Richard Pootmans
{{Short description|Canadian Politician}}
{{third-party|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Richard Pootmans
| image =
| imagesize = 150px
| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| residence = Signal Hill
| office1 = City of Calgary Councillor
| constituency1 = Ward 6
| term_start1 = October 18, 2010
| term_end1 = October 16, 2017
| predecessor1 = Joe Connelly
| successor1 = Jeff Davison
| office2 = City of Calgary Councillor
| constituency2 = Ward 6
| term_start2 = October 25, 2021
| term_end2 = November 26, 2024
| predecessor2 = Jeff Davison
| successor2 = TBD
| religion =
| alma_mater = University of Calgary
Mount Royal University
Carleton University{{cite web |url=http://www.calgary.ca/CityCouncil/ward-6/Pages/Ward-6-bio.aspx |title=About Councillor Richard Pootmans |publisher=City of Calgary |accessdate=April 30, 2016}}
| spouse = Frances Wright
| occupation =
| website = http://www.calgary.ca/councillors/ward-6/Pages/Ward-6.aspx
}}
Richard Pootmans is a Canadian politician who served as the councillor for Ward 6 on the Calgary City Council. Pootmans initially served two terms from 2010 to 2017 before a one-term hiatus during which he co-founded a consultancy. He returned to council following the 2021 municipal election.{{Cite web|title=Former Ward 6 councillor Richard Pootmans set to return to council after term away|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/former-ward-6-councillor-richard-pootmans-set-to-return-to-calgary-council-after-term-away|access-date=2021-12-28|website=calgaryherald|language=en-CA}} Pootmans resigned from his position on November 26, 2024, citing "personal and family reasons," less than a year from the 2025 Calgary municipal election.{{Cite web |last=Krause |first=Darren |date=2024-11-27 |title=Richard Pootmans steps down as Ward 6 Calgary city councillor |url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2024/11/26/richard-pootmans-steps-down-as-ward-6-calgary-city-councillor/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=LiveWire Calgary |language=en-US}}
Early life
Richard Pootmans was born in 1956.
Education
Lisgar Collegiate (Ottawa) Class of 1974
Carleton University (Ottawa) Class of 1979
Mount Royal University (Petroleum Land Management) Class of 1979
University of Calgary (MBA) 1996
Awards
Career before politics
Pootmans was a founding member of the 17th Ave Business Improvement Area (BIA), which became the first BIA established in Calgary on September 18, 1984. Pootmans was a business owner on the business corridor at the time, and advocated for investment in the "deteriorating streetscape" as competition with Chinook Centre and the then-unfinished Eau Claire Market loomed.{{Cite news |date=2024-09-18 |title=First two Business Improvement Areas in Calgary celebrate 40-year anniversary |url=https://newsroom.calgary.ca/first-two-business-improvement-areas-in-calgary-celebrate-40-year-anniversary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920214144/https://newsroom.calgary.ca/first-two-business-improvement-areas-in-calgary-celebrate-40-year-anniversary/ |archive-date=2024-09-20 |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=The City of Calgary Newsroom}}
Prior to being elected in 2010, Pootmans taught as an instructor for 5 years at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. He was Senior Business Development Manager, Real Estate – Calgary Economic Development, Financial Analyst; Vice President, Installations – SMED International, Consultant; Financial management, business strategy – TractionWorks, Co-owner – PORTS International stores, Calgary, and worked as a Landman – Hudson's Bay Oil and Gas Company, Dome Petroleum.
Electoral record
= 2010 municipal election =
Pootmans was first elected to serve Ward 6 in the 2010 election, taking 31% of the votes in a field of 10 candidates.{{cite web|title=Calgary municipal election, 2010 Official Results|url=http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks/Documents/election2013/2010-General-Election-Results.pdf|publisher=City of Calgary |accessdate=September 22, 2015}}
= 2013 municipal election =
Pootmans was reelected in the 2013 election by capturing 51% of the votes.{{cite web|title=Calgary municipal election, 2013 Official Results|url=http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks/Scripts/Elections2013/2013-General-Election-Results.htm|publisher=City of Calgary |accessdate=September 22, 2015}}
= 2021 municipal election =
After a four-year hiatus from politics, Pootmans sought election in Ward 6 during the 2021 municipal election. His successor, Jeff Davison, did not run for council, instead seeking the mayoralty. Pootmans won with 48% of the vote on October 18.{{Cite web|last=Elections Calgary|title=2021 Results - Calgary General Election|url=https://www.calgary.ca/election/results/2021-results.html|access-date=2021-12-28}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.richard4ward6.com Ward 6 Fall 2021 Candidate site]
- [http://www.calgary.ca/councillors/ward-6/Pages/Ward-6.aspx City of Calgary Ward 6 homepage]
{{Calgary City Council}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pootmans, Richard}}
Category:Calgary city councillors
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:University of Calgary alumni
Category:Academic staff of the University of Calgary
Category:Mount Royal University alumni
Category:Carleton University alumni