Patrick P. Lee
Patrick P. Lee spent his early childhood on a farm in Omaha, Nebraska. At a young age, he demonstrated an aptitude for problem solving and would often amuse himself by creating inventions to address everyday problems.
Lee attended Creighton Preparatory High School and then went on to Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, where he earned a degree in aeronautical engineering.
Before graduating from Parks College, Lee met and married Nancy Jackson. They would eventually have four children -- Barbara, the late Patrick W., Jennifer and Christopher.
Lee pictured with his grandchildren - Elizabeth, Kelly and Johnathan (2017)
Professional Career
Shortly after graduation, Lee accepted a job with a small company in Buffalo. Just five years later, in 1966, Lee decided to leave his position to start his own company, Enidine Incorporated.
Under Lee’s leadership, Enidine grew to be one of the premier manufacturers of shock absorption and vibration isolation products. To accommodate the company’s growth and acquisitions a holding company, International Motion Control, Inc. (IMC), was formed in 1996.
IMC was a manufacturer and distributor of hydraulic, pneumonic and electromechanical components with facilities and offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. In 2007, Lee sold IMC and directed part of the proceeds to the recently established Patrick P. Lee Foundation.
Philanthropy
Lee’s first lessons in philanthropy were learned from his grandmother, who gave what little she had to those in need. Later, as a college student, Lee found himself the recipient of assistance by way of the War Orphan’s Educational Assistance Program. The program provided tuition assistance to the children of military men and women killed during World War II. Lee credits education as providing the foundation for his professional success. It is one of the reasons the Foundation has always prioritized education as a key investment area.
In 2005, in recognition of his professional and philanthropic achievements, Lee was awarded Philanthropist of Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of the Western New York Chapter. And, in 2012, Lee was inducted into St. Louis University's Smurfit-Stone Entrepreneurial Alumni Hall of Fame and later received the school's Alumni Merit Award.
In 2013, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans awarded Lee the prestigious Horatio Alger Award. This recognition is given to individuals who demonstrate personal initiative and perseverance, leadership and commitment to excellence, belief in the free-enterprise system and the importance of higher education, community service, and the vision and determination to achieve a better future.
To learn more about Patrick Lee, watch the video below.