Pat Richter

Partner

Pat Richter serves as partner, Education and Sports Practice in the firm’s Milwaukee, Wisconsin office. Pat was formerly the Director of Athletics at the University of Wisconsin.

Pat is a former Wisconsin student-athlete and Madison business executive credited with totally transforming the Wisconsin athletic program. The former National Football League receiver and nine-time Wisconsin letter winner was pursued by then Chancellor, Donna E. Shalala, to run the Athletic Department’s every day operations in late 1989. He inherited a program with a $2.1 million deficit, decaying facilities, a struggling football team and eroding fan support. He not only rescued the Badger Athletic Department in the early 1990’s but also charted a plan for a prosperous future in the new millennium.

Under Pat’s direction, the Athletic Department eliminated its financial deficit and built an operating reserve of more than $6 million, became compliant with the Office for Civil Rights, and received NCAA certification twice, most recently in 200l. Numerous first-class facilities have been built, including the Kohl Center and the Fetzer Academic Center. Currently, Camp Randall Stadium where the Badgers play football is undergoing a nearly $100 million renovation and construction is underway for a new men’s and women’s crew house facility. The Badgers won 3 national championships and 51 Big Ten team titles, went to 9 football bowl games, appeared in the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournament earning a men’s Final Four berth in 2000. They also produced more academic All-Big Ten honorees than any other school in the conference.

Pat’s own college athletic prowess is well-documented. He earned All-America (1961-62) and Academic All America (1962) honors as an end in football. Pat was recognized for his college gridiron exploits in 1997 with his induction into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame. He was a first-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins and played professionally from 1963-71. Mr. Richter earned his B.S. degree from the UW-Madison in landscape architecture (1964).

Upon retirement from the NFL, he returned to the UW-Madison to earn his law degree (1971). After working at a Madison law firm, he joined Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation where he was V.P. of personnel.

Pat was honored with a NCAA Silver Anniversary Award for post-college achievements in 1988. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Athletic and Madison Sports Halls of Fame and was enshrined into the UW Athletic Department and Rose Bowl Halls of Fame in ’91 and ’94 respectively. In 1995, he became the second Badger to gain induction into the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame. The Sales & Marketing Executives of Madison named Mr. Richter their “Executive of the Year” in 1997.

Pat and his wife, Renee, have four sons: Scott (wife Khaki and grandsons J.P. and Cole), Brad (wife Chrissy and grandson Max and granddaughter Samantha), Barry (wife Kim, grandsons Blake and Matthew, and granddaughters Alexandra and Daniela), and Tim (wife Molly).

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