J. "Dick" Richard Emens

J. Richard “Dick” Emens, partner of Emens, Wolper, Jacobs & Jasin Law, civic leader and philanthropist, died on June 28, 2023 surrounded by his loving wife, Beatrice and family after several years of fighting melanoma. An inquisitive person, Dick was a life-long learner---researching, studying, analyzing all subjects, especially history, education, investing and leadership. He counseled many clients on natural resources matters, business and succession issues, acquisitions and sales, public and private financing matters, and represented many clients before state and federal regulatory agencies.

Dick was preceded in death by his father, John R. Emens (1976); his mother, Aline Brainerd Emens (2000); and his brother David B. Emens (1994). Dick is survived by his wife of 40 years, Beatrice Emens Wolper and his 6 children Anne (Rick) Miller of Cincinnati, John “Jack” (Janie) of Marion, Ohio; Alaine (Jackie Fields) Emens of Findlay, Ohio; Renee (Darwin) Sigman of Heath, Ohio; Jennifer (Brendan) Emens-Butler of Burlington, Vermont and Elizabeth (Ilan Stein) of New York, NY; 9 Grandchildren – Abigail (Ben) Sigman Matson, Carson (Alex) Miller, Amelia Sigman, Leigh Miller, Austin (Bri) Sigman, Sean Emens Butler, Ari Emens-Asher, Micah Emens-Asher and Akiva Emenstein; 3 Great Grandchildren – William Matson, Colton Sigman and Hazel Beatrice Sigman; Dick’s sister-in-law, Carol Emens and his three nieces: Chris Gaziano, Julie Finch and Mary Ihle. Dick is also survived by his extended family, Chris (“IDA”) Vallo, Gail Tibbals, Lisa Harvey and first wife, Mary Moyer, with whom he kept a warm connection.

Dick was born in Jackson, Michigan on May 3, 1934. He graduated from Burris Laboratory School in Muncie, Indiana while his father was President of Ball State University, after which Dick headed to Greencastle, Indiana to attend DePauw University; was awarded his Bachelor’s Degree in 1956 graduating magna cum laude and was a member of Beta Theta Pi – Delta Chapter; his Juris Doctor Degree is from the University of Michigan School of Law Class of 1959 with Honorary Degrees from Ohio Dominican University and Ball State University.

Dick had six main loves in his life – Love of Family and Friends, Love of the Law, Love of the Emens Scholars at Ball State University, Love of The Conway Center for Family Business, Love of Traveling and, of course, Love of Fishing.

Dick also loved participating in civic organizations (was the Board Chair of Franklin University, Chair of Ball State Foundation, President of Friends of the Library (OSU), President and Chair of Conway Center for Family Business); studying and enjoying art and museums (especially Calder), exercising (4-5 times per week for 40 minutes each); watching the Tigers (win) - recently also the Cubs, and, of course, savoring good wine!

LOVE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Dick’s Family and Friends were always the most important to him. Bea and Dick always said they were so fortunate to be together – play, travel and work together! Every day (without fail) they passed “I love you” notes, and every night they recited “good night/I love you” stories. Spending time with his family brought happiness to his life: there were countless “good times” – starting when his kids and grandchildren were younger until they were adults. Time spent at “the Cabin” in Michigan, fishing, traveling and enjoying countless meals together were always highlights of any year. Since travel was important to Dick and Bea, their children and grandchildren were able to see many new places and experience new cultures with them. With most of his grandchildren grown, Dick also was fortunate to meet his three Great Grandchildren. His Beta friends from college enjoyed years of singing and traveling taking trips together for over 40 years; his Kit Kat friends enjoyed learning together; his law firm friends (some for over 50 years) enjoyed practicing and working together; his outside friends enjoyed playing, learning, watching Cubs games, drinking good wine and traveling together ….Dick loved them all.

LOVE OF THE LAW

Dick’s Love of the Law came with his JD degree from University of Michigan where he went on to specialize in Oil and Gas Law, Corporate Law and Family Owned Businesses. Dick made an impact on the lives of his clients and made a difference in the area of Ohio oil and gas law through his legal work. He found fulfillment when he was able to mentor younger lawyers, protect Landowners, solve problems and align his legal work with his values. He was a gifted attorney, with the ability to see what the real client issues were, and solve their problems. A frequent writer and speaker on Oil, Gas, Pipeline and Solar issues, Dick presented programs to more than 10,000 Ohio land and mineral owners.

