A former director of Rio Rancho’s development department was found dead Jan. 23, in a vehicle in the western part of the city.

Rio Rancho Police found Art Corsie, 57, in a Ford Bronco south of Southern Boulevard and west of Unser Boulevard on the mesa. Rio Rancho Police spokesman John Francis said the cause of death has been determined to be natural causes.

Rio Rancho Mayor Tom Swisstack expressed his sympathies and fondly remembers the days he worked with Corsie in the 1990s. “Art was really the cornerstone of helping Rio Rancho grow during my time from 94 to 98,” Swisstack said. “He was the key driver in helping build the economic diversity that occurred in Rio Rancho during that time.”

Corsie liked to work fast. Swisstack said that Corsie was instrumental in getting buildings open in as few as 96 days.

Rio Rancho Deputy Mayor Mike Williams was on the city’s planning and zoning board in the mid-90s and was elected to the council in 2000. He fondly remembers working with Corsie.

“Art had a positive attitude and he loved the fact that he could walk to work,” Williams said. “For the most part, he was a can-do type of guy.”

Francis said police responded to a call about a possibly stolen vehicle in the mesa. When police arrived, they found Corsie inside the Bronco. Police performed CPR and called Rescue. Life-saving measures were performed to no avail.

Corsie was the city’s development director from 1988 to 2002, overseeing a massive boom in residential and commercial development.