Syracuse University mourns the loss of J. Patrick “Pat” Barrett, a Life Trustee who died in September after a brief battle with leukemia. He was 82.
The Lake Placid native served on the University’s Board of Trustees for more than three decades. He also was a member of the Maxwell School Advisory Board from 1991-97, and supported various academic and athletic initiatives. Three of his seven sons—Brian L’04, Robb ’04 and Benjamin ’17—are University alumni.
J. Patrick Barrett
Barrett chaired the New York State Republican Committee from 1989-91, and was a delegate to the 1988 and 2004 Republican National Conventions. In 2010, he crossed party lines to co-chair Andrew Cuomo’s gubernatorial bid, and subsequently endorsed Democratic candidates in statewide and local races. The following year, Barrett became chair of the state’s Olympic Regional Development Authority, a post he held until his death.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Barrett was chair and CEO of Avis Inc.; executive vice president and CFO of Norton Simon Inc.; chair and CEO of CARPAT Investments, which he founded in 1987; and president of the regional telecommunications provider Telergy Inc. His leadership expertise also extended to Syracuse Executive Air Service Inc., an airplane charter company; Bennington Iron Works in Vermont; and PFF Vehicle Management Services in Maryland.
Barrett served on many other boards, including those of Coyne International Enterprises Corp.; Lincoln National Corp.; Adirondack Bank; Whiteface Club Cos.; the Syracuse SkyChiefs; Le Moyne College; St. Lawrence University; Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service; and Sienna College, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He lent his support to many causes and charities, including Hospice of CNY, the Dorothy Day House and Catholic Charities.
