Acting City Manager - Dick Bowers

Dick Bowers served the public for 31 years including 23 years in Scottsdale and 10 years as City Manager shaping an organization with noteworthy public support, many creative and productive initiatives and yielding a coveted “Triple-Triple A” bond rating. He retired in 2000 to expand his consulting support of quality organizations and their leaders, further develop his academic interests, and volunteer in support of organizations serving youth and shaping community.

Dick received the International City Manager’s Association’s coveted “Outstanding Management Innovator” award for his work in “creating an environment which fosters teamwork, excellence and innovation”. Dick received the Arizona Republic’s “Vision Weaver Award”, and the Institute for Community Cultural Diversity’s Diversity Leadership Award. He received the Diversity Champion Award for “vision, courage and commitment to civil and human rights in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King.” In February 2000 he received the Jack DeBolske Award, the highest honor for an Arizona City Manager. He serves on the Boards of Free Arts of AZ, the Arizona Citizens for the Arts and the Downtown Phoenix Partnership that awarded him the 2007 Phoenix “DREAMR” award for impacting the design and success in downtown Phoenix.  Dick is the President and CEO of both the Herberger Theater Center and the Phoenix Boys Choir.

He holds a BA in English, and an MS in Public Service.  He is an Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University, and guest lecturer at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

As the president of r. a. bowers & associates, formed in 2001, Dick Bowers has provided a broad array of consulting support for many organizations public and private. His primary focus is the formation of high performing teams, sensible strategic plans, and strengthening the leaders that guide them. He believes in keeping things simple, direct and focused… avoiding the triumph of process over product.

Dick Bowers is very active in numerous organizations that help shape the character and quality of the human experience in communities.