Chad Patton has an easy commute from his day job to his position as a city council member. As a full-service financial advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors in Southlake Town Square, Patton spends his days managing estates of families, individuals, business owners and professionals, and helping them make smart financial decisions.
And when it's time to switch hats and focus on the needs of the city and its residents, Patton is just a few steps away from city hall.
It's a far cry from the commute he once had. As national sales director for a company in California, Patton traveled weekly from his home in Southlake to California and other parts of the country, a commute that eventually took a toll on him and his family (Patton and his wife, Tracy, have a 14-year-old daughter, Sophie, and a seven-year-old son, Grant).
But Patton wasn't about to move from Southlake. “We've really rooted ourselves here,” he says. “It's such an endearing community.” Taking the job at Wells Fargo brought him closer to the community he loved and enabled Patton to get involved with the city, something he couldn't accomplish when he was living on the road.
He began by volunteering on the zoning board of adjustment and eventually became vice chair of the parks and recreation board. When the city council position opened up in 2016, he ran, uncontested, though not unfamiliar with the inner workings of the city, thanks to his volunteer service in Southlake.
“I feel very fortunate to be a part of this council,” he says.