Shannon Dacus - Trial Attorney and Principal at Dacus Law
The Smith County Bar Foundation commissioned Patrick to develop and help us create and implement a strategic plan for a big project. Our group provides free legal education and counsel to those with limited financial resources. We wanted to create an endowment fund to allow us to better serve the those in need of our services.
Is he crazy?
I am not a fundraiser. I couldn’t imagine being able to raise $5, much less the sum Patrick had projected – a minimum of $100,000. When Patrick first advised me to ask for $10,000 from my attorney colleagues in Smith County, I honestly thought he was nuts.
But Patrick explained how I should present the ask. He strategically determined the order of my calls and how to make my case – so to speak. Using his techniques and doing precisely what Patrick told me to do, I made my first call. And the answer, amazingly, was “yes.” Thinking this was a fluke, I made the next call. The answer was another “yes.” In fact, I never got a single “no.” Everyone came onboard, and that was totally due to Patrick’s vision and his guidance.
A brilliant problem-solver and leader
The endowment still sustains our work some 15 years later. Because Patrick’s counsel is invaluable, we invited him to join our board, and he’s been a member ever since. Patrick gave us and continues to give us the skills and confidence we need to make our dreams come true.
Our big fundraiser was a black-tie celebration dinner at local country club. I had never planned an event of this magnitude. It sold out and the huge facility couldn’t even accommodate the demand Patrick had created.
Patrick stepped up and solved every problem, ingeniously renting tents to extend our dinner space and accommodate all our guests. Since then, I’ve worked with Patrick on numerous events and plans for organizations in our city, and he always goes above and beyond.
I’d literally jump out of a plane for Patrick
Patrick is uber creative. For a different fundraiser, he dreamed up another event, this one with a James Bond theme. As one of the two event chairs, we asked Patrick to help us make a dramatic entrance and kick off the celebration with some excitement.
We got more than we bargained for. Patrick actually convinced Nathaniel Moran and me to parachute onto the golf green accompanied to the theme from “Skyfall.” He arranged for us to be picked up, whisked a room to change and in 15 minutes we had joined our guests. It was amazing; Patrick even advised me on what to wear. Every detail was handled brilliantly.
Enthusiastic yet calm under pressure
Patrick is a master collaborator and an inspiring presence. He helps you see past your own limited vision and imagine what’s really possible. He creates excitement yet he’s unfazed by any challenge, handling problems with a calm resolve. Failure is not an option with Patrick.
He makes your dreams tangible, and his outlook is extremely strategic. Your end goal will be achieved with Patrick on your team. He is thoughtful, practical, realistic, budget-oriented and experienced. PWPR will make you look good by making things happen for you.
Lana Peacock - Executive Director, East Texas Crisis Center
I met Patrick Willis the year he was graduating from University of Texas at Tyler in 1997. He had completed an internship at the UT Tyler Health Center working for John Anderson who was the Director of Development for the hospital. John Anderson also served on the ETCC Board of Directors and he gave me a call one day to tell me about a young man that he felt I should meet…someone who might be a great help to our non-profit organization.
Patrick volunteered that Spring of ‘97 working with one of our Board Members on an upcoming fundraising event for the East Texas Crisis Center. Shortly thereafter, Patrick joined our staff as Special Event Coordinator which over a period of years led to contracting with him as our Director of Development.
Expanding our vision
This is an event that began in 1987 as a fundraiser for the East Texas Crisis Center and typically raised $4,000-$5,000. Patrick came on board in 1997 and he made several significant changes that transformed a party into a major signature event in Tyler.
Adding levels of giving
Recognizing donors on the invitation
Establishing a person or couple as Honoree each year
Cultivating donors to open the most prestigious homes in Tyler to host the event
These changes quickly took the event from raising an average of $5,000 each year to raising $40,000 in 2002, averaging $150,000 in 2008, hitting $200,000 in 2011 and the highest gross proceeds of $235,000 in 2016 and beyond.
Bringing people to the table
With his warm and gracious personality Patrick easily arranged meetings to meet with potential donors and introduce the East Texas Crisis Center as an important mission to support.
In 1999 Patrick worked with Board Members and ETCC staff to develop a master plan to launch a $3.5 million dollar campaign to raise funds to build a new emergency shelter and counseling offices. Patrick set up meeting after meeting with Tyler philanthropists and businesses and actually raised $4.5 million which allowed the Center to establish an endowment fund for the organization in addition to the cost of construction. The new facility was opened in the Fall of 2003.
A visionary you can trust
Patrick Willis has been able to merge creative intuition and vision with genuine warmth, great taste, and abundant social skills into a career of public relations, development and marketing.
His greatest strength is his ability to make you feel welcome and that he is always happy to see you.