Bio
James A. Patterson, president of Pattco, Inc. began his entrepreneurial career
in 1959 as a franchisee of Jerry’s Restaurants. Ten years later, he co-founded
Long John Silver’s, Inc. Patterson later founded such companies as Gulfstream
Petroleum, AmeriCall and First Phone, Resource American, Rally’s Hamburgers.
He also was one of the founders of Chi-Chi’s Restaurants. He was inducted into the
Horatio Alger Association in 2002. In honor of his lead gift, UofL’s baseball field is
named Jim Patterson Stadium. He also was a major contributor to the Ulmer Career
Center. Patterson was selected as the College of Business Distinguished Alumnus
in 1989 and received the Order of Merit Award from the University of Louisville in
1995. A member of the Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana Business Hall of Fame,
he also served on the Louisville Arena Task Force. He earned a bachelor’s degree in
business administration from UofL in 1955 and received an honorary doctorate from
Bellarmine College in 1992.