JOHN STEDMAN ENDOWMENTS
John Stedman
1924-2001
A highly successful businessman and entrepreneur, John Stedman graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in commerce. He enjoyed a lifelong career in the banking industry, mostly built on his own entrepreneurial venture, Republic Bank and Trust Co.
Stedman’s banking career began at the Scottish Bank, started by his father in 1932. Scottish Bank merged with First Union in 1964, and Stedman continued to work at First Union until 1972, when he launched Republic Bank and Trust in Charlotte. Republic Bank eventually became a thriving banking corporation.
Because he experienced every phase of venture creation – start-up fundraising, growth, strategic partnering, and mergers – Stedman became an early supporter of entrepreneurship studies at Kenan-Flagler Business School.
In 2000, Stedman’s family established the John Stedman Endowment at Kenan-Flagler to create awards that would encourage creative thinking, risk taking and profitable entrepreneurial business ventures through a business-plan competition.
The endowment now funds awards for the winners of the commercial and social tracks of the Carolina Challenge, UNC’s student-led entrepreneurial business plan competition.
