BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, U.S.A - Elton Bryson Stephens, founder and chairman emeritus of EBSCO Industries, Inc., died Saturday, Feb. 5. He was 93.

Elton B. Stephens spent a lifetime advancing the arts, health, finance and banking, education and community in Alabama. His vigorous support of Alabama institutions of art and higher education includes the establishment of the EBSCO Endowed Chair of Library Service at the University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies, the first endowed library chair in the U.S. In recent years, Stephens gifted Birmingham-Southern College, where in 1928 at the age of 17 he began his college education, with the Elton B. Stephens Science Center.

He and his wife helped establish the Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, named for her and located on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In the early nineties, Stephens personally launched a campaign to revive the Alabama Symphony from insolvency. This succeeded, and today the symphony operates with a multi-million dollar endowment.

In 1932, Stephens graduated from Birmingham-Southern College. He earned his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1936. He held honorary doctorate degrees from Birmingham-Southern (Doctor of Laws) and the University of Alabama (Doctor of Humane Letters). He was named Outstanding Alabama Corporate Citizen in 1989.

In 1944, Stephens and his wife formed a partnership to sell esprit de corps and recreational supplies, including magazine subscriptions, to the U.S. Armed Forces.

Today, EBSCO is a collection of more than 30 business units with 5,000 employees active internationally in information services, publisher services, real estate development and manufacturing.

Stephens' many writings to his second family of EBSCO personnel include: "Don't, whatever you do, neglect a customer. Devote your entire energies and time while on the job, and off the job if necessary, to give the service so necessary for customer satisfaction."

Stephens' vision and example have lived within our company far beyond his active service.

Stephens is survived by sons J.T. Stephens, Elton B. Stephens, Jr. and daughters Jane Comer and Dell Brooke, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Contact: Rebecca C. Walden Corporate Communications (205) 980-6794 rwalden@ebsco.com

Release Date: Feb. 9, 2005