In 1963, he moved to Ohio during the Oil Boom in Morrow County. Dick was instrumental in drafting Chapter 1509 of the Ohio Revised Code, effective July 9, 1965, as Ohio’s first comprehensive Oil and Gas Conservation Law and is credited with protecting the oil and gas industry in Ohio. Dick was appointed by Ohio’s Governor Rhodes as the first Attorney Member of the five-member Oil and Gas Board of Review where he served in that position for 10 years, and wrote the Oil and Gas Board Review opinions during his tenure. He served the Ohio Oil and Gas Association at Trustee and Chair, and Co-Chair or Member of the Conservation and Legislative Committee for more than 20 years. Dick was a Director of the Independent Petroleum Association of America; Founder, President and Trustee of the Eastern Mineral Law Foundation (now the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation). Chair of the Ohio Bar Association Oil and Gas Committee and an Ohio Member of the Interstate Oil Compact Commission. In 1998, Dick and Bea co-founded the Family Business Center of Central Ohio (now the Conway Center for Family Business) where he served as President for 23 years.

In 1968, Dick was a Partner in Emens, Kegler, Brown Hill & Ritter Co., LPA; President and Managing Director from 1984 to 1995. From 1997 to 2009, Partner at Chester, Wilcox & Saxbe, LLP practicing Oil and Gas Law, Corporate Law and Family Owned Business. In 2009, Dick with his law partner and wife, Bea, began Emens & Wolper Law Firm, LPA (now Emens, Wolper Jacobs & Jasin Law Firm, LPA) with Dick’s concentration on Oil and Gas. Dick was inducted into the Ohio Oil and Gas Association Hall of Fame in 2002. With his law partners, Bea, Sean Jacobs, Kelly Jasin and Cody Smith, Dick helped build a firm of which he was proud. His partners will miss his wise counsel and strategic planning…as well as his friendship.

LOVE OF THE EMENS SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Dick’s next love is for the Emens Scholars Program at Ball State University. In 1976, after his father passed, Dick founded the leadership-based Emens Scholars Program. In 1977, 5 outstanding high school students each received a $150.00 scholarship. Dick served on the Emens Scholarship Committee for 29 years, during which time the number of annual Emens Leadership Scholars increased from 5 to 15 scholars per year, each with full 4-year tuition scholarships. Dick served on the Ball State University Foundation Board of Trustees, as Board Chair and Chair of the Finance Committee and Board Chair and as Scholarship Chair for the Bold Capital Campaign. Dick Emens was bestowed with an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Ball State in December 2022. Dick played an integral part in securing donations for the Emens Scholars Program and to date there are now 40 Emens Scholarships (Umbrella Funds) to benefit outstanding high school students hoping to attend Ball State University. With the continued assistance of Chris Vallo, Dick would send out over 200 letters each year to the scholars, their families, and donors, thanking each person for helping make the Emens Scholarship Program a success. Since 1977, there have been 316 Emens Scholars; each one Dick’s calls “family”. Dick’s generosity and dedication help grown the Scholars Program because he cared deeply about helping form new leaders for the United States. He obtained immense satisfaction from watching the development of the young Emens Scholars’ leaders.

LOVE OF THE CONWAY CENTER FOR FAMILY BUSINESS

Love of the Conway Center – In 1998, Dick and Bea co-founded the Family Business Center of Central Ohio, a non-profit organization, with just 2 business owners. Dick wanted to establish an organization in Columbus that serves as a solid resource for families, owners and nonfamily executives of family-owned businesses. It started with volunteers to accomplish everything. Offering educational programs, peer groups and networking opportunities and events to family business owners and their employees. In 1999 Dick began a family business awards program and in 2000 established an affiliation with Ohio Dominican University. Dick also co-taught a family business undergrad course, “Entrepreneurship and Family Business” at ODU. 2003 the Center hired a staff and established a home (office space) at ODU. In 2008 a generous gift was made to the Family Business Center by James Conway and the Center became known as The Conway Center for Family Business. The Center has grown since 1998 to having over 200 Members, 30 Services Providers, 12 Peer Groups, 10 webinars/year, 2-3 Family Business Showcase events, a Golf Outing and the Awards Luncheon at present. Dick was named 2005 Supporter of Entrepreneurs in the Earnst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Event. Dick co-authored the book “Family Business Basics”. December 14, 2013, Dick was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Ohio Dominican University for his exemplary volunteer leadership and service for the common good and commitment to community.

