Dave Patterson, ‘79
Many students who have attended Colorado Mesa University find their way back in one form or another. Dave Patterson, who graduated in 1979 with a BS in accounting, now sits on the CMU Foundation Board and attends sporting events regularly.
His successful career as a certified public accountant took him to three firms before becoming a partner at Soronen, Donley, and Patterson CPAs, where he has worked for 15 years.
Patterson played football for four years while at CMU, and the discipline it took paved the way for Patterson to gain his own understanding of the importance of an education.
“With the physical and mental demands of football, I also had the foresight to get a good degree. Accounting classes required homework every night, which disciplined my study habits,” he said. “I would like to thank CMU for those opportunities — it really shaped my future.”
Although he loved playing football, Patterson’s most memorable moment while in school was meeting his wife, Kathy, a nursing student. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.
He moved away from Grand Junction for a couple of years after college but returned to western Colorado to experience the outdoors. Backcountry hiking, camping and fishing at lakes above timberline is how he spends most of his spare time. Patterson reads a lot of outdoor adventure, spiritual and history books.
His business philosophy of providing the best possible accounting services for his clients has bled over into his community activism. Throughout the years, Patterson has been very generous in giving to local nonprofits and has served on several boards.