| Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. | |
| Birth Date: | 4 August 1911 |
| Birth Place: | Clio, Alabama, US |
| Known For: | Founder of EBSCO Industries |
| Occupation: | Business executive |
| Spouse: | Alys Robinson |
| Children: | 4, including James T. Stephens |
Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. (1911–2005) was an American businessman from Alabama, who founded EBSCO Industries.
Stephens was born on August 4, 1911, in Clio, Alabama.[1] [2] Stephens graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1932.[3]
Stephens founded Military Service Co. in 1944, with US$5,000.[2] [4] [5] The company sold magazine subscriptions to the United States Army.[4] 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."[2]
Stephens established the Metropolitan Arts Council of Birmingham in 1986.[2] He donated $15 million to the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, where he was chairman of its board of trustees, and where the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center was named after his late wife.[2] Additionally, he donated $1 million to the United Way of Central Alabama in 1997, joining their Million Dollar Roundtable.[2] For charitable contributions to the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Stephens Family Gallery is named in his family's honor.[2] The Red Mountain Expressway was renamed the Elton B. Stephens Expressway by the City of Birmingham on September 11, 1975.[2]
With his son James, Stephens donated $2.5 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.[2] They also paid $15 million for the construction of the Elton B. Stephens Science Center on the campus of Birmingham–Southern College.[2] [6]
Stephens was married to Alys Robinson.[5] They met as students at Birmingham-Southern College and graduated together in 1932.[7] They had two sons, Elton B. Stephens Jr. and James T. Stephens, and two daughters, Jane S. Comer and Dell S. Brooke.[5] His wife died in 1996.[5]
Stephens died on February 5, 2005.[1] His son James serves as the chairman of EBSCO Industries.[5]