James T. "Jim" Stephens (born April 14, 1939) is an American, businessman and philanthropist from Alabama.
James T. Stephens | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 14, 1939 |
| Alma mater | Yale University Harvard Business School |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Chairman of EBSCO Industries |
| Spouse | Julie Stephens |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | Elton Bryson Stephens, Sr. Alys Robinson |
Early life
editJames T. Stephens was born on April 14, 1939, in Birmingham, Alabama.[1] His father, Elton Bryson Stephens, Sr., founded EBSCO Industries in 1944.[2][3][4] His mother, Alys Robinson, died in 1996.[2]
He graduated from Yale University, where he received a bachelor's degree in history in 1961.[1] He received an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1964.[1]
Career
editStephens served as a lieutenant in the United States Army.[2] He joined the family business, EBSCO Industries, where he served as President from 1970 to 2005.[1] He served as its chairman from 2002 to 2017.[2][3]
He was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Alabama Academy of Honor in 2012.[1]
Philanthropy
editStephens previously served as the chairman of the boards of trustees of the Highlands School in Mountain Brook, Alabama, the Altamont School, and Birmingham-Southern College.[1] Additionally, he served as the chairman of the Greater Alabama Council of the Boy Scouts of America.[1]
He donated US$2 million to the United Way of Central Alabama.[1] He has endowed scholarships at Jefferson State Community College, Troy University, and Birmingham-Southern College.[1] He has also made charitable contributions to the God's Outreach Center in Harpersville, Alabama as well as UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders.[1]
With his father, Stephens donated US$2.5 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.[4] They also donated US$15 million for the construction of the Elton B. Stephens Science Center on the campus of Birmingham–Southern College.[4]
Personal life
editHe is married to Julie Stephens.[1] They have four children, Bryson, Trent, Bart, and Alys.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Alabama Academy of Honor: James T. Stephens". www.archives.alabama.gov. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d America's Richest Families: Stephens family, Forbes
- ^ a b Connor Sheets, Who are the richest Alabamians now that billionaire Marguerite Harbert has passed?, The Birmingham News, March 23, 2015
- ^ a b c Michael Tomberlin, Stephens family may be better known in Birmingham for generosity than $4 billion wealth, The Birmingham News, July 10, 2014