Jess S. Morgan

Morgan, Jess S.
Jess S. Morgan, distinguished business manager and investment advisor to many in the entertainment industry, died July 31, 2011, at his Westwood, CA, home.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Jess moved to California as a child. He grew up in the Long Beach area and attended Occidental College, where he participated in the swimming program. Jess interrupted his studies to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Having served proudly during the war, he returned to Occidental to complete his BA. He then received an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Jess' career in the Business Management/Investment Advisory field began in 1949 at the A. Morgan Maree firm during the Hollywood era that included David O. Selznick, John Huston, Humphrey Bogart, and Deborah Kerr. He left the Maree firm in 1967 to start Jess S. Morgan & Company, Inc. Jess, along with Wallace Franson, rapidly expanded the business to include such services as accounting, taxation, real estate, intellectual property, insurance, and investments.

Jess retained a keen interest in swimming throughout his life. He was an avid skier, a world traveler, and a voracious reader of business and historical materials.

Jess is survived by his wife, Palma, and son, Greg, and was predeceased by his son, Kirk. Private services have been held. Contributions in Jess' memory may be made to Fisher House Foundation, 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850-5168. The organization works with military personnel and their families.