Gabe Patin, a leading executive in the seed industry for many years, helped nurture development of the Seed Biotechnology Center (SBC) at UC Davis from the time it was an idea until the day it opened its doors on campus in 2003. He was honored with an Award of Distinction by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, on October 6, 2017.
Gabe Patin
In the early 1990s, Patin was president of Sakata Seeds, America, and a highly respected leader in the seed industry. He led a statewide effort to build support for the project and convinced his employer to make the lead gift to start the campaign. His vision and leadership within the California Seed Advisory Board resulted in a three-year grant to fund creation of the Seed Biotechnology Center. The board has since contributed more than $3 million in operational support. Today, the SBC has a permanent home in the Plant Reproductive Biology Building at UC Davis.
“Gabe was instrumental in convincing his colleagues in the seed industry to make this investment in their own future,” said Kent Bradford, director of the Seed Biotechnology Center, and a distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. “It was his convincing arguments that this was not charity, but rather an investment that would repay major returns.”
Patin served on the advisory council for the Seed Biotechnology Center. His vision and championing of the Seed Biotechnology Center, Seed Central, and the Plant Transformation Center continue to provide value to agriculture and the seed industry.
At 87 years of age, Patin is fond of saying that his involvement in the creation of the public-private partnership that is the Seed Biotechnology Center is one of the greatest accomplishments of his life.
The Awards of Distinction are presented annually to individuals whose contributions and achievements enhance the college’s ability to provide cutting-edge research, top-notch education and innovative outreach. Patin is being recognized as a “Friend of the College.”
Source: UC Davis Plant Sciences Blog