W. Patrick Hughes is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football at Boston University. Hughes was an outstanding high school athlete and was drafted by the New York Mets. He originally signed to attend Ohio State but instead was pushed to West Point. In order to gain entrance into West Point he was sent to Valley Forge Military Academy. He left after a few weeks and ended up at Boston University. He captained the BU team in 1969 and, along with Bruce Taylor, led the Terriers to the only Bowl game in their history.

Patrick Hughes has served as the President and CEO of Fallon Health since 2010. He began his career at Fallon in 2007, as the company's Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Sales Officer. In 2009, the membership of Fallon Health grew to its highest level under Hughes' leadership. In addition to his leadership at Fallon Health, Mr. Hughes is also the Chairman of the board of directors of UltraBenefits, Inc., and of Home Staff LLC. He is the Vice Chairman of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also on the board of directors of the Alliance Community Health Plans in Washington, D.C., the New England Council, and the Worcester Bureau. Mr. Hughes' long career as a healthcare executive includes achieving unprecedented growth and profitability at Blue Cross Blue Shield. He has also served as a principal at Hughes and Company, a brokerage firm in New Hampshire. He graduated from Boston University in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. . Mr. Hughes and his wife Carole, who live in Stratham, New Hampshire have established two endowed scholarships at Curry College to honor the memory of their son, Justin P. Hughes, a 1996 Curry College graduate.