After a career in public administration that took him across the country, former TEXPERS Executive Director Max Patterson is settling into a new chapter in Aurora, Colorado — one shaped by family, community, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Patterson has made many moves over the years, living in cities including Detroit, Lansing, El Paso, Beaumont, Houston, Windsor, Connecticut, and even places in Vietnam during active duty. Each transition brought its own challenges. That experience, he said, taught him how to navigate major change with perspective and resilience.

Still, this move feels different.

“Maybe it’s because I’m older,” Patterson reflected. “I’ve moved enough times, but it’s still getting used to being in a totally different geographical location.”

Aurora, part of the Denver metropolitan area, is quite a change from his most recent home in Tomball, just north of Houston. But Patterson said the adjustment has been eased by the climate and the people. “The weather is great,” he said. “And people are great as well.”

A Career Rooted in Public Service

Before joining TEXPERS, Patterson spent decades in public administration and the city government, building a reputation for steady leadership and a deep commitment to public service. He was an Army intelligence officer in the Vietnam War. He served as the first black police chief in Windsor, Connecticut, and Albion, Michigan. He served in city administrative roles in Beaumont and Houston before becoming the Executive Director of the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund.

Then he started work for TEXPERS, guiding the nonprofit professional membership association through periods of growth, policy change, and increasing public scrutiny of pensions. His work helped strengthen the organization's role as a voice for state, district, fire, and police departments, as well as municipal employees and retirees across Texas.

A Full House and a New Rhythm

The move to Colorado was driven by family. Two of Patterson’s adult children live in the state — one in Aurora and another in Fort Collins — while a third lives in Connecticut. Between them, he has nine grandchildren.

Patterson now shares a large Aurora home with his children and grandchildren. “It’s big,” he said with a laugh. “We’re living with our kids… four adults and five kids.” The neighborhood is newer than the one he left in Houston, is filled with young families, and is located near a major Air Force base. Military households and long-time residents have been welcoming, helping him feel at home.

Finding Community Through Rotary

As he adjusted to Aurora, Patterson also began looking for a new Rotary Club. Rotary International is a global service organization focused on community improvement, civic responsibility, and fellowship, values that have long resonated with him. He played an active role in several Rotary Clubs in Houston, where he held numerous leadership positions at the club and district levels.

In Aurora, he reviewed several clubs before choosing one that felt like the right fit. The Aurora club has around 60 members.

“It just happened to be that, when I was visiting, they were saying a lot of former and current city employees are members including the Fire and Police Chiefs,” he said.

That made the club a natural extension of his career in public service. The club gives Patterson a way to continue the civic involvement that has defined much of his professional life, while also connecting him to his new community.

A Thoughtful Retirement

Patterson remains interested in public administration, although retirement has given him distance from its daily pressures.

“Anytime I hear anything about pensions or city government,” he said, “it just reinforces my retirement.”

In Aurora, surrounded by children, grandchildren, mountains, and a new Rotary community. Patterson continues to build a life rooted in purpose, connection, and public service.

About the Author: Joe Gimenez is a public relations specialist in pension fund communications. He assists TEXPERS and several Texas retirement systems in public affairs.