Alan Richard Reece (1927-2012) was the owner director of Pearson Engineering Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.
He was educated at Harrow County School for Boys and then Kings College (which had been part of Durham University and was later renamed the University of Newcastle upon Tyne), where he was awarded a BSc in Mechanical Engineering in 1947 and an MSc in Agricultural Engineering in 1950.
He graduated as an apprentice at Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1948; and was a management trainee for the Ford Motor Company, in Dagenham from 1950–52.
He was visiting scientist to the US Army Tank Automotive Centre, Detroit from 1962–63; Editor of the Journal of Terramechanics from 1963–73; and Founder Member and first President of the International Society for Terrain Vehicle Systems, 1964–67.
He was the biggest single donor to Cambridge University's Institute for Manufacturing in 2009, whose new research building is named in his honour.