Robert M. Frehse, Jr., Former Executive Director of the Hearst Foundations, Dead at 86

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Jan 20, 2012) - Robert M. Frehse, Jr., who was executive director of the Hearst Foundations for nearly three decades, died today in New York. He was 86.

Frehse was a consultant to the Hearst Foundations since he retired in June 2007, after serving as executive director since 1979. The Hearst Foundations are composed of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and The Hearst Foundation, Inc. Both Foundations are independent private philanthropies operating separately from Hearst Corporation. They were established in the mid-1940s by William Randolph Hearst and are guided by the same charitable mission, which reflects his philanthropic interests: education, health, social services and culture.

In a joint statement, George R. Hearst, Jr., and William R. Hearst III, presidents respectively of The Hearst Foundation and William Randolph Hearst Foundation, said: "For 37 years Bob Frehse devoted his working life to the Hearst Foundations. We are grateful for his service, the many relationships he has nurtured and for the high standards of philanthropic management that he put in place. They will serve the organizations for years to come."

"As the leader of the Hearst Foundations for nearly three decades, Bob was responsible for enabling important, high-quality programs and services for some of the country's most deserving organizations," said Frank A. Bennack, Jr., CEO of Hearst Corporation and chairman of the Foundations' Gift Committee. "He touched so many people's lives. Our thoughts go out to his family."

Frehse first joined the Hearst Foundations in 1975 as director of administration and assistant treasurer, and in 1978 was promoted to vice president and managing director. He was named executive director four years later.

Prior to Frehse's tenure at the Foundations, he spent more than 20 years with Citicorp, principally with Citibank's overseas divisions, where he spent 15 years in Latin America and the Caribbean, two years in Hong Kong and the balance in the head office in New York. In his final position with Citicorp, Frehse was manager of marketing coordination for the Asia Pacific and the Western Hemisphere of the Citicorp Subsidiary Group.

He was a founding board member of both Grantmakers in Health and the National Foundation Financial Officers Group. Frehse also served as chairman of the board of the Better Business Bureau Foundation in Washington, D.C., and received the Dean's Medal from Tulane University's School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine.

Born August 22, 1925, Frehse grew up in Detroit. He was a graduate of Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., and the American Graduate School of International Management in Phoenix. In World War II, Frehse was a Lieutenant JG in the United States Navy.

He is survived by his wife Dale; sons, Robert M. Frehse, III, and John W. Frehse, Sr.; daughters-in-law, Susan Satterfield and Jessica Santostefano; grandson John W. Frehse, Jr.; sister Rosemary Geist; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 28, at 11 a.m., at The Reformed Church of Bronxville, 180 Pondfield Rd., Bronxville, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Westminster, a Christian camp founded by Frehse's father in 1925 (17567 Hubbell Ave., Detroit, MI, 48235, 313-341-8969). Checks can be made to 'Camp Westminster' with 'The Frehse Fund' in the memo section.