LOVE OF TRAVEL

Dick loved to travel with his wife, family, friends and sometimes even just alone. From a cruise with all his children to Alaska –to exploring Egypt, Machu Pichu and Turkey with Bea, Dick LOVED traveling to new places. Dick (and usually Bea) visited all the states in the United States, Central and South America, Europe, including Croatia, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Africa (East and South). Dick treated each trip as an adventure of learning about the people, history, art and location and, of course, meeting new friends along the way.

A huge part of Dick’s traveling life was “The Traveling Betas.” Dick’s “brothers” in Beta Theta Pi were among his closest friends. After Graduation from DePauw, Dick and 5 of his Beta Theta Pi Fraternity Brothers – Ned Lamkin, Chuck Gilbert, Robert “Dinty” Johnson, John Dehner and Bob Kersey – saw the importance of education (and fun and drinking wine) through travel. Twenty years after graduation, the Beta’s (and their spouses) traveled every year together (starting in 1977); they traveled the world to places overseas including France, England, Scotland, Russia, Galapagos, Canada, San Juan, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Africa, Panama, and the Rivers in Europe and Adriatic; on opposite years enjoyed the United States including Alaska, Wyoming, Michigan, New Mexico, Arizona, New Hampshire, Maine, California, Virginia, South and North Carolina, Ohio, Washington, Oregon and the National Parks. In 2015 When brother Chuck (1934-2015) and later John (1934-2021) passed on, the remaining Traveling Betas set up the Delta ’56 Traveling Betas Memorial Leadership Fund (an Endowment Fund) at DePauw to honor their brothers who passed. The Fund was designed to honor the legacy of the 1956 Betas for leadership development opportunities by travel to Men of Principal events and seminars. Since the pandemic in 2020, travel temporarily stopped, but the Traveling Betas still got together monthly through Zoom. They never skipped a beat from sharing their lives – the ups and the downs – celebrating all the successes along the way. The stories and laughter and old songs and endless amounts of wine were never lacking.

LOVE OF FISHING

Dick loved to fish…. anytime, anywhere, for any type of fish. Dick went for Atlantic Salmon 13 times to Iceland, and then to all the Canadian Maritimes for Atlantic Salmon. Dick loved fishing in the Bahamas as well as Michigan – too many times to actually count!!! Dick and Bea took a “honeymoon” trip every year to go fishing, and they especially loved trout fishing in the western states (well, Dick loved fishing, Bea loved Catching). His Children/Grandchildren have gone fishing with him many times, including Ohio, Michigan, Alaska, Northwest Territory, and Central America. Once when Dick was fly fishing in Brazil, the airlines lost his luggage, but luckily, the camaraderie of the other fisherman shared their clothing (definitely not his style) and their fishing gear which made it even more of a memorable trip. Fishing is a love that has taken him to upper Maine once a year and to the Northwest Territory (Scott Lake Lodge) twice a year; and often in his own state of Ohio at Zanesfield Rod and Gun Club or at the cabin near Cedar, Michigan. The Cabin was built by his dad in the 40’s, and is shared by the entire family every summer. Fishing at this cabin retreat in the woods was relaxing, cleansing and centering for Dick. He enjoyed sharing this with everyone – sometimes having a fishing guide to help – sometimes off the dock at Little Traverse Lake Michigan.

Dick’s favorite fishing quote was by Robert Travers: “I fish because I love to. Because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful….”

Dick’s life will be remembered at a gathering for family and friends, 3-7pm, on July 28, 2023 at Schoedinger Northeast, 1051 E. Johnstown Road, Gahanna, Ohio 43230. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to honor Dick Emens to: Emens Scholars Legacy Fund (#30222), or to the Conway Center for Family Business.

Emens Scholars at Ball State University Foundation, 2800 West Bethel Avenue, Muncie, Indiana 47304

Conway Center of Family Business, at Ohio Dominican University, PO Box 361106, Columbus Ohio 43236