Frank Jameson Rees
August 28, 1941 – March 2, 2022
Frank Jameson Rees passed away unexpectedly on March 2, 2022 at the age of 80. After a great day of tennis, he died in the arms of his loving wife Marlo Rees at home in Montecito, California. Frank was an energetic, vivacious friend and mentor with a laser-sharp mind and contagious laugh who loved business and enjoyed helping others.
Born August 28,1941 in Lexington, Kentucky to Frank Jameson Rees, Sr., and Margaret Evelyn Combs, Frank was the big brother to four siblings. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School and received his BS in Engineering from CalTech in 1963.
In 1964 he received his MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics and completed a PhD in Applied Mechanics at Stanford University in 1968. He married Diane Jones in 1964, and they welcomed daughter Nicole in 1968. In 1972 he married Ruth Andre and they moved to Atlanta, Georgia where son Brandon was born in 1974 and daughter Danielle in 1976.
In 1975, Frank co-founded Energy Management Associates, with partner James M. Goodrich. Under his leadership as President and CEO, EMA dominated its software niche as a software and management consulting firm serving the electric and gas utility industry. He sold the company to Electronic Data Systems in 1992.
In the 1980’s he joined Young Presidents Organization and continued in the more recent YPO GOLD organization (formerly known as WPO). He deeply valued and was enriched by the friendships in his YPO GOLD NorCal Forum.
In 2000, with Nephew John Berlin, Frank co-founded Devastudios, a Film Graphic Design firm, whose clients include major motion picture studios and video streaming companies. Frank was actively involved in the company until his death. He volunteered at the Stanford Business School and mentored numerous entrepreneurs over his lifetime.
In 2003 Frank moved from Atherton, California to Santa Monica, and married the love of his life, Marlo Coleman Rees. They moved to Portland, Oregon in 2003 and to Montecito, California in 2021.
An avid tennis player throughout his life – Frank was ranked number 3 in Northern California in senior men’s doubles in 1998 and 1999. He and his Portland tennis teams won 2nd and 3rd places in the USTA National Senior Tennis Championships of 2010 and 2016.
Frank is survived by his wife Marlo, daughter Nicole (wife Lisa Bell and daughter Ava), son Brandon (wife Sara Mayman and daughters Dalia and Zoey), daughter Danielle (husband Zach Tolby). He is also survived by sisters Michelle Berne and Caroline Berlin, nephew John Berlin, niece Jennifer Berlin, nephew Clayton Karush, and grandniece Sierra Sutherland. He is preceded in death by sister Serena Sutherland and brother “Gopher” Curtis.
A private celebration of life will be held this spring. Donations may be made in his name to the UN Refugee Agency at https://give.unrefugees.org/ or World Central Kitchen, both of which are assisting with the Ukrainian refugees.
Published by San Francisco Chronicle on Mar. 16, 2022.
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