Former Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker — who was elected to the Mesa City Council in 1986 and served 10 years and then served two consecutive terms as mayor from 2000 to 2008 — has died.

Hawker is survived by his wife, Penny and two children, according to a release from the city of Mesa.

Originally from Portage, Wisconsin, Hawker served in the U.S. Army. He earned a degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point; and as a successful businessman, he used his expertise to steer Mesa through the post-9/11 recession, the release states.

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of my friend Keno Hawker,” said Mayor John Giles. “We served on the Mesa City Council together and he was very supportive of me as mayor. He led the city during some challenging times. He was a strong advocate for Mesa, and we continue to benefit from his leadership today.”

Hawker was passionate about infrastructure. He was instrumental in shaping and leading the passing of Proposition 400, Maricopa County’s long-term transportation and mass-transit plan. He also spearheaded the adoption of the 2002 Mesa General Plan, which set the city on the path of business growth and job creation, the release states.

“I was always impressed by Keno’s financial acumen and vision for Mesa’s growth,” Mesa City Manager Chris Brady said in the release. “Keno’s leadership and understanding of city government guided me in my early days as a city manager. I will always be grateful that he gave me the career opportunity of a lifetime.”