Dick Mallery was more that a business attorney. Passionate about the city he called home, a patron of the arts, and a champion for health innovation, Dick Mallery lived a life that crafted a lasting legacy.
Richard “Dick” Mallery (1937 – 2026) photo used with permission
Passing of an Arizona Pioneer
Friends from across Arizona’s life science, arts, and business community were saddened to learn that Richard “Dick” Mallery had died on May 6, 2026. He was 88.
Within the law firm of Snell & Wilmer, Dick’s visionary leadership helped guide the firm to a preeminent position in Arizona, the West, and beyond. In addition to being a skilled real estate attorney at the firm for 58 years, Dick held various formal roles, including leading the Real Estate Practice Group and serving on the firm’s Executive Committee. Beyond his official roles, he served in many informal roles that equally made a difference, including as a mentor and friend to so many.
Dick was a leader whose own exuberance for fully engaging in contribution to community – whether local, national or international – inspired and encouraged others to aim a little higher. We are deeply grateful to Dick for his immense contributions to Snell & Wilmer and the world around him. His legacy of excellence in service is expansive and enduring.
Dick Mallery leaves behind a powerful legacy of service and leadership. With extraordinary vision, great intellect, hard work and contagious enthusiasm, Dick shaped the communities around him in profound and lasting ways.
(Source: Snell & Wilmer)
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others”. ~Pericles
Pericles (c. 495–429 BC) was a prominent Athenian statesman, general, and orator known for leading Athens during its “Golden Age”. He famously promoted arts and literature, transformed Athens into a maritime empire, strengthened democracy, and initiated the massive building program that produced the Parthenon.
Here are just some of the ways that Dick Mallery’s impacted the lives of others.
“Dick was my friend and guiding star from the day we met. I was a very new CEO and eager to engage where a difference could be made. Dick paved many ways for me and he and I collaborated so many times over the years. He was so good to me and I admired everything about him. Visionary and Indelible is how to best describe his mark across this State. I loved and admired Dick Mallery.” ~ Sharon Harper“Dick Mallery was an incredible contributor to Arizona. I watched him conceptualize several larger than life deals, like Arizona Center, and actually bring them to fruition. But those were just business deals. His biggest and best effort was after his wife Francie died of cancer, when he vowed to start TGen and IGC. Those will be his real legacies, and they are labors of love. I loved his mind.” ~ Francine Hardaway, co founder, Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation
A catalyst for what is today a thriving life science community
“Dick Mallery left a lasting mark on Phoenix. His leadership in downtown development and the biosciences helped shape the city we know today. From the Herberger Theater Center to so much more, we’re grateful for his service and impact.” ~ Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (Facebook)
In a 2003 interview with the Flinn Foundation, Dick Mallery described the origin of his involvement in what became the recruitment of the International Genomics Consortium to Arizona and the creation of the Translational Genomics Institute. His role began when his wife Francie was in treatment for cancer at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. There they met the center’s director, Daniel Von Hoff.
“As soon as Francie pulled through the immediate crisis, I approached Dan and told him I needed to do something,” Mallery recalled. “I asked a series of questions: ‘How can I help and make a difference?’ Dan replied, “We should develop therapies which hit specific targets in patient tumors.” My next question, “How do we do it?” His answer, “Genomics.” I inquired, “Who is the best?” His response, “Jeff Trent.” And I immediately said, “Okay. Let’s get Jeff. Let’s do it.” (Flinn Foundation article excerpt)
John Murphy, the Flinn Foundation’s first CEO, wrote in a 2025 reflection that when Mallery learned of Trent’s interest in establishing a research institute, he passed along this possibility to Flinn Foundation leadership. Mallery had also told Trent that enlisting Flinn’s support could prove fruitful—effectively shaping how the recruitment would unfold before Flinn even entered the conversation.
Once Flinn engaged, Murphy recalled, he and Mallery agreed to work as a team and divide the labor along their respective strengths. Murphy took the academic sector, meeting with the presidents of UA and ASU. Mallery focused on political connections. Within days, Mallery had convened a meeting that included Governor Jane Dee Hull, Mayor Skip Rimsza, both university presidents, and key legislators, consolidating public-sector support behind recruiting Trent to Phoenix. Mallery and Rimsza also identified a former municipal court building site next to the Arizona Center, redirecting a parcel that had been considered for an Arizona Cardinals stadium toward what would become TGen’s home.
Mallery served as one of the initial members of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee and remained actively involved in the development of IGC and TGen, and implementation of the Roadmap, for more than a decade.
“Dick Mallery will be sorely missed as he was very much a “guiding light” in building the healthcare/bioscience industry in Arizona! He was actively involved from day one and was instrumental in bringing many companies and technology to our State. A true statesman and gentleman as well as a good friend. Dick provided support and guidance in the formation of the AZ Bioindustry Association, Inc.” ~ Jon McGarity, Founder and former CEO of AZBio
Dick Mallery challenges Watson
IBM’s Watson as a special guest at the 2011 AZBio Awards. IBM Watson was a significant forerunner to today’s AI, acting as a high-profile, “bridge” technology that brought artificial intelligence from research labs into the public consciousness. Watson’s launch in 2011 demonstrated that machines could understand natural language and process complex information at a high level.
Championing Innovation and Innovators
Dick Mallery had a brilliant and inquisitive mind. If he had a super-power, it was his ability to develop a plan, bring people together around it, and get the job done.
Projects like the Arizona Center, the Herberger Theatre, the International Genomics Consortium, the Translational Genomics Institute, and the Phoenix Bioscience Campus all benefited from the application of Dick’s super power as did many other companies and projects he supported during his time at Snell & Wilmer.
A closing remembrance from Joan Koerber-Walker
Dick was always so kind to me, generous with his time and guidance, and so supportive of what we are working with the community to build at AZBio.
Back in 2011, when AZBio was seeking a new leader, I went to see Dick. We had lunch in his office. He listened as I laid out my plan, gave feedback, pointed out where the challenges would be, shared suggestions, and offered his support. With his encouragement, I accepted the role of President & CEO at AZBio.
I would have many lunches and conversations with Dick over the years. He had warned me that achieving the goals of that 5-point plan would take time. He was right! Every time we saw each other, formally or informally, he would ask how I was doing, ask about how things were progressing, and provided encouragement. It meant a lot!
A modern Pericles
Like Pericles, Dick Mallery was a prominent statesman and orator known for being able to effectively work with Arizona’s elected leaders, both Republican and Democrat. Thanks to his leadership and commitment, and his ability to bring people (and funding) around a shared vison, the Phoenix Bioscience Campus was born and expanded. The life science leaders he recruited became its anchor tenants. Over time, downtown Phoenix experienced a renaissance. Today, it is a place where world-class scientists rub shoulders with business leaders, the arts are celebrated, and students prepare for their futures.
Dick Mallery’s name is not engraved in stone monuments. Instead, his legacy is woven through the lives of the people who call the city that he loved home and impacts the lives of patients around the world who will benefit from the work of Arizona health innovators.
May his memory be a blessing to those who will miss him in the days ahead and his example be an inspiration.