Richard M. Faust
791 N Main Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
Voice: (928) 639-3200
E-mail: rfaust
Richard Faust has been Parks & Recreation Director for the City of Cottonwood since October of 1990. Richard and his family moved from the West Des Moines area of Iowa in 1967 to Casa Grande, Arizona. He graduated from High School in 1973 and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation & Resources Management (1977) from Northern Arizona University. He was subsequently hired into a permanent position after graduation with the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Richard took a job as a Park Ranger at Fire Island National Seashore in New York. In 1979, he was offered a position at Grand Canyon National Park where he stayed until 1986. During his tenure at Grand Canyon National Park, he worked as a Supervisory Park Ranger, Inner Canyon Sub-District Ranger, District Ranger/Unit Manager of Desert View District and also several years as the Western Regional Safety Manager.
By 1988, Richard had left the Federal Government and began working for the Municipality of Casa Grande, in Arizona as Recreation Supervisor and Recreation Manager. In 1990, Richard accepted the Director position in Cottonwood where he relocated with his wife and four children. Call it the climate or the water, Richard and his wife had three more children by 2001. They dearly love their children, the Verde Valley and the incredible people who reside here.
Richard has served throughout the Cottonwood area on a variety of Boards and Commissions. He earned his Certification from the National Recreation and Parks Association as Certified Parks & Recreation Professional and was certified from Arizona State University School of Public Affairs as a Certified Public Manager in 2005.