Danny Patterson

Born and raised in Southern California where he played beach volleyball, Danny Patterson was the youngest player on the US volleyball team at the 1966 World Championships, the 1967 Pan American Games, and the 1968 Olympics. He won a gold medal at the 1967 Pan Ams, returning in 1971 to win a silver medal with the US team. He played in college at San Diego State University.

Patterson later became an entrepreneur, starting the Paradise Bakery & Café in Long Beach in 1976. This grew to over 70 stores centered in Scottsdale, Arizona, and was eventually acquired by Panera Bread in 2009 for $21.1 million (US) for a 51% stake in the company.