Dwight B. Heard moved to Chicago post-high school, where he began his career in finance and met his wife, Maie Bartlett. Diagnosed with lung ailments, he relocated to Arizona in 1895, where he became a prominent landowner and entrepreneur. Heard held leadership roles in various industries, including cotton and real estate, and was involved in significant business ventures. He owned the Bartlett-Heard Land and Cattle Company and was president of the Arizona Cotton Growers' Association. Heard also owned and published the Arizona Republican until his death in 1929. His political career included being a delegate to the Republican National Convention and running for Governor in 1924.

Dwight B. Heard's political identity is marked by a blend of business acumen and cultural patronage, underpinned by a Republican ideology that occasionally diverges from traditional party lines. His involvement in Arizona's agricultural sector, particularly cotton, reveals a focus on regional economic development. Heard's ownership of the Arizona Republican showcases his commitment to media influence, suggesting a sophisticated approach to shaping public discourse. His support for Theodore Roosevelt over Howard Taft in 1912 indicates a penchant for progressive Republicanism, even if his gubernatorial campaign in 1924 was unsuccessful.