Jim Stephens

businessman

Jim Stephens is a former soldier and the chairman of EBSCO Industries, an information technology company. He gained attention for his controversial commencement speech at the University of Alabama in 2007, where he challenged graduates to think critically about the U.S. role in global conflicts, particularly during the Iraq War. His speech sparked significant dialogue and led to the university's decision to forgo traditional commencement speakers for nearly two decades.