History
In 2000, Patterson Companies chairman and then CEO Peter L. Frechette, along with a few other executives of the Company, initiated the formation of the Patterson Foundation as a way to give back to the community. This handful of Patterson executives made major contributions that created the Foundation. Since then, several others also have donated significant amounts to the Foundation.
Bylaws and a 10-member board of individuals associated with Patterson Companies were created for the Foundation in 2003. Initial meetings of the board focused on creating grantmaking guidelines and policies.
In 2004, the Foundation partnered with Scholarship America to create a scholarship program for dependents of Patterson Companies employees.
The Foundation’s first grants and scholarships were awarded in 2004, totaling $610,000. Since then, the Foundation has annually awarded between $500,000 and $800,000.
The Foundation’s guidelines, bylaws and policies have been modified in recent years. Some Board members have departed; others have joined to make the board larger. Yet today, the founders’ mission remains the same: The Foundation continues to "give back to the community."