According to a Deadline report, Richard Bates died. He was 70 years old. Bates served as senior vice president of US Government Relations for The Walt Disney Company. Bates took office in 2010.
Bates worked for The Walt Disney Company for 29 years. Prior to his tenure at Disney, Bates was the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger and Chief Executive Bob Chapek issued a joint statement on hearing of Bates’s passing.
All of us at Disney are heartbroken by the sudden loss of our longtime colleague and dear friend Richard Bates. As head of our Government Relations team in Washington, DC, Richard was unmatched in his field – widely respected for his incredible accomplishments and loved for his extraordinary kindness, compassion and irresistible wit. He was passionate about his work and approached it with the same cunning and unwavering enthusiasm he showed when he joined Disney three decades ago. For those of us who are fortunate enough to know Richard personally, his loss is profound. You will be deeply missed, and our sincere prayers and condolences go out to your wife Rose, your children Ricky and Chris and your entire family.
Joint statement by Bob Iger and Bob Chapek
Bates leaves his wife, Rose, and children Ricky and Chris.
This is the second death today in the extended Disney family. Earlier today, we reported the passing of Disney legend Ron Dominguez.