Patricia Wente

Persuading people to part with their money is no easy task, but Patricia Wente has built a successful career around doing just that. Wente has spent more than 30 years fundraising for nonprofit organizations. During that time, her efforts generated over $100 million in development revenue for those organizations. Her diligence did not go unnoticed by her community, and she was named the “Most Influential Business Woman” by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2004. The publication bestowed similar honors upon her again in 2007 and 2008.

Throughout her career, Patricia Wente has consistently sought out leadership opportunities requiring increasing degrees of responsibility. She was elected President of Public Radio in Mid America and served from 2003 to 2007. Wente was also the driving force behind the success of St. Louis Public Radio’s KWMU for 19 years, during which time she worked as the Director and General Manager. She received both her undergraduate and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Illinois Springfield, where she majored in communications with an emphasis in broadcasting.

Based on the winning run that KWMU enjoyed during her time there, it’s clear that she gainfully utilized her education. The national public radio station became one of the 10 most listened to NPR affiliated News Stations in the United States under her administration. In 2008, Patricia Wente took her career in a more entrepreneurial direction. Since then, she has worked as the President and CEO of her company, The Wente Group Inc. The Wente Group is a consulting organization that helps nonprofit agencies with donor and investment campaigns

Wente continues to capitalize on her years of fundraising experience in this ambitious professional pursuit and has steadily built her client base in the community since the company’s launch. Her ability to initiate interest and cultivate relationships with potential donors has been a critical component to her success. Running her own business hasn’t deterred Patricia Wente from seizing other leadership opportunities. She currently serves as the Vice President of Membership at the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis and serves on the St. Louis Women's Forum Programming Committee. She also volunteers as a Gala Committee Member of the Cancer Support Community, St. Louis Jazz, and College Bound.