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]
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, including James T. Stephens, and two daughters.[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]
