The State University System Board of Governors appointed Sarasota resident Don Patterson to the New College Board of Trustees at its meeting November 9. “The Board of Governors has made an excellent selection by adding a strong local leader and supporter of New College to our Board of Trustees,” said New College President Richard Corcoran. “I look forward to working with Don to achieve our goal of positioning New College as the nation’s top liberal arts school.” Patterson has a long history of both business success and notable philanthropy, and recently co-chaired the New College Foundation’s Annual Clambake. Patterson spent 40 years in the communications industry, culminating in his role as co-founder and CEO of Ascend Wireless Networks, taking the business from startup to acquisition by a private equity firm in less than 10 years. Patterson has a long track record of supporting the underserved in the Sarasota community, holding numerous high-level roles with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast. He led the creation of “Stay Safe” in partnership with the Salvation Army, an initiative that serves as an emergency alternative for women victims of abuse as a result of being homeless. He attended the first conference by the Department of Justice to address the emerging Human Trafficking crisis, and “Stay Safe” continues to work in Sarasota to this day. As a community leader in Sarasota, he funded the creation of the “Thursday Night Market” in the Rosemary District, reviving traffic flow to businesses in the area post-pandemic. He is also an accomplished marathoner and Ironman.