Patrick Doyle

In what ways are you involved with the community?

I sit on the St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Development Board that assists in developing church assets to assist in deferring and paying maintenance costs on the church. I have also made significant donations to the new church construction and audio-visual additions.

I was a member of the TC/LM Jaycees for many years and held leadership positions with them. I served as elected Justice of the Peace – Precinct 5 and then two terms as Galveston County Commissioner – Precinct 1.

I have hosted a charity fishing tournament for the last 20 years, with proceeds purchasing two buses for senior citizen use and donations to the Boy Scouts, Texas City High School baseball and choir programs, Santa Fe Ten Warrior Spirit Memorial and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. This tournament has brought in record number of teams and well over $1.5 million in direct benefit to these various charities. We plan to give $20,000 each this year to at least three deserving charities with proceeds from this year’s tournament. The tournament is the best legacy we have since my early days of public service and a mainstay of giving back yearly.

What do you like most about serving the community?

It gives me a sense of purpose knowing that I am contributing for the greater good of where I live, work and raise my family.

What motivates you to get involved in your community?

My family. My parents, Charles and Mary Ellen Doyle, instilled in me and my siblings since we were very young that the three most important things in life and as part of our family circle, each being equally important – family, faith and giving back to the community that has supported our family for so many years. Whether it is volunteering my time or building my business, if I can make a difference, that’s my mission. My wife and children contribute the same as me and sometimes more. The trickle down to the next generation makes it all worthwhile.

What does it mean to be named a finalist for Citizen of the Year?

It is a complete surprise and totally unexpected. I am very honored. I am in the company of many other deserving finalists.

Why do you think it’s important to give back to the community?

Your community is what you make of it. I don’t ever want it said that I didn’t do something for the betterment of it. I love the Galveston County community and I choose to support it.

If you could go back in time and do one thing over, what would that be?

To meet those family members who passed before me (my uncle David Doyle and brother-in-law Peter Sunseri, prior family tree members on both sides of the Doyle and Sunseri families) to see what their lives were like, who they were and what they did that made me and my future generations a little bit of what they will become.

What’s something that most people don’t know about you?

I have a huge passion for cars – old, new and classic. My wife thinks I am insane. I also love a Bullshot. My wife calls that a heart attack in glass.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

From my mother: Always remember to be kind and generous to those you meet but, most importantly, inclusive of all. From my father: In business and in life, be decisive and go headfirst into what you believe you want to do in life. That’s what spurred me to go to law school.