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The force behind the James Beard Public Market has died.

Local-food proponent and Portland restaurateur Ronald M. Paul died Dec. 21 of complications from cancer. He was 65.

鈥淗e was so much a visionary,鈥� said Fred Granum, who succeeded Paul as executive director of the James Beard Public Market. 鈥淗e brought his background as a chef to work for his community and moved into a successful career as a public servant. His loss saddens us all. He will be sorely missed.鈥�

Paul was respected as a chef before entering public service as chief of staff to Charlie Hales when the mayor was a city commissioner from 1999 to 2002. Paul helped establish the vision of a public-private food market to rival Seattle’s Pike Place Market 鈥� to be named in honor of James Beard, a towering figure in American cooking and a Portland native.

For nine years, Paul led the effort to build the market at the Morrison Bridge’s west end. Multnomah County has accepted a proposal to sell four blocks for use as the market. Conceptual designs have been adopted by the market’s board, and it expects the property purchase to close this month, according to Granum. The board has worked with Melvin Mark Development Co., architects Snohetta and SERA, and landscape architect Mayer/Reed.

Project delivery is scheduled for 2018.

Paul’s death came the same week that Portland was named by the Washington Post as America’s top food city.

鈥淗ow fitting and how sad that this recognition comes now,鈥� Hales posted on Twitter on Tuesday. 鈥淭hanks, chef, market-maker and civic entrepreneur Ron Paul.鈥