TAMPA, Fla. -- Faculty and staff who knew Richard T. “Dick” Bowers, the first athletic director for the University of South Florida, reacted with sadness today at news that he has passed away at age 77. Bowers, who also served as associate dean of the College of Business, was remembered as a "great guy" who was deeply involved in the community and who helped USF become involved in intercollegiate sports.
The cause of death has not yet been determined but is believed to be an aortic aneurysm
Robert Forsythe, Dean of the USF College of Business, said he was saddened by the news of Bowers' passing.
“Dick Bowers has been a very dear friend to the College of Business and we are quite saddened by his passing,” Forsythe said. “He served this College, and the University, for many, many years, both as an employee and as a friend. We will miss him.”
Dick Bowers was Associate Dean, Professor and Director of Development of the USF College of Business Administration from 1992 to until his retirement in 2003.
In 1963 he joined the Physical Education staff of USF and by 1982 became Executive Director of the Athletic Association. He was instrumental and largely responsible for most of the University's early intercollegiate athletic teams. In 1983, he began with the College of Business Administration as Director of Development, and by 1992 became Associate Dean and Professor.
“We want to send our best regards and warmest sympathies to the family of Dick Bowers. It is a sad day for the entire USF community," said current USF Athletics Director Doug Woolard.
“While I only new Mr. Bowers for a short time, I had a great amount of respect and admiration for him. He had a tremendous amount of love and passion for USF. Every win and success we have today is in many ways a credit to him. He was a phenomenal individual and someone that will be greatly missed by every Bull.”
While serving as USF Athletic Association director, Bowers spearheaded the campaign for the USF baseball field, the USF golf course and the SunDome and introduced soccer as the university's first sport. He also helped form the SunBelt Conference, and in 1982 was honored for Outstanding Contribution to the SunBelt Conference.
“He was the man that brought big time college athletics to the consciousness of the Tampa community," said Bulls Club Director of Major Gifts Joe Tomaino, who was close friends with Bowers for 40 years. "He was in many ways a one-man show, but that never stopped him from doing things the right way.
“There is a sign around our building that says ?embrace the struggle' and that was Dick. He knew the obstacles, but he never saw anything but the final goal. It is a threshold moment for this University and we'll never be the same, but we will definitely be stronger because of everything that Dick Bowers did for USF.”
Bowers also has served in leadership roles in numerous community organizations including: the United Way, National Youth Sports Program, Tampa Chapter National Football Foundation, Hall of Fame Bowl Selection Committee, Northside Bank Board, Florida State Department of Education Task Force in Physical Education, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Tampa Sports Club, Gold Shield Foundation, Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Committee, and Hispanic Business Institute.
He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Chi fraternity, and is on the Housing Committee for the Sigma Chi chapter at USF.
Born August 9, 1930 in Nashville, Bowers received a B.S. in Physical Education and a M.S. in Education Administration in 1953 from the University of Tennessee. In 1961, he received a Ph.D. in Physical Education from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and was a Fulbright Lecturer on Physical Education in Burma.
Bowers is survived by his wife, Madge, son, Rick who is a graduate of USF's College of Engineering, and daughter, Delisa and her children, Casey and Carissa.
