Donn Patchen

2015 Inductee

Donn Patchen is a 1981 graduate of Union City High School.  While at Union City Donn participated in football, basketball, and track & field.  Donn set and held the javelin record holder at Union City for 27 years.  After graduation, Donn attended Penn State Behrend before transferring to Penn State University Park where he graduated with a major in telecommunications/video productions.

Donn began his professional career with Channel 17, a PBS station in Miami, FL.  He then took a job as a cameraman with ABC affiliate channel 10.  Later he was hired by Dade County for their television station.  Eventually Donn was named Division Manager for Miami-Dade County Information. When Disney Productions began preparing for the film "The Lion King", the Disney animators went to the Miami Zoo to study the animals and their movements.  Donn was asked to help the animators by filming the animals.  Donn accompanied Ron McGill, the curator of the Miami Zoo, to Africa to bring a white tiger cub back to the Miami Zoo.  The video that Donn took of the cub was broadcast on the Miami TV stations. Another time, Donn and Ron went to Columbia to study and video the tapers, an animal that was kept penned at Manuel Noriega's compound. While they stayed overnight in Noriega's home, Donn and Ron make a documentary about his home.  Ron McGill was the spokesperson and Donn did the video.  The documentary was shown on national TV. On loan from Dade County, Donn was named Director of Communication for the Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. When the Super Bowl returned to Miami Donn served as Communications Consultant for the Super Bowl Host Committee.

Because of his dedication to Christ, Donn served his church in audio-video production. For recreation, Donn golfs, , and has participated in Tough Mudders.

Donn recently moved to Sarasota, FL when he was named Sarasota County's new Director of Communications.  Donn serves as host for the newly initiated Sarasota Talk Show. A team from Sarasota, including Donn, went to South Korea to secure the 2017 World Rowing Championship for the Sarasota-Manatee County Rowing Facility.  After the successful bid in September 2013, Donn was named to the five person 2017 World Rowing Championship Host Committee.

Donn, son of Don and Betty Patchen is married to Sherri Jones Patchen, his classmate from both Union City High School and Penn State University.  Donn and Sherri are the proud parents of Clayton, Taylor, and Kristina.