| Richard Pootmans | |
| 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 |
| Alma Mater: | University of Calgary Mount Royal University Carleton University[1] |
| Spouse: | Frances Wright |
| 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.[2] Pootmans resigned from his position on November 26, 2024, citing "personal and family reasons," less than a year from the 2025 Calgary municipal election.[3]
Richard Pootmans was born in 1956.
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
Pootmans was the 2009 recipient of the Economic Development Alberta Economic Developer of the Year.
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.[4]
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.
Pootmans was first elected to serve Ward 6 in the 2010 election, taking 31% of the votes in a field of 10 candidates.[5]
Pootmans was reelected in the 2013 election by capturing 51% of the votes.[6]
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.[7]