Don Patierno:
CLASS OF 1966
St. Paul's High SchoolClass of 1966
Negaunee, MI
Don's Story
After graduation from St. Paul's, I attended NMU for 3 semesters before enlisting in the U.S. Navy for a period of four years. After basic and advanced Navy training, I was assigned to the Naval Security Group Command in Edzell, Scotland for 20 months, before finishing my enlistment with a tour at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., where I met the young lady who eventually became my wife. We married in 1973 and have one daughter, who has blessed us with two grandchildren, Samantha (born in 2005) and Colin (2009). Like most grandparents, we consider them to be treasures beyond belief.
During my navy years, I resumed my postsecondary education journey, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland in 1975 and, subsequently, a Master's degree in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University.
Workwise, I spent 34 plus years as a civilian with the U.S. Government, wth service at the Library of Congress, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Education and the Department of State, where I spent the last 22 years of my government service.
At State, I served twice as an Executive Director with two different operating bureaus. Betwee...Expand for more
n those two jobs, I was the Director of the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program, which was established to help countries recover from conflict by removing landmines and other unexploded ordnance that threatened lives and hindered economic and cultural development. I retired from the State Department in 2006 and joined the Board of Directors of a non-profit organization that is one of the two leading international organizations that remove landmines and unexploded ordnance. I became President of the Board in 2012 and served four years before stepping down. I still support the organization by serving as President Emeritus, a position that requires me to help raise funds and make remarks and speeches to various social, fraternal, academic and philanthropic groups.
In my spare time, I work at a nearby golf course and, when not visiting with our grandchildren, play golf, attend movie matinees and take long naps.
Health-wise, I'm doing fine, although I underwent a quadruple bypass in 2014. I've modified my diet and exercise habits, so that the "ticker" seems to be in good shape these days. Otherwise, I remain, short, fat, bald and ugly -- the first and last of which, unfortunately, have no remedy.
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