Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. (1911–2005) was an American businessman from

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

, who founded

EBSCO Industries EBSCO Industries is an American company founded in 1944 by Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The ''EBSCO'' acronym is based on ''Elton Bryson Stephens Company''. EBSCO Industries is a diverse company of over 4 ...

Early life

Stephens was born on August 4, 1911, in

Clio, Alabama Clio is a city
in Jim Stephens
In Memoriam: Elton Bryson Stephens, 1911-2005
''Serial Reviews'', Volume 31, Issue 2, 2005, pp. 80-81Michael Tomberlin

''The Birmingham News'', July 10, 2014 Stephens graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1932.

Career

Stephens founded Military Service Co. in 1944, with US$5,000.America's Richest Families: Stephens family
''Forbes''Connor Sheets

''The Birmingham News'', March 23, 2015 The company sold magazine subscriptions to the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

. It later became known as EBSCO Industries, a diversified company in "information services, publishing and digital media, outdoor products, real estate, manufacturing and general services."

Philanthropy

Stephens established the Metropolitan Arts Council of Birmingham in 1986. He donated $15 million to the

Alabama Symphony Orchestra The Alabama Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra based in Birmingham, Alabama. The orchestra's resident and principal conductor is Christopher Confessore. The Orchestra was first formed in April 1921 but had to close because of financial issu ...

, where he was chairman of its board of trustees, and where the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center was named after his late wife. Additionally, he donated $1 million to the

United Way United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public, prior to 2016. United Way organizations raise funds ...

of Central Alabama in 1997, joining their Million Dollar Roundtable. For charitable contributions to the

Birmingham Museum of Art The Birmingham Museum of Art is a museum in Birmingham, Alabama. It has one of the most extensive collections of artwork in the Southeastern United States, with more than 24,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and decorative arts repres ...

, the Stephens Family Gallery is named in his family's honor. The Red Mountain Expressway was renamed the

Elton B. Stephens Expressway The Elton B. Stephens Expressway, more commonly referred to locally as the Red Mountain Expressway, is a limited-access freeway serving as a north–south Connector (road), connection between Homewood, Alabama, Homewood and Mountain Brook, Alaba ...

by the City of Birmingham on September 11, 1975. With his son James, Stephens donated $2.5 million to the

University of Alabama at Birmingham The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public research university in Birmingham, Alabama. Developed from an academic extension center established in 1936, the institution became a four-year campus in 1966 and a fully autonomous univ ...

. They also paid $15 million for the construction of the Elton B. Stephens Science Center on the campus of

Birmingham–Southern College Birmingham–Southern College (BSC) is a private college in Birmingham, Alabama. Founded in 1856, the college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). More than 1 ...

Stephens Science Center, Birmingham-Southern College

Personal life

Stephens was married to Alys Robinson. They met as students at Birmingham-Southern College and graduated together in 1932. They had two sons, Elton B. Stephens Jr. and James T. Stephens, and two daughters, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke. His wife died in 1996.

Death and legacy

Stephens died on February 5, 2005. His son James serves as the chairman of EBSCO Industries.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, Elton Bryson Sr. 1911 births 2005 deaths People from Mountain Brook, Alabama People from Clio, Alabama American company founders Businesspeople from Birmingham, Alabama Philanthropists from Alabama Stephens family American billionaires 20th-century American philanthropists 20th-century American businesspeople