Richard Brough Rogers, a California businessman, decorated naval veteran, conservation leader, champion sailor, and sculptor, died July 28 in Santa Barbara. He was 85.
Born in Los Angeles in 1941, Richard was a third-generation Californian. His lifelong love of nature — especially the ocean — guided decades of public service devoted to protecting California’s forests, wildlife, marine habitats, and native plants.
A 1963 graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a degree in electrical engineering, Richard served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1963 to 1967, completing three tours in the Western Pacific. A combat-decorated veteran, he served as Officer of the Deck for fleet operations and as Command Duty Officer.
After earning an MBA in finance from the University of Southern California in 1969, Richard worked in investment management and later served as president of Davis Cablevision. For more than four decades, he led Pacific Ranch Company, a diversified farming, ranching, land-investment, and horticultural-services enterprise.
Ocean conservation was among Richard’s most important legacies. As president of the California Fish and Game Commission, he became a forceful advocate for implementing California’s Marine Life Protection Act and protecting the state’s marine ecosystems. His stewardship was recognized with Reef Check’s Poseidon Award in 2012 and Ocean Day California’s Ocean Champion Award in 2013.
His broader public service included leadership roles with the California State Board of Forestry and California Wildlife Conservation Board. He founded and chaired the Dean’s Council of UC Santa Barbara’s Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. He also served the CSU Channel Islands Foundation and Center for Plant Conservation.
From 1988 to 2008, Richard served on the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s board, including terms as vice president and president, and co-chaired its capital campaign. The Botanic Garden presented him with its Honorable John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Award in 2008.
Richard was an Olympic-class athlete, and sailing remained one of his enduring passions. Racing the Flying Dutchman, he completed an undefeated 1979–80 season while preparing for the 1980 Olympic Games before the U.S. boycott ended the team’s Olympic hopes. In 1984, Richard won Class A in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference, and later that year, The Shadow won Class B at Hawai‘i’s Clipper Cup.
Richard approached life with enthusiasm and curiosity, taking pleasure in discovering new interests and sharing them with others. He loved scuba diving, ocean and fly fishing, skiing, international travel, Formula One racing, driving his candy-apple-red 1957 Chevrolet, and watching mysteries with his wife. He was a sculptor and a lifelong lover of music, which brought him joy and connection throughout his life; he especially enjoyed Thursday evening concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.
Richard was well known for his hospitality and love of cooking. He delighted in preparing memorable meals — including his Bolognese, poached salmon, and refined sauces — opening fine wines, and welcoming family and friends aboard his boat or into his home. He created playful traditions, including the Golden Egg, that his family will treasure.
Like all of us, Richard was a complex person. His legacy endures in the California landscapes he helped protect and in the family and friendships he shaped throughout his life. He is survived by his wife, Beth; five children; and eight grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Reef Check or the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
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