highlighting a person whose vision, motivation, and tenacity live at the very heart of the company—Donald “Pat” Patterson Jr.

In late 2004 when Pat came out of retirement as executive vice president of Landmark Broadcasting, he joined forces with founding owner Rhae Adams to become President and Chief Executive Officer of SteelMaster. Pat saw a need in the steel building industry for a company that was fully committed to his core values of integrity, ethics, and responsibility to customers—traits that served him well during his service with the US Navy from 1967-1971 during the Vietnam War.

Pat’s tour of service began after he graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1967 and was admitted to Officers Candidate School and commissioned as an Ensign in March of 1968. His first tour of duty in Vietnam lasted nine months during which time he worked as a Supply Officer aboard the USS Dynamic, an ocean-going minesweeper. Pat rose to the rank of LTJG and volunteered for a second tour in Vietnam as an Officer in charge of a “Swift Boat” PCF (Patrol Craft Fast). His responsibilities included conducting combat patrols in the rivers, canals, and coastal areas of South Vietnam under operational control of CTF 115 and CTF 116. These patrols took Pat and his crew to the inland canals of the Mekong River Delta as part of the US Naval Support Activity Detachment Cat Lo (Coastal Division 11). During this nine month tour, Pat was awarded two Bronze Star Medals—one for combat action and the other for meritorious service. He also earned a National Defense Service Medal, three Vietnam Service Medals, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, and a Rifle Sharpshooter Ribbon. He was honorably discharged in December 1970 and served in the reserves until July 1973.

During his two tours of duty and throughout his life, Pat exhibited leadership, sacrifice, duty, honor, and commitment to his country. He set his mind out to do the very best job he could both for himself and for those around him.

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For SteelMaster Buildings, being the best means hiring people like Pat and others profiled in our “Stories of Service” series and delivering a product each of us believes in 100 percent. We are dedicated, driven, and above all, we are thankful. We are honored to work for a company where each of our lives has been influenced by people who have sacrificed for this country and for the greater good. As the landscape of living and working in America continues to grow and change each day, we stay firmly committed to the ideals that the people of the United States hold dear—honesty, integrity, determination, discipline, fairness, and hard work. We do so as a team, and a team is only as good as its players. Our shared goal is to continue to work together in providing only the best products and services available on the market to our customers. We wish everyone a safe and happy 2010.

Part 10: Robert D’Agostino, project specialist

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