NE Valley Times

The city of Scottsdale and Arizona's public service sector are mourning the loss of Richard A. "Dick" Bowers, a veteran in public service whose career spanned over 45 years. Bowers passed away on October 30 while on a trip in the Northeast with his family, where he suffered a stroke.

Bowers' life was characterized by dedicated service, innovative leadership, and a commitment to improving Arizona's public and nonprofit sectors. A celebration of his life will begin with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. on November 21 at St. Theresa Parish in Phoenix, followed by a graveside service at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery and an afternoon reception at the Herberger Theater Center.

For nearly two decades, Bowers played an important role in shaping Scottsdale's success. He served as Deputy City Manager from 1981 to 1991 and then as City Manager from 1991 to 2000, guiding the city's growth. Reflecting on his time in Scottsdale, Bowers once said, "It is amazing what you can get done with an extraordinary staff, supportive policy body, and the collective boldness to be entrepreneurial."

After founding R.A. Bowers & Associates in 2001, he focused on consulting to strengthen leadership and build high-performing teams across Arizona's public and private sectors. Known for advocating direct strategies that avoid "the triumph of process over product," his work had widespread impact.

In 2013, Bowers served as Acting City Manager for Glendale during challenging financial times and negotiations involving the National Hockey League’s Phoenix Coyotes.

His contributions earned him numerous awards including the International City Manager’s Association’s Outstanding Management Innovator award for fostering teamwork and innovation; The Arizona Republic’s Vision Weaver Award; The Diversity Champion Award for dedication to civil rights; The Jack DeBolske Award from ACMA; The Governor’s Award for leadership in arts; and The DREAMR Award for downtown Phoenix's success.

Beyond government roles, Bowers was active in advocating for the arts by serving on boards such as Free Arts for Arizona and Arizona Citizens for the Arts. He was also President of the Herberger Theater Center and Executive Director of the Phoenix Boys Choir. As an educator at Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs, he taught public entrepreneurship for over two decades and was named Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year in 2012.

Bowers' legacy is one of vision, integrity, and commitment to public service. He will be deeply missed by those who knew him and many whose lives he touched throughout his career.