Sailing Legend and Former IBM Executive John Mark Patek Jr. Passes Away at 83

John Mark Patek Jr., an 83-year-old resident of Nahant, MA, passed away on August 24, 2026. He had a long and distinguished career at IBM as a financial analyst, spanning 41 years in various roles.

Patek earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1965 and his MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business in 1971. During his time at IBM, he completed an assignment with the Tokyo office between 1983 and 1986.

Avid sailor since childhood, Patek was a member of the Harvard Sailing Team and worked as a professional crew for racing boats in his twenties. He taught all his children and grandchildren to sail, starting with Sunfish and progressing to larger sailing boats.