Franklin exec unexpectedly dies

Burns, 60, of Atherton, was vice chairman of Franklin Resource, and executive vice president of Franklin Templeton Distributors and Franklin Advisers. Burns was still working despite his battle with the extended illness, said Franklin spokeswoman Stacey Johnston.

Employees were alerted of Burns’ death through a company e-mail issued by CEO Charles B. Johnson.

"Everyone who knew Harmon can understand when I say he was the kindest and most generous of men. His friendship was one of the great pleasures of my life, and I will miss him greatly,” Johnson said in the e-mail.

Burns started with the company in 1973, after Franklin acquired Winfield and Company. While at Franklin, Burns put himself through law school while running the legal and compliance department. Later he was named the chief operating officer in charge of all administration and operations.

"My first impression of him was that he was one of those people you could always count on — a man with a good head on his shoulders,” Johnson said in the e-mail. "He always had very good judgment and I very much valued his insights and opinions.”

Harmon Burns was born in Hartford, Conn. and moved around the country as a child because his father was in the Air Force. He lived in a number of places, including Germany, Washington, D.C., Alabama and California.

Harmon attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and worked at the Pentagon. He received his degree in business with an emphasis in finance in 1969.

After graduation, Harmon went to work at the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission as a financial analyst. His responsibilities included the review of prospectuses and other materials filed by mutual funds. This was a time when mutual funds were far less popular than they are today, but they seemed to be gaining recognition as an investment option, according a statement released by the company yesterday.

After two years with the SEC, Harmon and his family moved to California so he could take a job at Winfield & Company, an investment firm based in San Mateo. His wife, Sue, later joked that his reason for moving to the West was so he could be where Giants legend Willie Mays played, according to the statement.

In 1973, Franklin acquired Winfield & Company — where Harmon was assistant secretary of the company and its funds — and moved its offices from New York to California. As a Franklin employee, Harmon was initially in charge of legal and compliance, according to the statement.

While at Franklin, Harmon worked his way through law school at night, and graduated from San Mateo Law School in 1976. Throughout his career with Franklin, he held many roles including overseeing technology and accounting and serving as chief operating officer in charge of all administration and operations and as secretary and vice president of the company. In 1991, Harmon was elected to Franklin Resources’ Board of directors. Most recently, Harmon was vice chairman of Franklin Resources.

An avid Giants fan, Burns is a part owner of the organizations, along with Peter Magowan and William Neukom. Other general partners include Johnson.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.